Edmonton Oilers: Many Positives in Win Over Islanders

The Edmonton Oilers played arguably one of the best games of the season Tuesday with a strong, fast-paced 2-1 overtime victory over the New York Islanders.

Cam Talbot and Thomas Greiss both impressed in goal as both teams went scoreless through the first period. Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring about a minute into the second on a breakaway resulting from a strong play by Milan Lucic. Soon after, former Oiler Jordan Eberle would strike against his former team. Both teams remained tied at one through the third and the game eventually went to overtime, where Connor McDavid and Draisaitl worked magic in overtime to secure the victory for Edmonton.

Both teams remained tied at one through the third and the game eventually went to overtime, where Connor McDavid and Draisaitl worked magic in overtime to secure the victory for Edmonton.

looking at the game as a whole, there were many positives and takeaways from the Oilers victory.

Takeaways from the Win

First off, Edmonton looked a lot more confident, and the team was more careful with the puck. There weren’t many turnovers or true scoring opportunities for New York, and the defence seemed to stand tall. Not only that, the Oilers penalty kill was solid, as the Islanders went 0-for-3 on the man advantage.

Edmonton Oilers

Adam Larsson again led the charge with five hits and two blocks, but Darnell Nurse also played a solid game. Not only was he aggressive, but he took four shots on goal and made the most of his time on the ice. In addition, he got involved offensively and showed more poise with the puck.

On the forward lines, Draisaitl and McDavid continue to prove their worth and show why they’re one of the most dangerous duos in the league. They stepped on the gas after a lacklustre showing against the Red Wings and truly helped lift their team to victory. Lucic, as well as Brad Malone, also played great games; both of them made themselves prominent at both ends of the rink, showing physicality and effort.

Cam Talbot was also outstanding for the Oilers, stopping 36 of 37 shots on goal. He again showed that he is capable of handling a lot of responsibility and bailed Edmonton out on numerous occasions.

What to Know Moving Forward

This was the Oilers first win on their four-game Eastern Conference road swing. Draisaitl has goals in three of his last four games and points in four of his last five. McDavid has points in four of his last five matchups, and Lucic has points in two of his last three.

On the back check, Nurse led all Oilers skaters with 22:19 in ice time, three more seconds than his defensive partner, Larsson. As he grows into a bigger role, he seems to be showing his worthy nd that is a great sign for the Oilers as they head further into the season.

Next: Edmonton Oilers: Reassigning Yamamoto the Right Move

Edmonton is now 5-8-1 on the season and sits seventh in the Pacific division. As of right now, they are three points behind Anaheim.