Former Edmonton Oilers forward Connor Brown stuck the knife into his old team in classic Connor Brown-ian fashion, scoring a key shorthanded goal in New Jersey’s 5-3 win on Saturday afternoon.
This came was a comedy of the errors by the Oilers, full of hideous mistakes by key Oilers players leading to dangerous Devils shot.
We can whine and cry about such self-inflicted wounds or maybe have a laugh. I’m reminded of that great line by Mr. Bennett from Pride and Prejudice: “For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?”
In total, the Grade A shots were 11 for NJ, eight for the Oilers, with the subset of 5-alarm shots eight to five for the Devils (running count).
Cult of Hockey player grades
Connor McDavid, 6. Two assists. Came out fast, finally got a Grade A wrister on net late in the first. He and Kulak were all eyes but no stick as Palat moved between them for a second period 5-alarmer. Made an excellent pass to set up RNH’s goal. Another great pass on RNH’s second goal. Grade A shots plus-minus: Even Strength (EV): GRA +/: EV +4, -1; ST +1, -0
Andrew Mangiapane, 6. He passed up an opportunity to shoot on an early 2-on-1, but his pass went awry, an all too common sequence of events early this year for the Oil. But some good work otherwise on and off the puck. GRA +/: EV +3, -0; ST +0, -0
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 7. Two goals, but some tough moments on defence. Excellent backcheck in the second to stop a Hischier break-in. Brilliant snipe on Edmonton’s first goal. Lost a battle in the sequence leading to Brown’s goal rush, then lost another o-zone battle leading to yet another 5-alarm short-handed shot against. Scored a lot tally to make score somewhat respectable. GRA +/: EV +4, -1; ST +1, -2
Leon Draisaitl, 3. Too many rough moments with the puck. Nasty turnover late in the first led to chaos in front of Edmonton’s net. He got Edmonton’s first 5-alarm shot early in the second, set up by McDavid for his Executioner’s Shot. His turnover at the offensive blueline led to a dangerous Jack Hughes shot. Yet another turnover kicked off the Sequence of Pain on Connor Brown’s Oil-crushing third goal. GRA +/: EV +1, -2; ST +1, -2
Vasily Podkolzin, 4. The puck slipped off his stick behind Edmonton’s net, leading to an early 5-alarmer against. Relentless on the forecheck once again, leading the team in hits with four. GRA +/: EV +0, -2; ST +0, -0
Kasperi Kapanen, 4. Hard work, not much in the way of results. GRA +/: EV +1, -0; ST +0, -0
Jack Roslovic, 7. Solid work. He broke up a dangerous slot play early in the second. He flashed up the ice late in the second, kicking off the Virtuous Cycle on RNH’s goal. GRA +/: EV +2, -0; ST +0, -0
Matt Savoie, 4. Made good plays with the puck on his stick, but needs to create some Grade A shots. GRA +/: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -0
Trent Frederic, 4. Not thriving at centre, not even close. Solid slot defence on Jack Hughes early in the second. One more ugly turnover, this time by Frederic in the d-slot, the team’s third of the game, one more NJ 5-alarm shot in the second. GRA +/: EV +1, -1; ST +0, -0
David Tomasek, 3. Had trouble with his defensive assignment as a centre. It’s hard to fathom why he was in at centre and not Noah Philp. Tomasek was slow to make a defensive read and cover the danger man in the slot, leading to the first Grade A against of the game. Exhausted after a power play, he allowed an outside shot leading to a 5-alarm tip in the second. Strong work on the forehcheck with his linemates Henrique and Lazar in the second, but Tomasek’s tip shot went wide. GRA +/: EV +0, -3; ST +1, -0
Adam Henrique, 4. Solid block on early PK. But not getting enough done at even strength. GRA +/: EV +2, -0; ST +0, -0
Curtis Lazar, 4. Strong steal and clearance on early PK. He got beat off a point rush by Luke Hughes. Ripped in a goal in the final seconds. GRA +/: EV +1, -1; ST +0, -0
Mattias Ekholm, 8. Tower of Power out there, easily Edmonton’s best player. He came out sharp like the rest of the Oilers, winning his battles. He found Henrique with a stretch pass for a Grade A in the second. Almost scored on a McDavid pass a few shift later. He took a smart foul taking down Hischier on a break-in late in the second. Huge shot block in the third. GRA +/: EV +2, -0; ST +0, -0
Evan Bouchard, 4. Ouch! Kept it simple, kept it safe until one big ugly lost battle in the third led to Connor Brown’s breakaway goal. He, too, came out sharp, getting through a few point shots on net. He also ripped a hard slapper on the power play early in the second. Great stop on a 2-on-1 short-handed in the third, but couldn’t stop the subsequent Grade A. GRA +/: EV +2, -2; ST +0, -1
Darnell Nurse, 3. Rough night in his own end, culminating in his d-zone turnover that led to Jack Hughes breakaway and NJ’s fourth goal of the game. He allowed a number of slot passes for dangerous shots. He also passed up a slot shot to pass it in the first, evidence entire team embracing this bad habit. He won a key slot battle early in the second. GRA +/: EV +2, -6; ST +0, -0
Troy Stecher, 5. Generally OK. Beat up ice by Jack Hughes on a Grade A shot late int he second. GRA +/: EV +0, -1; ST +0, -0
Brett Kulak, 4. He and Emberson were whipped by the Jack Hughes goal rush. GRA +/: EV +1, -2; ST +0, -1
Ty Emberson, 4. Smoked by Hughes as well. Solid otherwise. GRA +/: EV +1, -1; ST +0, -1
Calvin Pickard, 5. This loss was not on him. His teammates kept screwing up big time. Sharp early. Stoned Hischier on a 5-alarm stab on net early on, then thwarted Mercer on Podz’s uggo turnover and Jack Hughes on Draisaitl’s equally uggo turnover, topping it off by intercepting Hughes’ ill-advised seam pass on the rebound. But beat by the rushing Jack Hughes. Thwarted Hischier’s 5-alarmer off Frederic’s slot turnover, then stopped Palat point-blank as no one covered the danger man. He got rammed on a break-in by Hischier, then looked iffy on Jesper Bratt’s backhand deke and goal. Little chance on Brown’s breakaway, but came up huge again on Hischier’s subsequent shorthanded 5-alarmer.
At the Cult of Hockey
STAPLES: Evan Bouchard isn’t as good as the NHL’s best ever defenceman, says ex-coach and GM. Hmm.