The Edmonton Oilers dropped their final pre-season game Friday, 3-2 to the Canucks in Overtime.
Oilers hopefuls get to play against a nearly complete NHL squad, a good test far more important than the game itself.
Edmonton gave up a late first period goal to trail 1-0 after 20. They tied it on a Kapanen slapper in the second and then they took the lead on a Draisaitl PP goal in the third. A lost battle on the PK and it was even at two and headed to overtime. In the extra frame, Connor Garland beat a dead-tired Draisaitl and Bouchard to end it.
Make the final 3-2.
Here’s the tale of the tape…
Again, no Player Grades for one more night. In their place a final time, a hybrid of The Cult of Hockey’s Two Good Things, Two Bad Things, Two Numbers:
Good Things:
-The 1-1, where David Tomasek gained the zone and drew a defender toward him, then deftly set the puck up on a tee for Kasperi Kapanen who blasted it home blocker side on Demko from the top of the circle.
-The 2-2. The Oilers Power Play will need to be great this season, and they sure were on this sequence. Draisaitl started the play below the goal line, then it was McDavid-Bouchard-Draisaitl and in.
Bad Things:
-Mattias Ekholm/Noah Philp on the 1-0. An ugly “you got this, no I got this” moment that saw the puck turn over in the D-zone and end up in the back of the net. Not good for Philp in particular, who is trying to make this team,
-Darnell Nurse/Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the 2-2. The Nuge nearly snagged the puck at the line, but didn’t, and moments later the puck carrier beat Nurse off the wall.
-Honorable Mention: The OT goal. With McDavid-Draisaitl-Bouchard on the ice they didn’t touch the puck in 3:30.
Numbers:
-Two guys trying to male this club as Centers in the bottom six were a study in contrast in the faceoff circle tonight. David Tomasek was 50%. Noah Philp was just 38%.
-Speaking of Centers, Adam Henrique was very good tonight. He led the Oilers in 5v5 CF (64%) and did not lose a draw.
Odds & Ends:
-Noah Philp. On one hand, it was a much more physical Philp tonight, he used his size to his advantage. But was a -1 with the mix-up with Mattias Ekholm on the wall and struggled on the dot. Hmmm.
-David Tomasek. Positive showing on the PP, where he played both net front and bumper. He was key to the sequence on the Kapanen goal. 50% in the circle and 50% CF 5v5. He’s on the team.
-Vasily Podkolzin. Returned after the passing of his Dad. Lowered the boom on the D-man Pettersson in the second frame, sending the Canuck woozily back to the bench and down the tunnel.
-Matt Savoie. Third period poke check followed by a lightening-fast dash down the ice, but foiled by Demko. A fine defensive play in his own slot in the first. Plays more like a vet.
-Ike Howard. One shot. O.K. defensively. I see him trying to do a bit much at times resulted in a couple neutral zone turnovers.
-Veteran D-man Brett Kulak was good, stuffed a dangerous Pettersson rush early, a savvy stick disrupted a DeBrusk sortie, etc.
-Calvin Pickard started with Skinner not feeling well. Faced 27 shots, stopped 24, tough ones on Garland, Blueger and DeBrusk.
The Oilers kick off the 2024-25 NHL Regular Season with the Battle of Alberta and the Flames Wednesday, October 8.
This article is not AI generated.
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Bruce McCurdy, 1955-2025.
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