You may solely blow so many third interval leads and win in additional time, and at last, the percentages caught up with the Edmonton in a 4-3 OT loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Oilers coughed up a third-period lead for the fourth time in 5 video games, holding a 2-1 lead with seven minutes to play however requiring a late Leon Draisaitl aim with the goalie pulled to rescue some extent on Saturday night time.
Connor McDavid’s shot on a partial breakaway in OT was saved by Anthony Stolarz, then Mitch Marner was extra exact, wiring his wrist shot off the publish and previous Stuart Skinner seconds later for the winner. That was the margin of defeat in a wildly entertaining sport, the place McDavid had one other two-point night time however went minus-three on an Evan Bouchard mistake and Marner’s OT winner.
With Darnell Nurse leaving the sport early — extra on that later — Bouchard rose to the event with a game-high 25:39 Saturday. He all however undid a great night time’s work nevertheless, with a third-period determination that he simply can’t make with the sport on the road.
With Edmonton main 2-1 with seven minutes to play, behind a fairly good defensive effort and stellar goaltending by Skinner, Edmonton gave up two targets in 59 seconds, keyed by a bone-headed Bouchard giveaway that turned the momentum in a sport the Oilers had properly in management.
Inexplicably, Bouchard selected a breakout move by way of the center of the Oilers zone. His effort struck McDavid squarely within the pants and sat there for Matthew Knies, who fired a shot previous a shocked Skinner.
Bouchard had every kind of time, and the choice to go up the center goes in opposition to each tenet of sound defensive play. It was as poor a call as he’s made in a season that has seen loads of them.
“They weren’t even scoring probabilities that (the Maple Leafs) generated. It was errors on our behalf,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch mentioned afterward. “One, a free puck that is chased down. And one other one, only a move that goes off our participant’s again finish and stays within the slot.”
After Bouchard’s gaffe, Skinner obtained caught being indecisive on the Leafs go-ahead aim, between charging out to clear a free puck and staying in his crease. He was in no-man’s land when Wainwright, Alberta, product Bobby McMann scored his second of the sport.
It’s been a tough begin to the season for Bouchard defensively, with some poor play and a few unhealthy luck. This error was 100 per cent of his personal making, nevertheless, an inexcusable play that turned the sport within the Leafs’ favour.
Nurse was enjoying his finest hockey in an extended whereas. Now, we’ll see how lengthy he’s on the shelf after an reckless head shot by Toronto’s Ryan Reaves that can doubtless be grounds for a listening to with the NHL’s Division of Participant Security.
Nurse was carrying the puck round his web and popping out the opposite facet early in Interval 2, when Reaves met him there with a excessive hit. Whether or not Nurse ought to have been extra conscious just isn’t related. The onus is on the forechecker to not ship an unlawful hit, significantly on an unaware participant.
Nurse’s head was the precept level of contact for Reaves’ shoulder, comprising a foul hit in two methods: The violent head contact, and the world of the hit as Nurse circled his web, successful the league has tried to remove for a while.
“It’s a harmful play,” mentioned Oilers ahead Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. “You’ve obtained to decide on the fitting path. (Reaves) doesn’t.”
Reaves has been suspended 3 times by the NHL, as soon as for a head shot on then Vancouver Canuck Tyler Motte. The truth that Nurse’s head doesn’t seem to maneuver, altering the angle of the hit in any manner, gained’t bode properly for Reaves if/when DoPS holds a listening to.
In the meantime, the Oilers, who dressed seven defencemen of their final two video games, could also be with out Nurse for some time.
“He is massive again there, the best way he is been enjoying for us,” mentioned Adam Henrique. “He is simply strong in every single place, all around the ice.
“You by no means wish to see unhealthy hits, or hits the pinnacle,” Henrique mentioned. “Everyone knows that issues occur quick — the sport is quick and issues occur fast. However you by no means wish to see that.”
Nurse has missed solely eight video games over the previous 4 seasons.
OIL SPILLS: Edmonton’s penalty kill is discovering its ft, lastly, with eight straight kills going again three video games now. The Oilers killed a 57-second five-on-three in Toronto to climb out of the NHL’s basement into thirty first spot. … Edmonton has allowed its most targets within the third interval this season (24), however has additionally scored its most targets within the third (19). … In profession sport No. 660 for McDavid, he has 661 assists. … With 1-1-2 on Saturday, Draisaitl now has a four-game factors streak (4-4-8), whereas Zach Hyman (who has simply three targets) has some extent in seven of his previous eight video games. … Edmonton has simply 9 targets in 18 first durations this season. … Viktor Arvidsson missed his second straight sport, and with Nurse probably out, it could possibly be time for a call-up earlier than video games in Montreal and Ottawa on Monday-Tuesday. Noah Philp scored twice and was plus-four in Bakersfield’s 6-2 at San Diego Saturday. If it’s a D-man who will get referred to as up, maybe the Oilers take one other take a look at Josh Brown, who had two assists Saturday. The Condors are down in SoCal — so somebody will doubtless be on a Sunday morning flight out of LAX.
