The Edmonton Oilers started last night’s game well and were up 2-0 against the Vancouver Canucks. The announcers on the television even called it a scheduled loss for the Canucks. But it wasn’t to be.
Then things began to unravel for the Oilers and the surprising Canucks started to chip away. As the game went along, they began to gain confidence; and, that was it. The team that should have won lost; and, the team that was “scheduled to lose” won.
The Canucks scored five unanswered goals and carried the game. Can this win build momentum for an up-and-down Canucks’ team?
Takeaway One: Collin Delia Hung in There for the Win
The truth is that I had to look up Collin Delia’s career record during the game. I didn’t know much about him at all. Now I have to look to see if I have any of his hockey cards in my boxes.
The 28-year-old goalie was good last night. It was Delia’s first NHL start of the season and it didn’t go well – at first. But he overcame that tough start during the first period when the Oilers overwhelmed his team. In the end, he saved all but two of the 33 shots he faced during the 5-2 win over the Oilers.
Look for Delia to get some more starts in the Canucks’ net until Thatcher Demko heals from his lower-body injury.
Takeaway Two: Bo Horvat Is Having a Career Season
There’s really not much to say about Bo Horvat’s season. It’s one for the ages. Last night Horvat led his Canucks with a four-point game (two goals and two assists). All his points came on the team’s last four goals – three of them in the third period.
The 27-year-old Horvat now has 24 goals and 11 assists (for 35 points) in 33 games on the season. Although he hadn’t registered a point in the two games previously, he was absolutely on his game last night. His reflexes are lightning quick and his hand/eye coordination is amazing. Both allowed him to be successful around the Oilers’ goal.
Takeaway Three: Connor McDavid Is Unstoppable
No one will ever tell me that Connor McDavid is not the best NHL player currently lacing up his skates. Last night he scored the 30th goal of his 2022-23 season, albeit in an untimely loss to the Canucks.
Along with McDavid’s 30 goals, he’s added 36 assists (for 66 points) in 35 games. He’s averaging close to two points a game and is currently in the middle of a 15-game point-scoring streak. Over those 15 games, he scored 14 goals and added 17 assists (for 31 points).
What makes this streak more amazing is that it isn’t far off his career points-per-game average. The 25-year-old McDavid is a special player. Every game I watch him play, he does something it seems no one else can do.
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