Player grades: Stu Skinner saves the day as Oilers top Preds, extend win streak to 16 – Edmonton Journal

Article content

Predators 1, Oilers 4

Same script, different day.

Article content

Backstopped by excellent goaltending, the Edmonton Oilers defended hard and scored just enough to walk away with the win, this time a 4-1 triumph over a hard-working crew of Nashville Predators.

Sound familiar? It should. The Oilers have won 16 (SIXTEEN!!!) straight games now, allowing 2 or fewer in the last 14 of those. Moreover, they have scored 4 or fewer in the last 10 straight, producing just 32 goals that span (including 4 empty netters) but allowing a mere 12.

Article content

3-1. 2-1. 3-2 (OT). 2-1 (OT). 4-2. 4-2. 3-1. 4-1. 3-0. 4-1.

In this encounter, the last before a 9-day break, the eye test suggested the Oilers were legitimately outplayed for a rare change. The numbers certainly support that take. As per Natural Stat Trick, Nashville had 57% of the shot attempts in all situations, 59% of the shots on net, 65% of the scoring chances and 70% of the high danger shots. By our own (preliminary) count at the Cult of Hockey, the Preds had 58% of both the Grade A shots (14-10) and the more dangerous subset of 5-alarm shots (7-5). But Skinner and Edmonton’s special teams were the difference makers on the scoreboard, where the Oilers had a comfy 80% of the goals.

Player grades

#2 Evan Bouchard, 6. A couple of indecisive moments on the defensive side, but also came up with a pair of big stops to thwart developing 2-on-1 situations. Drew a penalty. Didn’t attempt a single shot on net, but did earn a secondary assist on McDavid’s clincher in the third period. Among those beaten on the lone Nashville tally minutes later. Contributions to Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +0/-1; Special Teams +0/-0.

Article content

Article content

#5 Cody Ceci, 5. His pairing with Nurse was tasked with stopping Nashville’s top unit of Nyquist-O’Reilly-Forsberg-McDonagh-Josi and had their hands full to say the least, losing the shot share battle by a wide margin. They did, however, succeed in the main task of keeping a clean sheet while also chipping in on the penalty kill, which had a 100% clearance rate in 3 tests. GAS: ES +0/-3; ST +0/-0.

#10 Derek Ryan, 5. Quiet but effective at both even strength and on the PK. The only forward below 10 minutes ice time at 8:53. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

#13 Mattias Janmark, 6. Had a fine game on the PK, leading Oilers forwards with 3:04 TOI during which time Nashville mustered just 1 shot. At evens he had a splendid chance from close range but was unable to solve Kevin Lankinen. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-0.

#14 Mattias Ekholm, 6. Primary assist on McDavid’s goal. Among those beaten on Nashville’s goal, breaking his stick on the play and being unable to prevent the slot pass that followed. 0 shot attempts, 2 hits, 2 blocks. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-0.

#18 Zach Hyman, 7. His hands let him down a time or two, notably when he whiffed on what appeared a tap-in of a sweet Draisaitl feed. But he made his presence felt with his work away from the puck, screening Lankinen on the 1-0 and winning a key battle on the 3-0. In between times took a goalie interference call for a hard charge on net. Finally hit the scorecheet in a good way with the empty net goal, his 30th tally of the season. GAS: ES +3/-2; ST +1/-0.

Article content

#25 Darnell Nurse, 4. This game was a bit of a slog for the big defender, even as his pairing managed to keep a clean slate on the scoreboard. Had his hands full with Filip Forsberg in particular, who had a brilliant afternoon. Took a penalty. 4 shot attempts, 3 blocks, 2 hits, 1 takeaway. GAS: ES +0/-6, ST +0/-1.

#27 Brett Kulak, 6. Got the job done on an effective third pairing. Brought the physicality with 3 hits. GAS: ES +0/-2; ST +0/-0.

#28 Connor Brown, 6. Led Oilers with 4 takeaways, 2 of which were converted into 5-alarm shots (but not goals) with sharp passes to Janmark and McLeod. Delivered 3 strong minutes on the penalty kill. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST +0/-0.

#29 Leon Draisaitl, 8. An appropriate grade on the day the Big Diesel scored his 800th career point. The milestone came on a patented powerplay snipe (on his only shot). Added 2 primary assists for his second straight 3-point outing. A rare poor outing on the faceoff dot with 2/10=20%. His 19:48 TOI led all forwards. GAS: ES +4/-1; ST +2/-0.

