Oilers closing in on first place in Pacific after big win over Flames
First place is within reach for the Edmonton Oilers after a hard-fought 4-2 victory against the Calgary Flames tonight.
Leon Draisaitl and Connor Brown helped the Oilers build a 2-0 lead into the early goings of the second period, but the Flames battled back to tie things with power-play goals from Yegor Sharangovich and Nazem Kadri.
The difference wound up being an Evan Bouchard power-play slap shot that gave Edmonton the edge in the third period.
EDM CGY G76. April 6, 2024. Evan Bouchard goal. 3-2.🎥: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/9Y6fZ1zcth
— Nation Network Media (@NationNMedia) April 7, 2024
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins sealed things off with an empty-netter in the final minute.
“We bent, but we didn’t break,” Calvin Pickard told reporters after the game. “We had the lead going into the third and we played great in the third and shut it down.
“Some really good efforts up and down the lineup today and it was nice to get the win.”
Another Draisaitl milestone
Fresh off scoring his 100th point of the season and 500th assist of his NHL career, Draisaitl hit yet another milestone on Saturday night.
With a power-play goal in the late stages of the first period, he hit the 40-goal mark for the fifth time in his career. Perhaps one of the quieter seasons in a few years with both Connor McDavid and Hyman getting the bulk of the attention.
Death, taxes, and Leon Draisaitl having 40-goal seasons. pic.twitter.com/FYuIl1lelG
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 7, 2024
It seems as fitting as ever to remind fans to never forget about Draisaitl.
Perry fired up
Tempers weren’t just flaring on the ice in the final Battle of Alberta of the season. Cameras on the broadcast caught a fired-up Corey Perry late in the second period in a loud argument with Evander Kane.
“Emotional, I know before the period started they talked and made it out,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said of the exchange. “Just a disagreement and two passionate players, nothing more than that.”
HOLD ON HOLD ON HOLD ON…HER SISTER WAS A WITCH RIGHT? pic.twitter.com/gVmhJEDcOH
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 7, 2024
Kane and Perry have been playing together on the third line for the past few games. They’ve been productive, with Kane scoring twice and Perry picking up another against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night.
McDavid slow-burning history
Hockey fans are waiting with bated breath for McDavid to hit the coveted 100-assist mark and they will have to continue waiting just a little bit more. He picked up two more assists against the Flames to move his total up to 99 on the season.
McDavid is certainly trying for the record, passing up multiple opportunities to shoot the puck on a rare 2-on-0 rush with Zach Hyman.
EDM CGY G76. April 6, 2024. Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman breakaway. 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/TpI6Rl4W4Z
— Nation Network Media (@NationNMedia) April 7, 2024
If, or when, he hits the mark McDavid will become just the fourth player in NHL history to do so, joining Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, and Mario Lemieux.
The win pulls the Oilers within three points of the Pacific Division lead, thanks to the LA Kings defeating the Vancouver Canucks tonight. They now hold a 47-24-5 record on the season with 99 points.
Edmonton will now head back home for a four-game homestand that starts on Wednesday in a potential playoff preview against the Vegas Golden Knights.
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