Edmonton Oilers Find Their Game, Down Islanders 3-1

By Kurt Leavins |

Oct 17, 2015; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goalie Cam Talbot (33) stops a shot from the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. The Oilers won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

It is often said that, at the end of a winning streak, you get a couple “W’s” that you don’t really deserve, and at the end of a losing streak, you miss out on a couple points you perhaps did. The latter applies to the Edmonton Oilers, who managed a win in the 3rd of consecutive strong efforts from the club, 3-1 over the Islanders.

9 Things:

9. The Edmonton Oilers have not lost a game this season, when Anton Lander has scored a goal.

8. Benoit Pouliot had to leave the game in the 3rd Period, after injuring his shoulder during an awkward check into the boards. Early word is that is is “longer than day-to-day”. You can’t always tell just by looking…but it did NOT look good.

7. Enter Nail Yakupov. He only played 10:27 tonight, but his last couple shifts were with Connor McDavid and Jordan Eberle. Surely this is the chance the young Russian has been waiting for: Top 6 minutes, with a “real” NHL center. Ball’s yours, Nail.

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6. There is a pretty good chance that Jordan Oesterle will be sent to Bakersfield, tomorrow, so that he qualifies for the AHL playoffs. But not before showing significant progress in his game over last year. 18:01 TOI, 2 shots, 1A, +2.

5. The goal the Islanders did manage to get past Cam Talbot was after a New York shot dropped Adam Clendening like a pine tree. I, and many others, thought the right call would have been to whistle the play down before the Islanders scored in the rebound. The only argument that you could accept was that “it happened so fast”, they didn’t have a chance.

4. Taylor Hall was a dominant player tonight, leading a dozen dangerous-looking sorties into the Islanders zone, including one on a partial break with no stick, where he did his best soccer impersonation. Registered 6 shots on net, one of them resulting in a rebound that Leon Draisaitl put in for the eventual game-winner. Hall was the Edmonton Oilers best forward tonight.

3. When the Islanders blew the doors off the Edmonton Oilers 8-1 a couple weeks ago, they picked apart the Oilers PK like a vulture over a fresh kill. So tonight must have felt good for the likes of Matt Hendricks, Anton Lander, Mark Letestu & company, who killed all 4 New York Islanders Power Plays. It should be noted, though, that one of the best on the PK unit was the goaltender.

2. Brandon Davidson just keeps getting better, every time he steps on the ice, I swear. He was huge again tonight. It was a terrible omission by whoever chose the 3 Stars to NOT include Davidson. I just mentioned the PK, Davidson was a big part it, and also chipped in an assist and a goal with that booming shot of his. Led the team in ice-time (again) at 22:12, and was +2. I don’t know about you, but when Davidson is on the ice, I feel a whole lot more confident in this team.

1. Cam Talbot continues to make Peter Chiarelli look good, for the swap that he and Glen Sather agreed to last Summer. Talbot saved 36 of 37 shots for the win, but the key story inside of those bigger numbers was the key saves he made when the Islanders took a 1-0 lead into a power play. Talbot surrendered nothing. And, as I’ve said in this space before, all you really ask from your starting goaltender is to give you a chance to win. Tonight, mission accomplished.

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It’s too bad a complete game win like this doesn’t matter much, in terms of a playoff race. But what we ARE seeing, at least, is a team that is once again competing again, night in and night out, no matter what the result. Once of the main goals Todd McLellan must surely have for this team is just that.

Onto Buffalo Tuesday, where the Connor McDavid match-up with Jack Eichel will take center stage. Should be fun…you hope.

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