The Edmonton Oilers conjured up a thrilling ending to their 5-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, but they had too much to overcome, having been out-hustled, out-battled and out-scored for much of the contest.
The goal saw Leon Draisaitl lead Edmonton’s comeback with two great goals.
The Grade A shots were 14 for Edmonton, 16 for CBJ, with the subset of more dangerous 5-alarm shots 10 to six for Columbus.
Cult of Hockey player grades
Connor McDavid, 7. Quiet in the first. Loud mistake early in the second, over-skating a bouncing puck to kick off the sequence of pain on a fast counterattacking CBJ goal rush, the Jacket’s second goal. Broke in for a dangerous shot early in the third. He almost batted in a goal on a third period power play. He won the faceoff battle on Edmonton’s fourth goal and also set a moving screen. He missed a break-in shot with five minutes left. Grade A shots plus-minus: Even Strength (EV): +6, -1; Special Teams (ST): +2, -1
Matt Savoie, 7. Good game, but bad first period. He allowed the outside shot on CBJ’s first period goal. A couple failed clearances on an early PK. His slot turnover led a CBJ shortie jailbreak and 5-alarm shot late in the first. But he smartly tipped in Bouchard’s outside shot to make it 2-1. He made a move at the blueline, causing an offside and a goal recalled int he second. He ripped a slotter off a McDavid feed late in the second, then set up McD with a battle won early in the third. Grade A +/-: EV +4, -1; ST +1, -1
Andrew Mangiapane, 4. He was -4 official goals against, but didn’t make any heinous mistakes out there on those goals. He burst in, took a pass from McD and launched Edmonton’s first Grade A shot. He got hunted down by Werenski on a break-in. Grade A +/-: EV +1, -0; ST +0, -0
Jack Roslovic, 5. Quiet game in his hold hometown, but a sweet pass on Podkolzin’s goal. Bulled his way to a slot shot late but failed to drain it. Grade A +/-: EV +2, -1; ST +0, -0
Leon Draisaitl, 8. He came alive as the game heated up. Indeed, he did much of the heating. Made a quick spin and drove to the net for an early Grade A. He kicked off the virtuous cycle of Edmonton’s first goal with a face-off win. A shift later won another faceoff then peeled off and took Bouchard’s fine vintage pass, ringing his Executioner’s Shot off the post and in to tie the game. He failed to take the shooter on the fifth CBJ goal. His wicked shot somehow got by Jet Greaves for Edmonton’s fourth goal. He sent in McD, then Nurse on great chances late in the third. He got tripped up in the slot but amazingly no penalty was called. Hideous non-call. Grade A +/-: EV +7, -1; ST +2, -0
Vasily Podkolzin, 5. Running around on defence a wee bit. He got beat own the wing on an early PK for two 5-alarm shots, one off the post. Slammed home Edmonton’s third goal on a turn-around slotter. Grade A +/-: EV +1, -2; ST +0, -2
Adam Henrique, 4. A down game for the crafty centre. Grade A +/-: EV +1, -2; ST +0, -0
Trent Frederic, 3. He was hired to win battles, but two lost physical battles led to goals against. He lost the puck in the dz-corner, kicking off a sequence of pain that saw CBJ move the puck around until big Voronkov snapped it off the crossbar, then Fantilli slam it on net. He lost a battle in the corner leading up to CBJ’s fourth goal. He broke up a dangerous slot pass in the third.Grade A +/-: EV +0, -4; ST +0, -0
Mattias Janmark, 3. Super quiet, not good for a forward. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -0
Noah Philp, 4. Also quiet. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -0
David Tomasek, 3. He allowed the pass across for the initial shot on CBJ’s fourth goal. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -0
Curtis Lazar, 4. Another forward with little to report. He missed a shot at the side of the net late in the second. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -0
Mattias Ekholm, 7. His forwards hung him out to dry a few times, leaving him wiht tough battles. He won a key board battle to help set up Savoie’s late second slotter. He ripped a shot off the post early in the third. He won a dz-battle to kick off Edmonton’s third goal sequence. He charged in for a wicked slotter late in the third. Grade A +/-: EV +4, -3, ST +0, -0
Evan Bouchard, 8. High event, some bad, some great. He screened the goalie and failed to take Olivier’s stick on CBJ’s first period goal. Stumble bum turnover led to Coyle’s 5-alarmer. He failed to take Coyle a moment later in front of the net on CBJ’s second goal. Hard outside shot served up for Savoie’s tip shot and Edm’s first goal. Slick seam pass to Drai on Edmonton’s 2-2 goal. Solid pinch to on Edmonton’s third goal. Resisted shooting and set up Drai on the fourth Oil goal. Grade A +/-: EV +6, -3; ST +0, -0
Darnell Nurse, 3. The play dies on his stick in the o-zone far too often just now. Inauspicious start. He flubbed an oz-pass leading to a CBJ break, with Miles Wood hammering it off the post through Nurse’s screen. He was caught in the red light zone, not covering any player or any passing or shooting lane, on the fifth CBJ goal. He drove down the wing and busted a shot in tight late in the third. Grade A +/-: EV +1, -3; ST +0, -0
Jake Walman, 3. Some good moments, but more bad ones. Out of position to stop Provorov’s early PP break-in. He was caught puck-watching in the red light zone on the fourth CBJ goal, then caught out on the fifth goal as well, allowing a slot passl Grade A +/-: EV +0, -3; ST +0, -2
Alec Regula, 5. Quiet game, which is good for a d-man. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -0
Brett Kulak, 6. He generally kept it safe this game, which is more than many Oilers can say. Grade A +/-: EV +1, -0; ST +0, -0
Calvin Pickard, 3. A few big saves but he looked shaky in net. Came up huge when Provorov burst in for a break-in PP shot. Got luck when an outside shot from Miles Wood went through him but bit both posts and out. Saved by the post again a moment later when he kicked out a rebound and Voronkov’s snipe tasted crossbar. Sillinger put it off the post on a 2-on-1 late in the first. He came up huge on Coyle’s 5-alarm harpoon moments into the first. A few seconds later he failed to cut out the pass on Coyle’s goal. He had little chance on the wicked rebound off the dz-endboards leading up to the slot shot on CBJ’s third goal. He failed to control an outside shot leading up to CBJ’s fourth goal. Little chance on the fifth goal.