#37 Warren Foegele, 4. His line with RNH and Kane got mashed at 5v5 (shot attempts +6/-22; shots +3/-10; goals +0/-1 on Foegele’s watch). Struggled to handle the puck, but did lead the Oilers with 4 hits. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

Article content

#55 Dylan Holloway, 5. Brought speed and energy as usual. Missed a glorious chance to score when set up brilliantly by new linemate Perry but didn’t have his stick on the ice for the tap-in. Made a terrific solo rush to the goal mouth but was unable to make the tuck. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

#71 Ryan McLeod, 6. Had 3 splendid chances from close range but was unable to cash. Skated well and was a factor at both ends of the sheet, including a cameo on the PK. Took a team-high 13 faceoffs, winning 6=46%. GAS: ES +3/-0; ST +0/-0.

#73 Vincent Desharnais, 7. Co-led the d-corps with 3 hits and 3 blocks in 18:55, which included a highly effective 3:12 on the PK. Made a brilliant sliding block to snuff out a dangerous shot. His confidence with the puck continues to soar. GAS: ES +0/-2; ST +0/-0.

#74 Stu Skinner, 9. Another brilliant outing, allowing just a single goal on a day Nashville’s expected output was 3.5. Made a number of dazzling saves, none better than the blocker stop off Luke Evangelista’s one-timer from the slot off a quick four-way passing play that left the young Pred shaking his head in disbelief. Later robbed Ryan McDonagh, going post to post on a cross-seam pass to produce a shoulder stop (see: feature image above). Turned aside all 9 of Filip Forsberg’s shots, many of them Grade A’s. Got a little help from his iron friends, and from his flesh-and-blood ones as well. Extended his club record to 12 straight wins, allowing 2 or fewer in the last 11 of those. 29 shots, 28 saves, .966 save percentage.

Article content

#90 Corey Perry, 6. Played 12:44 in his Oilers debut and more than held his own on a line with speedsters McLeod and Holloway. Caused a disturbance in the blue paint on his very first shift. Made a great backhand pass out the short side which led to a pair of close range shots. Showed his savvy in the d-zone in the late going, chipping a dangerous rebound to the side wall under pressure, then recovering it himself and clearing the zone. 2 shots, 2 hits. GAS: ES +2/-0; ST +0/-0.

#91 Evander Kane, 4. Similar on-ice results as his linemates Foegele and RNH, with the trio chasing the game at even strength. 0 shots on net, 2 hits. OK defensively and clearing the zone. not always a strength. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.

#93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 6. He too had a ragged game at even-strength with similar metrics as Foegele and Kane along with a turnover on the lone Nashville goal, but delivered the goods on both special teams. Opened the scoring with a great shot on the PP, his first goal in 10 games; later earned a secondary assist on Draisaitl’s powerplay tally. Solid on the PK as usual. 6/12=50% on the dot. GAS: ES +0/-3; ST +1/-0. 

Article content

#97 Connor McDavid, 9. After scoring just 7 points over an 8-game span, has erupted with a further 7 in just the last 2, being involved in every single Oilers marker over the span. Ended this one with 1-3-4, +2. Secondary assist on the 1-1. Terrific pass to Draisaitl on the 2-0. Scored the 3-0 himself when he jumped on his own rebound behind the icing line and quickly bounced it into the net off of Lankinen’s backside. Belatedly awarded a (deserved) assist on the empty netter, in which he won an epic board battle with the indefatigable Ryan O’Reilly, chipping the disc up the wall to Draisaitl and ultimately on to Hyman. Rang the iron with a quick release drive through a screen. All over the event summary with 10 shot attempts, 5 shots on goal, 3 hits, 2 takeaways, 2 blocks. GAS: ES +4/-1; ST +1/-0.

Recently at the Cult of Hockey

McCURDY: Remembering Wayne Gretzky’s 21-year “personal services contract” that transformed hockey’s future

LEAVINS: Calvin Pickard’s shutout backstops Oilers to 15th straight win

STAPLES: Subban holds forth on the Oilers

STAPLES: Player grades vs CBJ

McCURDY: Vinnie emerges!

LEAVINS: Dylan Holloway finally gets his chance — 9 Things

Article content