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The Edmonton Oilers trail their 7-game Playoff series with Las Vegas 2-1 after an inferior performance in Game 3 at home.
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It all started off so positive, with a fine Warren Foegele deflection to give the Oilers an early and encouraging lead.
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But it soon became clear that the Oilers were not at all sharp in any facet of their game. While Vegas deserves full marks for effort, discipline and capitalizing on their chances, Edmonton created most of those with loose, uninspired play. And when Vegas saw their starting goaltender knocked out of the game due to injury the Oilers were not able to make a meaningful dent on the young understudy (Adin Hill) who took over.
Make the final a definitive 5-1 for the Golden Knights, sending Jay Woodcroft back to the drawing board.
Here is the tale of the tape…
Cult of Hockey Player Grades
STUART SKINNER. 4. Beaten in tight on the 1-1 after Vegas powered through two Oilers defenders. Excellent toe-save off Eichel. Stuffed Stephenson on an attempted post jam. A sparking glove save off Stone in close. The gates parted in front of him again on the 2-1 and again on the 3-1 (although you wanted a save on the play). Made back-to-back saves on Karlsson and Marchessault but the Golden Knights finally broke through with the 4-1 after which he was pulled. Stopped 19 of 23 for the loss. While 3 of the 4 were not on him, that 3rd goal arguably took both his club and the Rogers Place crowd out of it.
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JACK CAMPBELL. 5. Entered with the game 4-1. Beaten on one play which was (correctly) called back for interference. But allowed the 5-1 the next shift due to weak coverage. A series of good stops off Roy and Smith, another fine one off of Howden later on. Mostly solid. Stopped 9 of 10 in relief. I wonder if Campbell starts Game 4? You could make a reasonable case for it.
CONNOR McDAVID. 5. Solid 1st Period hit on Martinez. A chance midway through the 1st did not find net but did chase the Vegas goalie with an injury after the fact. A late period rush and a wrist shot on net. Nice setup for Hyman in the 2nd. Directed a nice pass to Broberg for a 3rd Period 1-timer. Ended up with 3 shots and 6 hits in 20:45. -2.
LEON DRAISAITL. 5. Leon Draisaitl just missed on two early opportunities in the 1st Period, putting one off the side of the net and drilled a second chance loudly off the post. Throttled Pietrangelo with a 1st Period hit. Set up Kane for a dangerous 2nd Period chance. Stole a puck and went in on an odd man rush but Bouchard whiffed on it. A few shifts later he fed Bouchard again back-door and again…the kid whiffed. Did get beat wide on the would-be 5-1 but it was a non-play, correctly called back for goaltender interference. Took a slashing penalty late in the 2nd but it was killed off. Fed Ekholm for a chance in tight in the 3rd. 55% on draws. Led the club in 5v5 CF at 29-16, 64% and High Dangers 6-3 5v5 but not a point to show for it and before the game was over it was clear Leon was frustrated.
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EVANDER KANE. 4. A lovely pass on a 2-on-1 in the 1st but Draisaitl rang the post. Took an undisciplined high-sticking penalty at the 1st Period buzzer but his mates killed it off. His shot narrowly missed going in on an early 2nd Period deflection. Faded after that. Not a fraction as effective as he was in Game 2.
DARNELL NURSE. 2. A truly dreadful 1st Period that started with a giveaway on a long linger stretch pass attempt. Another soft pass attempt in the neutral zone eventually led to the 1-1. Then after waving his stick limply at Marchessault he lost coverage on him altogether on the 2-1. And it did not get much better in the 2nd, when he inexplicably chased a check right out of the defensive zone, allowing the Knights a clear path to the net on the 3-1. High Dangers 2-4. Needs to be way, way better.
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CODY CECI. 3. Only marginally better than his partner. Beaten from out of the corner to the net on the 1-1. Then, a part of the D-zone coverage breakdown on the 2-1. Strong play deep in his own zone in the 2nd to stop Carriere on the cycle. High Dangers 0-6. That is correct. 0-6.
NICK BJUGSTAD. 3. Lost his man in front on the 1-1. Then too late (although he was the high man) to the shooter on the 2-1. Blocked shot on the early 2nd Period PK. 3 shots 6 hits. But a couple critical errors stuck out. In my viewings of Bjugstad that is a rare occurrence.
RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS. 4. Got lost on the 2-1 goal, first by dropping deep into the slot on coverage and then could stop a pass across the slot. 1 shot and managed to inch above 50% in 5v5 CF. But he still does not look close to right.
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ZACH HYMAN. 5. Absorbed a highly questionable mid-ice hit from Hague in the 1st but there was no call. And he never did look 100% after that. Could not bury a McDavid pass early in the 2nd. Still among the better forwards on a (very) off night.
MATTIAS EKHOLM. 5. Had a couple uncharacteristic errors over the first two periods but managed to clean up his own messes. Drove the net for a chance in the 3rd off a Draisaitl pass.
EVAN BOUCHARD. 3. An unforced icing in the 1st led to two good Vegas chances. Toe-picked on a Vegas break, resulting in a 3-on-1 and a sharp Eichel wrist shot for the 4-1. Lost his man on the would-be 5-1 that was (correctly) called back. But next shift, Bouchard lost his man again…and this time it counted, on the 5-1 that WAS allowed. What a disastrous book-end of sequences. 2 shots. -2.
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RYAN McLEOD. 5. One of the few good Oilers on the night. A nice play on the wall followed by a calm outlet pass to Ryan for a well-deserved 2nd assist on the 1-0. Took a stick to the face I the 1st but no call. An important steal on the 2nd Period PK. Sifted a pass into the slot which Ryan could not deflect home. 75% on draws.
WARREN FOEGELE. 6. Opened the scoring by charging hard to the net and perfectly deflecting home a pass from Derek Ryan. Could not beat the goalie 5-hole on a 2-on-1 a few shifts later. Hard 2nd Period hit on Hague. Lost his man high on the 3-1. Correctly whistled for a high stick. Delivered 2 shots and 6 hits. Not a perfect game but had the goal and ample effort.
DEREK RYAN. 5. Took the puck wide and then fed a pass right into the slot which Foegele deflected home for the 1-0. Could not corral a fine pass from McLeod on a short-handed break. A hit.
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BRETT KULAK. 6. The Oilers 3rd pairing was not the problem on this night. Two shots and a hit, led all but Draisaitl in 5v5 CF at 19-11, 63%. Played 16:56. Is having a fine post-season.
VINCENT DESHARNAIS. 5. Desharnais was more than decent in 15:39. His shot created a dangerous rebound for Draisaitl in the 1st. Heavy play on Howden in the 2nd. He and Kulak were sound.
KAILER YAMAMOTO. 4. No call on a high hit late in the 1st. Good backcheck in the 2nd. Had the Vegas goalie down and out but could not elevate the puck for what looked to be a gimme. Just O.K. More required.
KLIM KOSTIN. 4. 6 hits. Not a significant impact with the puck.
PHILIP BROBERG. 5. Some good moments where he used his excellent skating to move the puck to safety. One-timer in the 3rd off a McDavid feed.
The Oilers now trail the Best of 7 series 2-1. Game 4 in Edmonton Wednesday.
Find me on Twitter @KurtLeavins, on Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and now on Mastodon at KurtLeavins@mstdn.social
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