Player grades: Edmonton Oilers smother Calgary Flames in Lucky ...

The Edmonton Oilers played another solid defensive game, allowing just one goal against and beating the Calgary Flames 3-1. It was Edmonton’s 13th win a row, the longest winning streak ever for a Canadian team in the NHL.

The Oilers stormed out of the gates in this one, with nine Grade A shots in the first, including several wide open chances, but could only score once. The Flames charged back hard in the second, outhustling the Oilers and tied the game.

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But Sam Gagner scored a fluke goal in the third, perhaps a reward for Edmonton’s utter dominance when it came to Grade A shots.

It was a smothering defensive performance by the Oil.  Yet another one. Take that P.K. Subban!

In total, Edmonton has 16 Grade A shots, while Calgary had six. In the subset of 5-alarm shots, Edmonton had eight, Calgary two. Grade A shots go in on average 25 per cent of the time, 33 per cent for 5-alarmers.

Connor McDavid, 6. Solid game but nothing special. He broke in for a break in early in the first but Calgary goalie Dan Vladar bested him. Solid backcheck on Mangiapane in the third, then set up Ekholm for a dangerous slot shot. Contributions to Grade A shots (GAS): Even Strength +4/-1; Special Teams +1/-0.

Zach Hyman, 5. Was that the world’s worst penalty call against him in the first, when a Flames d-man backed into him and tripped? It was one of them. Otherwise had little impact, save for a beauty of an empty net goal. GAS: ES +0/0; ST +0/-0.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 4. Not his best game as this line had trouble creating Grade A shots. His turnover kicked off the Sequence of Pain on the first Calgary goal. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-0.

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Leon Draisaitl, 7. The leader of Edmonton’s top line this game. He came out flying, skating low and fast, like a torpedo, and setting up players for great shots here, there and everywhere. He popped his crafty turn-around wrist shot on net on the power play in the second. He charged full ice in the third to set up McD in the slot, but Noah Hanifin got his stick on it. GAS: ES +3/0; ST +1/-0.

Evander Kane, 7. He’s moving better than he has since early December, when he got banged up. With what looked to be a sounder base and core, he was also shooting harder than he has in a few months. He put the puck to himself off the boards in the first, then set up Foegele for two Grade A shots. He got his own Grade A in the second, taking Nurse’s pass, charging in and ripping a vicious shot on net.  He led the team with three hits. GAS: ES +4/0; ST +0/-0.

Warren Foegele, 7. He had his moments. He failed to score on two fantastic early chances, but relayed the puck to McLeod on his first period goal. GAS: ES +5/-1; ST +0/-0.

Ryan McLeod, 7. He controlled a tricky pass and broke in to slam home Edmonton’s first goal. Brilliant shooting. He now has 17 points in his last 25 games, after starting the year with just two points in his first 16. GAS: ES +1,-0; ST +0/-1.

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Derek Ryan, 6. Usual hustle and solid play. He burst in on a breakaway in the first but failed to drain it under heavy opposition flak. GAS: ES +1/0; ST +0/-0.

Mattias Janmark, 4. Quiet game until he slightly bumped Vladar in the third and was handed a penalty, home-town advantage in action. GAS: ES +0/0; ST +0/-0.

Dylan Holloway, 6. Looked sharp in his first game back with the Oil. Excellent pass to set up Brown in the first. He set up Ceci in the crease in the second, but Ceci could not get his stick on it. GAS: ES +2/1; ST +0/-0.

Sam Gagner, 7. He went hard hard to the net and almost jammed in a shot early in the second. A moment later executed a Total Eclipse of the Sun screen on Kulak’s shot on net. He took a wicked but legal check in the second, knocking him to the ice. He got some revenge a moment later, throwing a ferocious hit of his own. He scored early in the third from behind the net, banking one in off a Calgary d-man’s pad, then Vladar’s glove, then the kitchen sink, then the eight ball and into the corner pocket. GAS: ES +3/0; ST +0/-0.

Connor Brown, 6. How did he miss?! How did he freakin’ well miss?! Wide open net in the first off a brilliant Holloway feed, but shot it into Vladar rather than the gaping net. As the saying goes, the man has luck, all of it bad. Otherwise he had a solid game. GAS: ES +2/0; ST +0/-0.

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Mattias Ekholm, 6.  High event but far more good than bad. Failed to cash in a wide-open backhand slot shot in the first.  A moment later, he took a seamer from McD and harpooned it off the goalie’s shoulder, an even better scoring opportunity denied. Had another great A slot shot in the third. Monumental backcheck and pokecheck over top of Blake Coleman early in the second to thwart a breakaway, all the more special because he avoided taking a penalty. He got deked by Mackenzie Weegar in the slot for a Grade A shot early in the third, then lost Matt Coronato in front of the net for another. GAS: ES +3/-2; ST +0/-0.

Evan Bouchard, 6. He helped send in McDavid and Ryan on break-in chances in the first with this lethal passing. Made an unfortunate turnover a moment later leading to a dangerous Flames shot. GAS: ES +2/-1; ST +0/-0.

Darnell Nurse, 5. A few really bad moments out there in an otherwise solid game. He charged into the o-zone, drawing himself out of position on Calgary’s 3-on-1 break and first goal early in the second. Bad turnover a moment later led to extended Calgary zone time. A moment later, he sent in Kane on a break. Excellent slot shot block in the third. GAS: ES +1/-2; ST +0/-1.

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Cody Ceci, 6. He failed to cut out the pass on the 3-on-1 goal against, shading over too much to the shooter. But was otherwise solid. GAS: ES +0/-3; ST +0/-0.

Brett Kulak, 7. Skated miles, made plenty of plays, and kept a clean sheet at even strength, not one major mistake on a Grade A shot against. GAS: ES +1/0; ST +0/-0.

Vincent Desharnais, 7. He’s looking more at home than ever in the NHL. He made the stretch bomb that ignited McLeod’s goal. GAS: ES +1/0; ST +0/-0.

Stuart Skinner, 7. He showed his stuff in the third period. Calgary had 27 shots but only six Grade As. Not tested much early on but stopped a few Grade A shots late in the first, one of them a hard wrister from Blake Coleman. Thwarted a Weegar break-in early in the third. Huge stop off Coronato on a scramble play a moment later. Big stop on Yegor Sharangovich on Calgary’s third period power play.

McCURDY: Hamblin out, Holloway in

LEAVINS: Player grades in win over Seattle

McCURDY: Deep dive into the Oilers most recent & “perfect” 10-game segment

STAPLES: Sam Gagner draws back in after a 10-game injury layoff

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