Edmonton Oilers blank Pittsburgh Penguins for third win of the season

All 4 of Edmonton’s objectives beat Blomqvist stick aspect, with three of them assisted by Viktor Arvidsson for his first factors as a member of the Oilers

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A go to from the Pittsburgh Penguins is exactly what the physician orders every time the Edmonton Oilers are struggling.

And, boy, have these Edmonton Oilers ever been struggling.

So, what higher time to cue an opponent they’ve received their six earlier conferences towards, together with sweeping final yr’s two-game season sequence by a mixed rating of 10-1?

A 4-0 win Friday at Rogers Place gave the Oilers three wins in October — one thing they weren’t capable of do till their final head coach was fired in mid-November of final yr. That makes them 3-4-1 on the yr, whereas the Penguins fell to 3-5-1.

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And whereas Stuart Skinner earned a shutout on 27 saves, Joel Blomqvist got here in with different concepts of his personal down on the different finish.

The 22-year-old Penguins netminder made 46 saves, holding the fort on the way in which to being outshot 19-5 within the opening interval, earlier than the Oilers cranked up the strain within the second, solely to get stymied on odd-man rushes, set performs and even a three-on-one. Different instances, it appeared just like the Oilers have been on an prolonged energy play towards 5 Penguins defenders.

It wasn’t till the Oilers took their thirty third shot of the sport, in comparison with Pittsburgh’s 13, that they received on the board when Leon Draisaitl sniped a wrist shot from the left circle contained in the far put up.

All 4 of Edmonton’s objectives beat Blomqvist stick aspect, with three of them assisted by Viktor Arvidsson for his first factors as a member of the Oilers.

SAME OLD NEW LOOK?

Pittsburgh was unsuccessful with a coach’s problem for the play being offside, which despatched Edmonton on the ability play.

After incomes simply two objectives on 19 alternatives on the person benefit, the Oilers spent the previous couple practices engaged on a new-look energy play.

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Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (87) is checked by Edmonton Oilers’ Mattias Ekholm (14) as Evan Bouchard (2) appears on throughout first interval NHL motion in Edmonton on Friday, October 25, 2024. Photograph by AMBER BRACKEN /THE CANADIAN PRESS

This one featured Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner and Mattias Ekholm rather than Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman and Bouchard.

However within the recreation Saturday, it was the unique group, together with Connor McDavid and Draisaitl, that took to the ice on the ability play. Not stunning, actually, because it’s the group that pushed the Oilers to an NHL-best 28.5 per cent success price over the previous 5 years.

The Oilers energy play went 1-for-2 Saturday, however the objective went to Ekholm on the second unit.

BEST ON BEST?

There’s nothing like a great dustup between generational superstars to get issues going for a stalled group.

And there was nothing of the type Friday at Rogers Place.

Regardless of having two once-in-a-lifetime skills on the ice on the similar time, neither McDavid or Sidney Crosby did a lot of something in any respect on the market — sort of like their underperforming groups have all season.

The Penguins have been struggling each bit as a lot because the Oilers out of the gates this season. The distinction, after all, is their face of the franchise is 10 years previous his prime in comparison with Edmonton’s.

So far as the head-to-head goes, McDavid has 27 factors (9 objectives, 18 assists) and one game-winner in 13 video games, together with eight multi-point outings. Crosby, in the meantime, has seven factors (three objectives, 4 assists) and one game-winner.

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Drafted first total 10 years aside, each gamers rank throughout the prime 10 all-time for factors per-game with McDavid third (1.52) and Crosby eighth (1.25).

The pair has mixed for seven Artwork Ross trophies, 5 Hart Memorial trophies, three Maurice Richard trophies and three Conn Smythe trophies, in addition to 15 all-star recreation choices.

However zero factors Saturday.

E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge

Beneficial from Editorial

  1. Edmonton Oilers nonetheless in the hunt for elusive chemistry all through lineup

  2. ‘Needs to be Sid’: McDavid endorses Crosby as Canada’s captain for 4 Nations Face-Off


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