Another Avs Road Victory

Edmonton scored first on a Mr. McDavid shot just :38 seconds into the game and the Oilers are rolling, or so it seemed but :28 seconds later Mr. Kane takes out Mr. Kadri (who did not return) with a cross-check into the dasher boards earning a five-minute penalty.

Edmonton’s penalty killers and Mr. Smith were up to the task and were tested again as Mr. Nurse earns a delay of game for shooting the puck up and over the glass from his defensive zone a few minutes after Mr. Kane comes out of the box.

In the second period, Mr. Smith and Mr. Francouz made save after saving as both teams combine for 32 SOG and Colorado was able to get an early one past Mr. Smith as the Avalanche collected 19 SOG for the period.

In the third period, the Oilers tied the game when Mr. McLeod surrounded by no less than three Avalanche players skated over the blue line and shot from the directly top center in between the two faceoff circles to whip it past Mr. Francouz.

With 7:45 minutes remaining Edmonton rips a loud shot off the iron behind Mr. Francouz but sees the puck come back as Mr. Compher checks Mr. Bouchard off the puck and into the dasher boards for control of the puck and then fires it past Mr. Smith for the 3-2 lead.

Colorado’s Happy Net goal was particularly disturbing to watch as Mr. Draisaitl carelessly tosses the puck towards center ice that cannot make it past both Colorado players to a teammate then hangs his head and skates slowly towards his net.

Edmonton’s 40-year-old backup goaltender, Mr. Nurse, Mr. Hyman, Mr. Russell, or Mr. Kulak did not lose this game you can however lay the blame on the ice in front of the skates of Mr. McDavid, Mr. Draisaitl, Mr. Kane, and Mr. Nugent-Hopkins for their non-offensive output. 

The Oilers’ four most gifted offensive players were a combined 9 SOG with 1 goal, 7 hits, 5 GVAs, 1 block, and a -10 plus/minus, completely unacceptable for the first home game of the Conference Finals since 2006, a better effort is required or break out the brooms.

This afternoon at three o’clock Tampa Bay hosts New York for game three of the Eastern Conference Finals as the Rangers take their 2-0 games lead to the Sunshine state.