Player grades: Edmonton Oilers Vancouver Canucks

The Edmonton Oilers played excellent defence but lacked punch on the attack, losing 3-1 to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.

The got Oilers got down two goals but fought back when Evander Kane tipped in a shot late in the second. But the checking was fierce in the third period, as neither team could muster dangerous shots.

Edmonton felt the absence of captain Connor McDavid, but such is hockey. Better to rest him than rush him back, and now there’s no impetus at all for him to get back into the line-up until he’s absolutely ready.

Leon Draisaitl, 7. He got the first Grade A shot of the game, his fearsome Executioner’s Shot on an early power play. Great move to set up Bouchard in the high slot late in the first. But he looked a bit awkward on the power play taking on the McDavid playmaker role, as opposed to his usual rifle man identity. Contributions to Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +3/-0; Special Teams +1/-0.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 7. Skated hard and made some sharp plays on the attack. Solid on the kill. GAS: Even Strength +2/-0; Special Teams +0/-0.

Zach Hyman, 7. He some nifty moves with the puck in the o-zone. Jammed a tricky shot on net early in the third. He took a nasty and illegal elbow late in the game but no penalty for some reason. GAS: Even Strength +3/-0; Special Teams +0/-0.

Adam Henrique, 5. Quiet. But made a crucial clearance on Van’s third period power play. GAS: Even Strength +0/-1; Special Teams +0/-0.

Evander Kane, 7. He made a sharp pass to set up Drai’s harpoon on Edmonton’s opening power play. He took. a wicked hit from Carson Soucy. He kept at it, going to net to tip in Nurse’s outside shot late in the second; just what the Oilers need, a Californian (named in honour of the constant tip goals by San Jose combo of Pavelski and Burns). Kane blasted big Zadorov into the boards a moment later. GAS: Even Strength +1/-0; Special Teams +1/-0.

Ryan McLeod, 4. His line was the least effective unit. Some solid passing to start the game. He abandoned the slot on Connor Garland’s second period 5-alarm slotter. GAS: Even Strength +0/-1; Special Teams +1/-0.

Dylan Holloway, 4. He failed to read the play and take his man, allowing the 3-on-2 on the first Vancouver goal. GAS: Even Strength +0/-0; Special Teams +0/-0.

Corey Perry, 4. He was late to cover Boeser in the slot in the first, but Boeser missed the net. He turned over puck on the empty-net game goal. GAS: Even Strength +0/-0; Special Teams +0/-0.

Sam Carrick, 6. He won a key board battle to extend the Virtuous Cycle leading up to Kane’s second period goal. GAS: Even Strength +1/-0; Special Teams +0/-0.

Mattias Janmark, 6. He set up Brown in the slot for two Grade As in the first. He skated well with the puck on a number of occasions, taking it out of trouble and into the scoring zone. GAS: Even Strength +2/-0; Special Teams +0/-0.

Mattias Ekholm, 5. He moved well at the point early on and ripped a hard slapper on net. He lost a battle in the corner leading to a 5-alarmer half-way through the second. GAS: Even Strength +3/-2; Special Teams +0/-0.

Evan Bouchard, 5. He played the uncharacteristic role of enforcer early in the game, standing up for Desharnais after J.T. Miller bashed him. He blasted a hard wrister on net on the rush later in the first. He made a solid defensive stop on a Boeser rush in the second. He allowed the Pius Suter tip shot on Vancouver’s second goal. GAS: Even Strength +3/-2; Special Teams +0/-0.

Darnell Nurse, 4. Some good, a bit more bad. Had a super rough first period. He drove some hard outside shots on net early on that were deflected at net. But he was wandering in the Red Light Zone — not covering anyone or any passing lane — on Mikheyev’s early 5-alarmer. Backed in a bit too much on Vancouver’s first goal. “You can’t get let a guy walk in like that off the rush,” said Hockey Night in Canada’s Kevin Bieksa of Nurse’s play. Got some back when his high outside shot was tipped in by Kane. GAS: Even Strength +1/-1; Special Teams +1/-0.

Cody Ceci, 6. He lost a battle behind the net on Mikheyev’s first period blast. Otherwise kept it simple. He led the team with six hits. GAS: Even Strength +0/-1; Special Teams +0/-0.

Vincent Desharnais, 8. He kept it simple and safe. Succeeded in keeping a clean sheet at even strength, not one major mistake on a Grade A shot against, the mark of defensive excellence in the NHL. He made a key block on Vancouver’s third period power play. GAS: Even Strength +0/-0; Special Teams +0/-0.

Brett Kulak, 8. Super solid game. Also kept a clean sheet. GAS: Even Strength +1/-0; Special Teams +0/-0.

Stuart Skinner, 5. He did not face his first shot until seven minutes into the game and not one Grade A until 17 minutes in, but it was a whopper, Mikheyev moving as the danger man to launch a 5-alarm slotter. But Lafferty’s goal on the rush was from the dot, a Grade B shot, with Skinner looking like he’d lost his net a crucial fraction. Huge stop on Garland half-way through the second. Suter’s goal was a tricky one, a hard tip shot.