Oilers fend off Ducks, hang on for important 4-2 win: Reaction, Recap and Highlights
On Saturday afternoon, the Oilers defeated the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 4-2 to move within three points of the Ducks for the Pacific Division lead. Over the last week or so, the Oilers have started to look more and more like the team that made back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one.The first goal of the game came midway through it. After sustained zone time, the Ducks got a brief clear before Max Jones brought it back in. Dropping it to Evan Bouchard, the defenceman’s blast missed the goal, but took a big bounce off the boards, which is exactly where Jones went after the pass. Jones took it to the front of the net, and both he and Connor McDavid got a piece of it. McDavid was credited with the goal.
Connor McDavid with his 42nd of the year! Makes it 1-0!
🎥 – @Sportsnet
Saturday’s affair was a low-scoring game for the first 40 minutes, but the two teams had a flurry of goals in the third period. Five minutes into the final frame, the Oilers got some breathing room. This one came on a rush chance, as the Oilers received a fortunate bounce on an area pass. Zach Hyman brought the puck into the zone and made a quick pass to the trailing Jack Roslovic. The right-shot forward slid the puck five-hole on Lukáš Dostál to make it 2-0.
Jack Roslovic gets his 20th goal of the season! Which makes it 2-0 Oilers!
🎥 – @Sportsnet
It took just over a minute for the Oilers to take a 3-0 lead. They won a puck battle in the neutral zone and came away with a two-on-one. Vasily Podkolzin made a terrific cross-ice pass to Matt Savoie, who tapped it in for his 14th of the season.
3-0 Oilers thanks to Matt Savoie!
🎥 – @Sportsnet
If it were two or three years ago, the Oilers would’ve coasted to a win against the Ducks. That wasn’t the case in this one, as the Ducks got on the board just 43 seconds later thanks to a terrific deflection by Beckett Sennecke. Less than three minutes later, Cutter Guthier brought the game to within one. Thankfully, the Oilers were able to survive the Ducks’ pressure, with Zach Hyman icing it with an empty-netter for his 31st of the season.
Takeaways…
It’s safe to say that this game was the most important one of the season, at least so far. Entering this game, the Oilers were trailing the Ducks by five points with an additional game played. With the win, the Oilers are now within three points of winning their first division title since 1986-87, the longest drought in the four North American leagues.
Connor Ingram had a great game, making several key saves throughout the game. Overall, the netminder allowed two goals on 27 shots for a .931 save percentage. He didn’t have much of a chance on either goal he allowed.
The Oilers’ first line of Vasily Podkolzin, Connor McDavid, and Matt Savoie has been terrific since Leon Draisaitl’s injury. Savoie in particular has really broken out since the end of the Olympics, scoring five goals and 13 points in his last 16 games.
Even their second line of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, and Jack Roslovic got it done. They scored the Oilers’ second goal of the game, as Roslovic potted his 20th goal of the season, the third time he’s reached that mark. He should be a priority to re-sign this off-season.
Once again, the Oilers were chippy, getting involved in multiple scrums in this game. One of which came with about eight minutes left in the game, as Olen Zellweger essentially kneed Zach Hyman. Thankfully, Hyman was on the ice for the ensuing power play.
The Oilers’ penalty kill has really come on since the acquisition of Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy. In this game, they went 3-for-3, the same number of kills they had on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
This is just the Oilers’ second three-game winning streak, as their record in games to extend it to three is now 2-9-2. They have yet to have a four-game winning streak, so hopefully they can win the next game.
Speaking of that next game, the Oilers host the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday at 7 p.m. MT. If they wish to win the division, this game against a non-playoff team is one they have to win.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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