The Vegas Golden Knights lost to the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Thursday Night. Connor McDavid recorded 3 assists for the game.
The Edmonton Oilers finally snapped their 5-game losing streak by beating the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 last night. It was apparently about damn time that the Oilers had a winning performance to clean off the stench of their losing ways.
It seemed disturbing at times on how this team has faired the past week and a half, especially against opponents they could have beaten. Also, you’ll need to remember that the Oilers have played well against the Golden Knights all year-long and with this victory, they ended the season series with three wins and one loss.
What worked so well for the Edmonton Oilers against the Golden Knights in this matchup was the pace of this game. The Oilers were in attack mode all night long, and the Golden Knights had a hard time adjusting to it.
They had some momentum in the second period when they did score two straight goals to have them up 2-1, and everybody assumed that the game wrapped up with another loss for the Oilers. But you have to give it up to Edmonton, they rallied back and scored three goals in the third period to give themselves a cushion to win the game.
Recap
A lot of credit for the Edmonton Oilers win has to be given to the captain of the team: Connor McDavid. The Vegas Golden Knights had no answer for him as he racked up multiple assists and didn’t even score once in this game. His presence as a scoring threat allowed his teammates to thrive and try to get some quality shots on net.
Also remember that McDavid’s speed and skill also forced the Golden Knights to be ultra-aggressive towards him and his teammates, which awarded the Oilers three power-play opportunities in the game.
They finally did score their first power play goal in a while, but it still represented a band-aid on an open wound that hasn’t been healed. Getting power play opportunities have always been a strength of this team but taking advantage of it hasn’t been their strong suit all year-long.
That’s something that will need to be addressed in the offseason in the NHL Draft and free agency. As long as Connor McDavid isn’t being forced to be the point man of the power play, he can go back to his natural slot near the goalie crease or behind the net.
Tomorrow night will be the final game of the regal season for the Edmonton Oilers. This whirlwind of a year for this team will end against the Vancouver Canucks. We’ll see if they can make it two in a row in the win column and end the year on a good note.