The Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights delivered an exhilarating, tight-checking, playoff-style matchup that ended with a 1-0 victory for Vegas. A pricey mistake on a touch-back move by Leon Draisaitl led to the one purpose of the sport. The Oilers couldn’t make up for the error and didn’t rating.
Regardless of the loss, the Oilers dominated giant stretches of the sport, particularly within the third interval, the place they outshot the Golden Knights 16-2. Adin Hill stole the present with an unbelievable shutout efficiency, reminding everybody why he’s incomes consideration as Group Canada’s beginning goaltender. Whereas the Oilers left pissed off, there have been positives. Listed below are three key takeaways from this tightly contested battle.
Adin Hill Stands Tall for Vegas
Adin Hill’s efficiency was nothing wanting extraordinary, stopping all 28 photographs and turning away 16 within the third interval alone. If there have been questions on why he’s a shoo-in for Group Canada on the 4 Nations Face-Off Match, he answered them on this sport.
The Oilers’ offensive stars, Connor McDavid and Draisaitl, dominated possession and peppered Hill with Grade A probabilities, however they couldn’t clear up Hill. His capacity to maintain the Golden Knights within the sport and pull out a win as his group solely scored as soon as was key.
Hill praised his group for being robust defensively and preserving many of the probabilities to the skin. They clogged up the center of the ice, which pissed off the Oilers. Sticks have been flattening passes and disrupting performs. It compelled the Oilers to drive issues at occasions. Hill known as it a decent playoff-atmosphere form of sport. When requested about being a part of the 4 Nations Group, he stated it could be a dream come true.
Oilers Carry the Effort, Not the End
Edmonton’s efficiency was robust throughout the board, however largely within the closing body. They merely couldn’t rating and whereas the Oilers had possession many of the interval, Vegas nonetheless fended off quite a lot of the high-danger probabilities. The Oilers managed play and outshot Vegas 16-2 within the third interval. They registered 12 Grade A scoring probabilities to Vegas’ 5. Natural Stat Trick had Edmonton with 10 high-danger probabilities to Vegas’ six. It ought to have been sufficient, however it wasn’t.
Some credit score ought to go to the Golden Knights for not giving up a lot within the first 40 minutes. Their goaltender saved them within the final 20. Hill robbed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins late on a point-blank alternative.
The Oilers’ incapability to transform was the actual drawback on this sport. Whereas being shut out for the fourth time in 25 video games is regarding, the method was there.
Playoff Environment Highlights Edmonton’s Potential
Regardless of the loss and some selections they could wish to have again, this sport provided rather a lot to be enthusiastic about. The Oilers have been probably responsible of letting Vegas swing the tide early within the first and sequences the place they overpassed the puck. Nonetheless, Edmonton outplayed Vegas for a lot of the sport and absorbed the Golden Knights’ restricted offensive pushes. It’s the kind of efficiency that ought to construct confidence for a rematch in Might.
The Oilers completed their highway journey with 4 of six factors. One might argue the Oilers deserved no less than some extent out of this one, however they shouldn’t dangle their heads.
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