Igniting power play key to Oilers’ climb

By Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press on November 10, 2024.

Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid, from left to proper, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins rejoice Draisaitl’s objective towards the Vancouver Canucks throughout the first interval of an NHL hockey sport in Vancouver, on Saturday, November 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER – The Edmonton Oilers might have discovered the break they had been on the lookout for.

After struggling by the primary month of the NHL season, the Oilers trounced the Vancouver Canucks 7-3 on Saturday.

“It was a step in the precise path, for positive,” captain Connor McDavid mentioned of the victory. “Not a simple constructing to win in, a staff that clearly we’ve bought a number of historical past with and it is a nice win. Hopefully it’s one thing that we are able to construct on.”

Edmonton’s particular groups have struggled early within the marketing campaign, however the staff’s energy play capitalized in Vancouver.

With Canucks defenceman Filip Hronek within the field for holding, Oilers winger Zach Hyman tried to swipe a backhanded shot in previous goalie Kevin Lankinen from the highest of the crease. The netminder made the cease, however the rebound popped out to McDavid along side the web and he tucked it in for his fourth objective of the season.

It was a defining second within the sport, mentioned Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch.

“Glen (Gulutzan) and I had been speaking on the bench about ‘That is the time we want a objective. If we are able to rating right here we really feel the sport is sealed.’ And so they got here out and executed immediately with that objective,” he mentioned.

Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring early within the first interval moments after Canucks captain Quinn Hughes stepped out of the penalty field, too.

The ability-play unit didn’t get credit score for the tally, nevertheless it was “just about a power-play objective,” McDavid mentioned.

“That’s what we wish to do. We wish to contribute to video games, contribute to wins,” he mentioned. “We’ve completed that for years and years, and I’d count on that it’ll get going.”

The Oilers got here into Saturday’s sport with their energy play working at 14.3 per cent and ranked twenty sixth within the league.

That’s nicely under the earlier two seasons when Edmonton has boasted the NHL’s most-potent man benefit, clicking at 29.5 per cent.

Particular groups had been key on the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup ultimate final spring, Knoblauch mentioned, and so they’ll be key to the staff climbing the standings after beginning this season 2-4-1.

“Proper now, for us to seek out that id and begin enjoying very well, that’s gonna be an enormous a part of it,” the coach mentioned after Saturday’s morning skate. “And we all know it’s gonna enhance. It’s simply, a bit little bit of luck, a bit little bit of execution, a bit bit extra targeted. However that’s an enormous a part of us turning it round.”

The win over Vancouver improved Edmonton’s report to 7-7-1.

That’s not indicative of what sort of staff the Oilers imagine they’re, mentioned centre Mattias Janmark.

“We’re proper round .500. We don’t assume we’re a .500 staff, so we’ve bought to point out it to everybody and present it to ourselves that we’re not and that goes by profitable some video games,” he mentioned.

“So the urgency for positive has bought to be there, however I do assume we’re not far off, so there’s no must panic or begin dishonest. We simply bought to construct it the precise manner and that begins with the defensive facet after which the offence will come.”

Constructing a profitable staff doesn’t come simply, added the veteran ahead.

“We’re going to should put within the work subsequent sport, too, and that’s the nice half about it, not getting it free of charge, and having to do it the precise manner,” Janmark mentioned.

“I don’t assume we’ve been too far off, however we’ve been slacking in areas, an important ones. And in the present day was a step in the precise path.”

REGIONAL RIVALS

After ousting the Canucks from final season’s playoffs in a gritty seven-game second-round sequence, the Oilers really feel a rivalry constructing with their West Coast compatriots.

“For positive, there’s a rivalry constructing, for positive,” Janmark mentioned. “You may really feel that. And profitable right here is clearly a pleasant factor. It’s at all times good.”

Jerseys from each side stuffed the stands at Rogers Enviornment on Saturday and competing chants routinely rang out by the rink.

MILESTONE WATCH

McDavid contributed a objective and two assists on Saturday, bringing his profession complete to 9,995 factors over 657 video games. He’s set to grow to be the 99th participant in NHL historical past to hit the 1,000-point mark and can probably be the fourth-fastest participant to take action, trailing solely Wayne Gretzky (424 video games), Mario Lemieux (513) and Mike Bossy (656).

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Nov. 10, 2024.

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