Wow, let’s all take a deep breath after that one. What a win by the gritty Edmonton Oilers! After falling behind 3-0 early, they showed outstanding resilience over the final 48 minutes. This 4-3 comeback victory against the Avalanche improved their record to 29-13-3, marking Edmonton’s eighth win in their last nine games. They are now tied for first in the Pacific Division with the powerhouse Vegas Golden Knights at 61 points, although Vegas has one game in hand with 44 games played, compared to Edmonton’s 45.
A Stupendous 48 Minutes!
The first two goals the Oilers allowed were definitely one’s goaltender Stuart Skinner would like to have back, particularly the second goal. With 9:56 left in the first period, Nathan MacKinnon wristed a shot around defenseman Mattias Ekholm, beating Skinner under his left glove with a shot he should have stopped, extending the score to 2-0 quickly.
The third goal was largely due to a lapse by Evan Bouchard, who MacKinnon skillfully deked past before scoring five-hole on Skinner. At that moment, it felt like the game was quickly slipping away, especially since the Avalanche scored on three of their first five shots, an alarming statistic just 12 minutes into the game.
However, after those three goals, Stuart Skinner rose to the occasion, making crucial saves for the remainder of the night. His best saves later came in the final two minutes when Colorado had an extra attacker with Blackwood pulled, but they were unable to score as the clock ticked down to zero.
Depth Scoring Sparks Comeback
The comeback was sparked late in the first period by Viktor Arvidsson. He unleashed a wrist shot from the top of the circle that deflected off defenseman Josh Manson’s stick, altering its trajectory and leaving Blackwood flat-footed as it went past him under the right pad. This goal marked Arvidsson’s second point in as many games, following an assist against Minnesota.
The Oilers dominated the second period, erasing the multi-goal deficit and tying the game at 3-3 heading into the final frame. Goals from Brett Kulak and Connor McDavid led this impressive comeback in the second, showcasing the team’s depth scoring, a true testament to their fighting spirit, especially on the back end of a back-to-back.
“When things aren’t going well, they don’t pack it in. I absolutely love the character of this team.”
Head Coach Kris Knoblauch on the fight shown by his club
With 5:11 left in the second period, McDavid scored the equalizer, putting away a rebound past Blackwood off a hard shot from Leon Draisaitl in the right circle. The second later ended at 3-3, following a dominant display by the high-flying Oilers in the middle 20.
Bouch Bomb to Win
After battling back from a 3-0 deficit, Evan Bouchard scored the game-winner with 6:55 left in regulation. He connected on a wide-open “Bouch Bomb” off a feed from McDavid below the goal line, rocketing the puck into the top corner to give the Oilers a 4-3 lead.
The Oilers will now head to Vancouver for a Saturday night matchup vs their Pacific Division rival Canucks.
ITR 39: Conference Finals – Inside The Rink
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