Edmonton Oilers big guns on-target in convincing 6-3 win over ...

The Edmonton Oilers scored a convincing 6-3 victory over Columbus Thursday, avenging an ugly 6-1 defeat to those same Blue Jackets earlier this season.

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Connor McDavid left that 6-1 game with an injury. Tonight, a four-assist effort.

But this one arguably turned on an ill-advised Coach’s Challenge which if Dean Evason had to do over, he would have passed. Not only did that 2-1 goal count, but the Oilers subsequently scored the 3-1 PP goal as Edmonton’s big guns were firing on all cylinders. The Power Play was 2/5, the PK 2/2.

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A classy celebration at Rogers Place preceded this game, marking Connor McDavid’s recent 1,000 career point milestone.

Well-deserved and well done.

Here is the tale of the game tape…

CALVIN PICKARD. 7. Particularly good first period. The 1-0 goal was no less than a double deflection through a screen. There is no fault with the goalie for that one. Then, he subsequently stopped Johnson on a breakaway and Fantilli in close. Followed that up with a big-time stuff on a Sillinger one-timer and deflected away a dangerous look by Severson to close out the frame. Looking back, Pickard gave his mates the chance to get their feet and pull away. The 4-2 was a deflection which he did not get a big enough piece of. The 5-3 was through a triple screen. His sixth win of the campaign. You will take that from your backup. Solid effort.

CONNOR McDAVID. 9. Drew a first period Power Play. Took a puck from Bouchard in the Columbus zone and beat two Blue Jackets cold before dishing a beautiful backhand pass to Hyman for the 1-1. Looked to the sky after failing to convert a three-way passing play with Draisaitl and Bouchard. Brilliant assist on the 2-1 with an around-the-world skate and a feed to Leon. Second assist on the 4-1 with a sharp zone entry. Perfect pass to Draisaitl for the 6-3 and Connor’s fourth helper of the night. Named the second star. The reunited first line of McDavid, Hyman and Nugent-Hopkins looked dangerous all night.

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RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS. 7. A fine retrieval and clear on a late first period PK. A strong play in the D-zone at the tail end of that PK to open the second. A laser pass to Zach Hyman for the 4-1. Second assist on the 6-3. Looked right at home with McDavid and Hyman.

ZACH HYMAN. 9. Slammed home a pretty backhand pass from McDavid to tie the game at one. Point-blank chance early in the second. Net front on the 2-1, and the Coach’s Challenge directed at his role in the Draisaitl goal was ruled on correctly. Could not cash in on a second period breakaway. But absolutely ripped a wrist shot for the 4-1. Five shots led the Oilers. +3. The game’s first star. Probably his best game of the year.

EVAN BOUCHARD. 7. Good keep at the blueline earned him the second assist on the 1-1 goal. No assist but started the play on the 6-3. Finished with two helpers on the night. HDSC’s 5v5 5-2. CF 21-9, 70% to lead all Oilers D-men. I liked his hustle tonight while defending.

MATTIAS EKHOLM. 7. Whistled for a late first period slash. Got his own rebound and slammed it home for the 3-1. His strong defensive play kicked off the sequence leading up to the 4-1. He and Draisaitl teamed up for a key clear on the PK. Large and in-charge.

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LEON DRAISAITL. 8. Potted the 2-1 goal with a forehand-backhand play through the slot. The subsequent Coach’s Challenge was denied. Fed Podkolzin for a couple good chances in front. PK clear in the third. Stood Johnson up straight with a heavy mid-ice body check. Ripped a one-timer for the 6-3. 72% on faceoffs. Named the game’s third star. Tied for the NHL lead in goals, now, with nineteen so far. His PP goal was the one-hundred fiftieth of his career.

VASILY PODKOLZI. 5. A couple good chances in the deep slot toward the end of the second. Three shots in all. Two hits. Solid.

KASPERI KAPANEN. 5. Strong defensive play early in the first saved a goal against. Drew a double-minor in the second. Third period turnover and seconds later…an unforced icing.

DARNELL NURSE. 7. Second assist on the 3-1. A hard play sent Voronkov back to the bench to clear out the cobwebs. High Dangers 5-1 5v5. Has come back from a serious injury and has continues to deliver solid performances.

TROY STECHER. 5. Broke up a developing 2-on-1 part way through the second. Gritty performance. He consistently gives you all he has.

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ADAM HENRIQUE. 6. Good stick on that late first period PK. Clear to help finish it off in the second. No assist on the 3-1 but the Oilers probably do not score without his play along the wall. A hard forecheck and pass out front led directly to Skinner’s 5-2 marker. Terrific play. 60% on the dot. Two assists. A better performance than the fancy stats showed.

MATTIAS JANMARK. 5. Good forecheck on the 5-2. Trip at the O-zone blueline to put his club on the PK. But a shift later drew a PP.

JEFF SKINNER. 7. A terrific pass into the high slot to Ekholm for the 3-1. Stick handled in a phone booth on the 5-1 goal, a slick exhibition of just how good Skinner’s puck-handling and edges are when he is feeling it which he was tonight. Beautiful goal. Skinner’s best game as an Oiler to date.

BRETT KULAK. 6. Strong play defensively early in the first around the crease. Fine tip off a Nurse point shot. High Dangers 4-2 5v5. Five shots, four blocks in 18:21. Continues to play excellent hockey.

TY EMBERSON. 4. Struggled with coverage issues in the opening frame as Scoring Chances were 1-5 5v5 with him on the ice. Redeemed himself somewhat with a shot block on the PK. Got caught in-between on the 4-2 goal and to add insult to injury the puck deflected off him and past Pickard. Played a positive role in the 5-2. Fire drill participant on the 5-3.

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DEREK RYAN. 5. On for the exasperating 5-3 shift. But most of the night the puck was headed in the right direction on his watch. Chipped in four hits.

CONNOR BROWN. 5. Part of the D-zone breakdowns on the 5-2.

COREY PERRY. 5. Around the net in the first with both a tip and a shot. Part of the problem on the 5-3 fire drill in the Oilers D-zone. But was a force to be reckoned with on the cycle.

The Oilers season record goes to 14-10-2. In the second wild card slot in the West. St. Louis is in town Saturday.

Now on Bluesky @kurtleavins.bsky.social. Also, find me on Threads @kleavins, Twitter @KurtLeavins, Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and Mastodon at [email protected]. This article is not AI generated.

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