The Edmonton Oilers added another win to their record on Monday afternoon, as they defeated the Arizona Coyotes by a 5-3 final. It marks their second straight victory, giving them 67 points on the season. The Vegas Golden Knights also picked up a victory this afternoon, however, meaning the Oilers still trail them by three points for second place in the Pacific Division.
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The Oilers haven’t been playing their best hockey since coming out of the All-Star break, and despite the win today, that was the case once again. They failed to put together a full 60 minutes and found themselves trailing 3-2 heading into the final frame as a result. Nonetheless, they found a way to walk away with a big two points while also handing the Coyotes their 10th straight loss. Here are the three main takeaways from this one.
Big Third Period from the Oilers
While the Oilers were undoubtedly the better of the two teams in the final period of this one, that wasn’t the case for the entirety of the game. They came out strong in the first and likely should have headed to the locker room with a bigger lead than just 2-1. That said, their second period was abysmal, as they failed to generate chances offensively while giving the Coyotes all sorts of grade ‘A’ scoring chances.
As they so often do, the Oilers were able to dig themselves out of a hole in the third, thanks in large part to Evander Kane, who scored two to give him 21 on the year. Zach Hyman also netted one in the third, while Warren Foegele iced it late with an empty netter. That final 20 minutes is how they will need to play for an entire 60 if they hope to go on a deep playoff run.
Oilers Rough Up Villalta
The Coyotes, who were also in action last night versus the Colorado Avalanche, gave Matthew Villalta his first NHL start this afternoon. Playing in your first NHL game is never an easy task for a goaltender, particularly when going up against a team that possesses the firepower the Oilers have throughout their roster.
While Villalta was able to make some big stops, he was pretty roughed up, allowing five goals on 25 shots for a .800 save percentage. It remains to be seen whether or not he’ll get another start with the Coyotes this season, as Connor Ingram has missed the Coyotes’ last three outings but is expected to return soon.
Point Streak Continues for Trio of Oilers
Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard were all able to continue their hot stretch as of late. Each is on a four-game point streak. McDavid hasn’t found the back of the net in six straight games but has 12 assists during his current streak. Over the same span, Draisaitl has three goals and eight points, while Bouchard has three goals and nine points.
The two-point outing gives McDavid 83 points on the season, though he still trails Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov by 11 for the league lead. Bouchard is now up to 53, which puts him in sole possession of fifth in the league for points by a defenceman.
Looking Ahead for the Oilers
The Oilers will now return to Edmonton to begin a five-game homestand, kicked off by a game on Wednesday night versus one of the league’s best in the Boston Bruins. They will then face the Minnesota Wild on Friday before ending their week with a Saturday night outing against the Calgary Flames.
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