The Edmonton Oilers secured a dominant 4-0 shutout over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night, firing an astonishing 50 shots on goal and extending their winning streak against the Penguins to seven games. Despite a stellar start by Penguins goaltender Joe Blomqvist, who turned away numerous Grade-A chances from the Oilers in the first half, Edmonton’s relentless attack eventually broke through.
At the risk of being disheartened by nothing going in, Leon Draisaitl finally placed a perfect shot in for the first goal. Viktor Arvidsson led the charge with three assists, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mattias Ekholm netted their first goals of the season.
Stuart Skinner had a solid night, turning away all 27 of Pittsburgh’s shots, including some huge saves. This shutout marks Skinner’s fifth career shutout and the first of the season. It’s also the second-straight game where Skinner has been arguably the best Oiler on the ice. He showcased his composure in high-pressure moments, giving his team time to finally get a goal and let the floodgates open.
Arvidsson’s three assists put some numbers behind his best game of the season. Despite an intense hit that sent him crashing into the boards, Arvidsson didn’t slow down and he was everywhere on the ice. He’s starting to find chemistry with Draisaitl.
Zach Hyman also continued his offensive push, creating multiple high-danger chances, although he’s still awaiting his season’s first goal. The Oilers tried to set him up several times and he wound up with six shots on goal and had numerous chances to score.
The Oilers Are Starting to Find Their Game
This win solidified Edmonton’s recent momentum. The Oilers may not be where they want to be yet, but at 3-4-1, their last two games have shown flashes of dominance, with the team beginning to look more like last season’s Oilers.
In this game, they outshot Pittsburgh 50-27. If not for Blomqvist’s heroics in net, the score could have been far more lopsided. With Skinner finding his groove and the offense firing on all cylinders, Edmonton fans have reason to be optimistic that things are turning around.
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