For the first time in 2024, the Edmonton Oilers are on a losing streak.
After a 6-5 loss in overtime to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, the Oilers hosted the Minnesota Wild and fell by a score of 4-2 despite doubling the visitors in shots.
Matt Boldy opened the scoring for the Wild in the first period and Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play in the second period to tie the game. The score was tied at 1-1 heading into the third period and the Wild pulled ahead with a pair of quick goals in the middle of the frame. Zach Hyman cut Minnesota’s lead down with Edmonton’s second power-play goal of the game and Mats Zuccarello scored into the empty net a few minutes later to seal the win.
The Oilers had 43 shots on goal compared to Minnesota’s 19, including a 26-to-six differential in the third frame. Edmonton also had 18 high-danger chances at even strength throughout the game compared to Minnesota’s six. Filip Gustavsson was rock-solid in net for the Wild, stopping 41 of 43 shots, while Calvin Pickard allowed three goals on 18 shots.
Things worth mentioning…
Calvin Pickard didn’t have a strong game between the pipes and he wound up seeing his six-game winning streak come to an end. Pickard’s last loss was on December 21 against the New Jersey Devils, the first win in what would become the team’s 16-game winning streak. He posted a .916 save percentage over those six games, which was huge in turning Edmonton’s season around, but it’s difficult to say if the Oilers can rely on Pickard down the stretch.
Filip Gustavsson was strong for the Wild but he didn’t have to stand on his head. The Oilers threw a lot of pucks at the net and controlled the play for large portions of the game but they weren’t attacking the crease and trying to force a puck past Gustavsson like they were against Jeremy Swayman and the Bruins earlier this week. The Oilers would have won this game with better goaltending, but they also allowed Gustavsson to pick up one of the easiest 41-save wins he’ll ever have.
Matt Boldy scored two goals for the Wild, one in the first to put them ahead and another in the third to extend their lead after they pulled back in front. Selected No. 12 overall in the 2019 draft, four spots behind Edmonton’s top pick that year, Boldy has established himself as a very effective forward on the Wild. He has 22 goals and 46 points on the season, which will likely surpass the 31 goals and 63 points he scored in 2022-23.
The Oilers were held off of the board at even strength in this one. The two goals that the Oilers scored came on the power play, as the top unit scored on both of its chances. The Wild got four chances with the man advantage and the Oilers killed off all of their penalties. That’s a significant drop-off after scoring five even-strength goals against a stronger team a couple of days earlier.
Up next… The Oilers will be right back in action on Saturday as they host the Calgary Flames for the third Battle of Alberta this season. Edmonton has won the first two games of the season series, including a 5-2 win at the Heritage Classic and a 3-1 win in Calgary in January during the winning streak.
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