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What Oilers goalie Matt Tomkins said after getting first NHL win in over two seasons

Preston Hodgkinson
Preston Hodgkinson
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Nov 2 2026, 1:00 pm
What Oilers goalie Matt Tomkins said after getting first NHL win in over two seasons
Wendell Cruz/Imagn Images

Sometimes you just need a chance.

It was 32-year-old Matt Tomkins in goal for the Edmonton Oilers during Sunday night’s 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The AHL journeyman was not expected to make it back to the NHL this season, but an injury to Devon Levi gave him the opportunity an opportunity to make his return.

Combine that with a back-to-back situation, and the Oilers practically had no choice but to start Tomkins against the Rangers. It was a risky move not to stick with the hot hand in Tristan Jarry, but the move totally paid off for Edmonton.

Tomkins hadn’t played an NHL game since the 2023-24 season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but he looked comfortable in his Oilers debut, turning aside 27 of the 28 shots he faced en route to the victory. It was an inspiring story, and one that the Edmonton native savoured.

“It’s been a couple of years since I played in the league, definitely excited to get the nod and the opportunity to play,” Tomkins told reporters. “It’s been tough, but it’s been enjoyable at the same time. I love to play, and my career has taken me all over the world, and I’ve enjoyed every step.

“To end up here today and growing up in Edmonton, being an Oilers fan, to have this opportunity, it’s just been incredible and a really fun journey.”

Oilers fans are used to this kind of story. Just a few seasons ago, Calvin Pickard had established himself as a playoff starter after years of toiling in the minor leagues. It’s unlikely that Tomkins will follow that same path once Levi and Frederik Andersen return from injury, but it was quite the scene for one night in New York City.

Connor McDavid told reporters after the game that it felt good to pull out a win for a veteran guy like Tomkins, especially in an arena like MSG.

“He was awesome for us, just gave us a chance to win,” McDavid said. “A back-to-back, obviously a tough situation… He was just solid, honestly. Made the saves he needed to and gave us a chance.

“He’s a great dude, an unbelievable dude. Worked so hard this summer in Edmonton and just so happy for him. It’s a cool place to play, a special building. Really, really cool. Happy for him.”

The Oilers captain was a big reason why Edmonton walked away from MSG with the victory. McDavid opened the scoring just 50 seconds into the game, and then added his 30th assist on the Oilers’ third goal, becoming the fastest player in NHL history to reach that mark at 15 games.

Head coach Mike Babcock praised Tomkins’ performance, but also gave credit to his captain for setting the tone in the second half of a back-to-back.

“I thought he was good. I thought we were fortunate to get off to a good start, and I think that makes a goalie feel comfortable,” Babcock said. “When we needed him in the second, when we weren’t as good, I thought he was real good.”

The dressing room was thrilled with Tomkins after the win, awarding him the Wayne Gretzky helmet for player of the game.

Tomkins will likely get sent back down to the AHL once Levi returns to the lineup, but this showed that the Oilers can trust him if things go awry down the line. It may also make the coaching staff a bit more comfortable giving him another game before sending him back down to Bakersfield.

For now, his pinch-hit victory will improve Edmonton’s record to a sparkling 11-2-2 on the season, which is good enough for the top spot in the Western Conference and second in the NHL behind only the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.

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