The Edmonton Oilers converted an all-around good effort into a convincing 4-0 win over the Jets on Friday.
The Oilers jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one and built it 3-0 after two. Another in the third sealed it over Winnipeg, behind the solid goaltending of Calvin Pickard.
The club played with pace and purpose, and they were also not afraid to get their noses dirty. Enjoyable game to watch and grade.
Here’s the tale of the tape…
Again, no Player Grades until the Regular Season. In their place, a hybrid of The Cult of Hockey’s Two Good Things, Two Bad Things, Two Numbers brand:
Good Things:
-Noah Philp. His strong pre-season performance continues. Strong defensive play on Barron in the first. A veteran-like reset mid-ice with a flair, allowing his mated to change. Wired home the 3-0 with a wrist shot from the hashers that went post and in. Body position allows him to clear the zone on the PK. With his play, his size, his handedness. It may be hard to keep him off the opening night roster. Best player on the ice tonight. Named the 2nd Star.
-Josh Samanski. The young man showed quite well against Seattle on Wednesday and took another couple of big steps in this one. Slid a smart pass across to Nurse for the 1-0. Then, the kid snapped a sweet one short side high for the 2-0. Looked like he had done that before! A bit later, a patient play to hit a breaking Mangiapane with a slick feed. Named First Star. Has he earned another game?
Bad Things:
-Not “bad”, per se, but Ike Howard was quiet.
-Not much else, good effort all around.
Numbers:
-The Darnell Nurse line: 1G, 1A, +2, 26 shifts, 4 shots, 3 blocks, 2 hits.
-Kasperi Kapanen was noticeable. Scored. 3 shots, 3 hits, a scrap.
Odds & Ends:
-David Tomasek. A great play in the O-zone to disrupt the Jets’ attempted exit, Then, knocked down an errant pass and immediately feathered it across to Samanski for the 2-0. Also involved in Kapanen’s 4-0. 5v5 CF 21-13, 62%. I am not certain he is an NHL Center. But he sure looks like an NHL forward. The game’s Third Star.
-Another good pre-season look from Calvin Pickard. He was particularly good on that second period PK. Terrific save off a Namestnikov deflection in the third. Calk, cool, seemed to be tracking pucks well. 21-save shutout.
-Matt Savoie with just a lovely sauce pass to Mangiapane short handed, only a terrific save stopped a shorty. Good PK work. A couple penalties. Gritty. Played to the final buzzer. I like his game.
-The trio of Samanski, Marjala and Jarventie did not look like rookies. Played with pace and moved the puck North crisply. Good for them.
-Darnell Nurse for a second straight game was very good, had a goal and an assist. Drew a penalty.
-A spirited second period scrap between Josh Brown and Tyrel Bauer. A real Jim Dandy dance.
-Regula noticeable. Gets body position defensively, moves the puck. Scoring Chances 5v5 9-3.
Oilers back in action Sunday.
This article is not AI generated.
Recently, at The Cult…
LEAVINS: Oilers make roster cuts ahead of pre-season rematch versus Jets.
LEAVINS: Oilers lose to Seattle in lackluster pre-season game.
STAPLES: Big buzz over waiver-wire goalie
Bruce McCurdy, 1955-2025.
Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.