Player grades: Wretched luck dooms the Edmonton Oilers in loss to ...

21 Nov 2023

Published Nov 20, 2023  •  Last updated 7 hours ago  •  6 minute read

Carter Verhaeghe #23 and Aaron Ekblad #5 of the Florida Panthers defend against Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, in Sunrise, Florida. Photo by Bruce Bennett /Getty Images

Wretched luck doomed the Edmonton Oilers in a 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday. It was Edmonton’s second tough loss in a row in Florida.

Oilers vs Panthers - Figure 1
Photo Edmonton Journal

In both games, Edmonton gave up early two-goal leads and lost the game. But this loss had more to do with horrid bounces than any lack of effort or mental mistakes. Newcomer Calvin Pickard was sharp, even as he let in five goals.

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Two dropped sticks, one that put Zach Hyman in the wrong place at the wrong time, and one that tripped up Philip Broberg, led directly to goals against.

It was a hard fought and competitive game that could have gone to either team. It just didn’t turn out to be the Oilers.

In total, when it came to Grade A shots (which go in 25% of the time on average), Edmonton had 12, Florida 16, with the subset of 5-alarm shots (which go in 33% of the time), Edmonton seven, Florida 11.

Connor McDavid, 8. He pulled a Draisaitl, ripping in his own version of the Executioner’s Shot, pounding in a one-timer from near the sideboards and on the goal line. He made great passes on an early power play, but Hyman, then Draisaitl could not score. Next set up Bouchard for a 5-alarmer early in the second, but again no red light moment. He and Draisaitl got twisted and turned around, allowing a pass and 5-alarm shot in the second. After getting hauled down on a rush, he calmly drained a penalty shot. He got banged up and beat up, but kept at it. Contributions to Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +4/-2; Special Teams +2, 0.

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Leon Draisaitl, 5. High event game with good and bad. He was part of the early carnage that led to Gustav Forsling’s early shot off the post. He fed the puck to McD on his early goal. He had a power play one-timer in the first, but was thwarted by Bobrovsky. He got off even a better shot early in the second but was again stopped by spectacular netminding. He made a good hustle play to kick off Bouchard’s 5-alarm slot shot early in the second. He lost a key slot battle on the fourth Florida goal. He set up Hyman for a great chance in the third. He sprawled to stop an empty-net goal. GAS: ES +5/-5; ST +2/-0.

Oilers vs Panthers - Figure 2
Photo Edmonton Journal

Connor Brown, 4. He won a board battle kicking off the Virtuous Cycle on McDavid’s early goal. But generally not finding a way to be dangerous on the attack. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST +0/-0.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 3. Not delivering just now. His turnover led a Grade A shot against late in the third. He won just two out of 12 faceoffs. GAS: ES +0/-3; ST +0/-0.

Zach Hyman, 5. Hustling effort this game. He slammed a 5-alarm slot shot on net on a first period power play but failed to drain it. Then came some bad luck, Hyman breaking his stick in his own end, then when the Oil won the puck and were breaking out, Ekholm hit Hyman with it as #18 went to the bench for a new stick, kicking off the Sequence of Pain. He failed to score on a 5-alarm shot in the third. GAS: ES +3/-1; ST +1/-0.

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Evander Kane, 6, A month ago folks like me were questioning Kane’s hands, but he looked swell deking into the Florida end early in the first, putting a puck on net for a Grade A shot. Those hands also looked fine wristing in Ryan’s pass from the slot. He took two first period penalties, with Florida scoring on the first of them.  He took a misconduct in the third. GAS: ES +3/-0; ST +0/-0.

Ryan McLeod, 5. He missed the net on an early slot shot. He won two battles on Kane’s goal. But a bit more is still needed. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.

Warren Foegele, 4. Quiet night by his standards, though some good hustle. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.

Derek Ryan, 5. His excellent pass hit Kane in stride in the slot and Kane delivered on the strike. He lost a battle and fell down, kicking off the Sequence of Pain on Florida’s first goal. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.

Adam Erne, 4. Quiet. Too quiet. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

James Hamblin, 5. Solid screen in the second led to Kulak’s shot off the post. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.

Darnell Nurse, 3. Rough game for Nurse, who has been played well lately. He screened Pickard on Florida’s first goal. His starfish slide and stick whip snapped the puck past Pickard for the third Florida goal, a wicked own goal.  He got beat for a Grade A shot by Tkachuk late in the second. He created a 2-on-1 against early in the third, but cleaned up his own mess. He allowed Rodrigues in behind him for a breakway in the third. GAS: ES +1/-5; ST +0/-0.

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Cody Ceci, 5. He did his job with his usual steady and sound play. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

Mattias Ekholm, 4. His failed clearance led to Florida’s second goal. He lowered the boom on a Florida forward in the first after said forward harassed Pickard for a loose puck. Was otherwise steady. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

Evan Bouchard, 5. Dangerous on the attack, dangerous on defence. His pinch was essential to McDavid’s early goal. He failed to drain a McD slot pass in the second. He sent in McDavid on a rush that led to his penalty shot. He was caught flat-footed and slow-moving on the fourth Florida goal. He made a solid defensive stop to prevent an empty net goal against. GAS: ES +4/-3; ST +0/-0.

Vincent Desharnais, 4. He got into a fight with an aggressive Florida forward, Gadjovich, who got too feisty around the Oilers net. His lost battle in the corner led to a 5-alarm shot and near goal against late in the second. Providing little if anything on the attack. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

Brett Kulak. 6. More high even than usual but more good than bad. Nasty turnover on Ekblad’s early 5-alarm shot. He put one off the post through a Hamblin screen in the second. He lost a battle in front of the net to Sam Bennett, leading to a 5-alarm shot. He made a key block and won a slot battle in the third, giving his team some hope. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST +0/-0.

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Philip Broberg, 5. Terrible luck did him in this game. His aggressive pinch was essential to Kane’s goal. But he can’t get a break. The officials left a stick on the ice, and Broberg skated backwards over it, falling down and allowing the 2-on-1 rush that saw Florida get its third goal. GAS: ES +1/-2; ST +0/-0.

Calvin Pickard, 6. One bad goal against but was otherwise good, making a number of exceptional saves on 5-alarm shots. Solid save on Aaron Ekblad early on. Nurse screened him on the first Florida goal. Might well have done better on the second Florida goal, an outside slot shot from an angle that went right through him. He made a brilliant save on Lundell early in the second. He next slammed the door on an Ekblad 5-alarmer. Nurse slammed in on third Florida goal on a deflection and the fourth was on a chaotic scramble play. He thwarted Tkachuk breaking in a moment later. After another great save late in the second he was able to smother a wide open puck in the crease, put took a holding penalty, a very smart holding penalty. He again battled hard to stop Sam Bennett early in the third, then closed down a Evan Rodrigues breakaway a few minutes later. He gave his team a chance to be, but the Hockey Gords had something else in mind.

At the Cult of Hockey

McCURDY: Goaltending an issue, a big one

LEAVINS: Losing your head means losing games — 9 Things

STAPLES: Player grades — Giveaways in Tampa Bay

McCURDY: A pricey addition at the Oilers weakest position

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