Jake and the Kid led the Edmonton Oilers to a 3-2 win over the Senators of Ottawa.
Rookie Ike Howard scored the first goal of his career and the first of the game. Jake Walman fired a dangerous slapper through for Edmonton’s OT winner.
In total, the Grade A shots were 10 for Edmonton, 11 for Ottawa, with the subset of more dangerous 5-alarm shots six for the Oilers, five for the Sens.
Cult of Hockey player grades
Connor McDavid, 7. Ripped a Grade A one-timer slotter early off a Drai pass, then almost scored off a Drai pass on the PK. He snapped in RNH’s pass on the PP over Linus Ullmark’s shoulder, top shelf where Grandma keeps the cookies. Showed his grit with a hard forecheck, kicking off the Virtuous Cycle on Howard’s goal. Passed up an open slot shot in OT. Grade A shots plus-minus: Even Strength (EV): +2, -0; Special Teams (ST): +2, -0
Leon Draisaitl, 6. He made a poor judgement and got caught up-ice on an early Ottawa 2-on-1. Pounced on a Bouchard stretch to rip a Grade A on the PK early in the second. He set up Howard’s goal with a smart back pass. Turned the puck over in OT on the PP. GrA +/-: EV +2, -2; ST +2, -0
Vasily Podkolzin, 4. Promoted to the top line, but likely had his weakest game of the young season. GrA +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -0
Andrew Mangiapane, 5. Flubbed a breakaway backhander early on, though he was slashed heavily with no call. Almost buried a backhander on a second period break-in. Lost a battle leading to Cousin’s second period 5-alarm backhand slotter off the post. He broke up a slot shot in the third. GrA +/-: EV +2, -2; ST +0, -0
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 6. Deft stickcheck in the defensive slot in the first to take away a dangerous Ottawa opportunity. Set up McDavid’s goal in the first and set up Mangiapane with a deft break-in pass in the second. Lost a battle on Ottawa’s early third period goal. Great pass to set up Savoie’s 5-alarm chance in the third. GrA +/-: EV +2, -0; ST +1, -1
Jack Roslovic, 6. More good than bad, but no points. He set up Mangiapane for a second period wrist slotter. GrA +/-: EV +2, -0; ST +0, -0
Matt Savoie, 6. Solid block on the PK in the first. Failed to drain a wicked slotter in the third. Hanging in there and finally got a much needed assist, winning the key faceoff in OT. GrA +/-: EV +2, -0; ST +1, -0
Trent Frederic, 3. Another weak game. Little physical play. He got caught too deep in his own zone and failed to cut out the pass or block the outside shot on Chabot’s point shot, Ottawa’s second goal. Wandering in the Red Light Zone on that one, not covering anyone, not covering any passing or shooting lane. GrA +/-: EV +1, -3; ST +0, -0
Noah Philp, 5. Good pass to set up Frederic for a 5-alarmer jam slotter early on. Drew an iffy slashing call on Stutzle. GrA +/-: EV +1, -2; ST +0, -0
Adam Henrique, 6. His best game of the year. Got the first shift in his 1000th game and ripped a hard outside shot on net. He helped create Savoie’s dangerous 5-alarm slotter in the third with a pass, then a screen. GRA +/-: EV +1, -0; ST +0, -0
David Tomasek, 4. Not enough from him either. Failed to get the puck up-ice, leading to Perron’s wild second period chance and Stu Skinner’s even wilder save. GrA +/-: EV +0, -1; ST +0, -0
Ike Howard, 7. Finally! Excellent first goal, moving in on a 2-on-1 break with Drai, then stopping up to find the quiet ice before unleashing a wicked snap slotter to score. Had some other good moments as well and no bad ones. GrA +/-: EV +1, -0; ST +0, -0
Mattias Ekholm, 7. Great game, one bad mistake. Super slide to block a slot 2-on-1 pass on the first shift to cover for his partner Bouchard, then pinched to kick off a McD Grade A sequence. His stick-check set in Mangiapane on a breakaway. he and Bouch left the d-slot early, allowed Perron’s monumental shot in the second. Unfortunately got out of position, making him the prime culprit on Ottawa’s early third period goal. Got an OT assist off the faceoff play. GrA +/-: EV +1, -1; ST +1, -1
Evan Bouchard, 7. High event, most of it good. He kicked off the Virtuous Cycle on McD’s first period goal with a hard-ass pinch down the boards. Two clearances led to two PK Grade As, one by McD, the other by Drai. He made a bad pinch on a second period 2-on-1. He made a weak clearance on the PK, kicking off the Sequence of Pain on Ottawa’s first goal. Great move to help set up Savoie’s 5-alarm slotter. Picked off a dangerous Sens’ slot pass in the third. He went to the net in OT and drew a key penalty. GrA +/-: EV +1, -2; ST +3, -1
Darnell Nurse, 5. Improved after struggling mightily two games in a row. Blocked a hard wristed slotter shot early on. His turnover up the boards led to two quick Grade A shots a few shifts later. Sharp stick-check in the second to create a 2-on-1 break. GrA +/-: EV +1, -3; ST +0, -0
Jake Walman, 9. Welcome back, Jake! Beautiful knuckle puck of a slapshot in OT, that after the Oil had almost squandered an OT power play by passing up good shots. Oilers missed him. His puck-moving made a positive difference. Made a stretch pass early on to set up a 5-alarm sequence. GrA +/-: EV +3, -1; ST +1, -0
Brett Kulak, 4. Hmm. Off to a slow start. He turned over the puck, then screened his goalie on the second Ottawa goal. GrA +/-: EV +0, -2; ST +0, -0
Ty Emberson, 4. Not making much of an impact. Caught out of position on a 5-alarmer in the second. GrA +/-: EV +0, -1; ST +0, -0
Stuart Skinner, 7. Good game. Solid stop on Cousins early on a 2-on-1, then thwarted Perron and Cousin on a break-in chance. Massive stop on David Perron on a 2-on-0 after the Oilers deserted the zone. Both Ottawa goals early in the third were tough ones, one a break-in snipe, the other a point shot through a mutli-player screen. Not much action in the third.
At the Cult of Hockey
STAPLES: Oilers unsung hero promoted to top line, rewarded for hard-nosed game