Oilers’ depth scoring leads the way, Connor Ingram’s birthday shutout, and four wins in a row

The Edmonton Oilers pulled out a massive win on Saturday afternoon against the Anaheim Ducks, and last night they had a chance to keep the good times rolling against another divisional opponent. The Seattle Kraken still have their sights set on a Wildcard spot, while the Oilers still have theirs on the division lead. And with both clubs needing points for very different reasons, the stakes felt bigger than maybe we would have expected for a late-March game against Seattle. Even so, it was a big one for Edmonton, and I’m pleased to say that our boys followed through on their end of the bargain. Final score: 3-0 OilersDEPTH SCORING IS MY SPIRIT ANIMAL

There’s nothing I love more than a night led by depth scoring. I’ve been writing game recaps on this website for a long time, and a lack of depth scoring has been a story around here for nearly two decades. Whether it was the Gagner-era Kid Line, the H.O.P.E. section of the infinibuild, or even under Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl’s reign, the Oilers haven’t had much luck getting offence from anyone other than the big dogs. We’ve seen plenty of players come and go, but it’s been incredibly tough for whoever is GMing this team to find the right mix. That’s why I always get fired up when Edmonton has a game where the bottom six chips in with meaningful offence. Everybody knows McDavid is usually the one to chop the wood and carry the water on a night like this, but damn it if it wasn’t nice to see his boys take some of that pressure off his shoulders.

On Tuesday, the Oilers got first-period goals from Max Jones and Kasperi Kapanen to grab the lead with a little bit of insurance. And when you consider how tightly the rest of the game played out on the scoreboard, those two early ones from the bottom six proved to be massive. You don’t always expect the game-winner to come early in the first period, but that’s exactly what we got, and I loved it. I mean, how many of you had a Maximum Jones game-winner on your bingo card? I like putting a few pennies down from time to time, but I wouldn’t have gone there if I were betting Gregor’s money. Either way, you have to love seeing the depth come through and push this win streak forward. If the Oilers are going to make some noise now that the games are really starting to matter, they’ll need everyone in the lineup finding ways to contribute. That’s what we got last night, and Gord knows you love to see it.CONNOR INGRAM SHINES ON HIS BIRTHDAYIt seemed fitting to me that the Oilers picked up their first four-game win streak of the season on Connor Ingram’s 29th birthday. The guy has been so good throughout this little run, so why not go out and pitch a shutout on the big day? The Hockey Gords have been hard on us this season, but last night’s win almost felt like a little wink to let us know everything might be okay. Could this be the sign we’ve been waiting for? Alright, maybe I don’t actually believe any of that, but putting a bagel on the board on your birthday is one of those things that just feels right in sports. It’s a cool detail on what was a very successful night. In reality, last night might have been one of the Oilers’ best games in a while, and Ingram was a huge part of the story.As good as the Oilers were against Utah, Vegas, and Anaheim, they were truly dominant against the Kraken. There were long stretches where Seattle couldn’t get out of their own zone, and while the score was relatively close, the result felt miles away from what I was watching on TV. As tight as it was, this was a performance that easily could have turned into a runaway. I mean, if it had ended 6-0 instead of 3-0, would anyone have been surprised? But since that didn’t happen, Ingram had to be sharp when he was called upon, and he absolutely was. Whether it was shots from the outside, chances in tight, at even strength, or on the penalty kill, the birthday boy was ready for whatever the Kraken threw his way. Connor Ingram turned aside 27 shots for his second shutout of the season and eighth of his career. If only Seattle had managed two more shots on goal. Then we really would have known the Hockey Gords were up to something.FOUR IN A ROW? FOR REAL?

It wasn’t so long ago (two days) that we were talking about the Oilers picking up three consecutive wins for only the second time in 13 attempts. Do you remember? Back then, there were questions about commitment to defence, goaltending, and whether the coach was being called out by the team’s stars. Yeah, those were tough days. Hard days. It feels like a lifetime ago. Sometimes, I don’t know how we got through it. That’s not the kind of thing this four-game-winning Oilers team would do. There’s no way that THIS team ever played THAT poorly. checks notes Hmm. Same team, huh? Could have fooled me. Not that I’m complaining, but it’s fascinating to watch the Oilers start to play their best hockey with only a handful of games left.

For months, we’ve been asking them to bear down defensively, throw their bodies around, and play as a cohesive unit. A team that looks like it truly has Stanley Cup aspirations. But for whatever reason, it took until late March and a Leon Draisaitl injury for this group to start cleaning up the details in their own end. Maybe it’s the new guys settling things down, or maybe it’s just a coincidence, but the way the Oilers are playing right now has me fully drinking the Kool-Aid that they’ll be ready to make some noise in the playoffs. These last four wins have been playoff-style wins, and it’s the exact brand of hockey that could push them toward the division lead if they can keep it up. These last four games have been the blueprint, and I’m very excited to see if they can keep following it consistently.The Nation Playoff Draft Party — Team Sign-Up Now OpenEdmonton hockey fans — think you and your crew know playoff hockey? Prove it at the Nation Playoff Draft Party on Friday, April 17th at the River Cree Resort & Casino. Build your playoff roster, compete against other teams throughout the postseason, and battle for $2,500 cash and Nation bragging rights. Team entry is $1,000 for groups of 8, which includes dinner and your first bevy. The night will be hosted by Ryder & Lisa from The Sauce and Tyler & Liam from ON Everyday, so expect plenty of energy, competition, and chirps. Spots are limited — sign your team up now at nationgear.ca. All proceeds from the event support KidSport Edmonton, helping ensure local kids can stay in the game.