Oilers inch closer to games that matter after loss to Kraken: Recap, Highlights, and Reaction

Six minutes later with the Oilers on a power play of their own, Kraken defenceman Jamie Oleksiak would send a puck to Edmonton’s end. Pickard would go out to play it behind his net, but he bobbled the puck, allowing Ryan Winterton to score on a wraparound.

Seattle’s special teams remained special in that first, as with just over five minutes left in the frame, Eeli Tolvanen would give the Kraken a 3-0 lead with a half-slapper that, once again, would beat Pickard clean.

The Oilers managed to show some life, however, as Darnell Nurse would score on a power play with under three minutes left in the period.

Edmonton carried that juice over into the second frame, as it would take just 28 seconds for Matt Savoie to score his first pre-season goal. It wasn’t anything flashy, though, as Adam Henrique would fire a pass to the middle of the ice that deflected off Savoie and in. They all count the same.

The score would stay the same until the third period where Winterton would score his second, driving to the net on a two-on-one and tipping a pass over Pickard’s shoulder.

Edmonton wraps up their pre-season schedule Friday with a visit to the Vancouver Canucks.

Takeaways…

• The Oilers decision to wait in posting their lineups in the pre-season is nothing short of silly, but when they did, something caught my eye: the defensive pairing of Darnell Nurse and Alec Regula. There’s been talk about Regula making the team out of camp, and he’s played with Arto Leppanen , Cam Dineen, Brett Kulak and now Nurse in the pre-season. Leppanen’s been impressive and while he’s likely destined for the AHL Condors to kick off his North America tenure, he’s somebody who could be an early recall. Dineen is a possible AHL partner if Regula is sent down, but Kulak and Nurse — as we all know — will be NHL regulars this year. Nurse and Regula led the way in ice-time among defencemen.
• Speaking of Leppanen, he was paired with Troy Stecher, and with them on the ice at five-on-five, the Oilers outshot the Kraken 5-2 and controlled 75.06 percent of the expected goal share.
• Matt Savoie was all over the ice. Along with the goal, he took six shots on goal on eight attempts, generating six high-danger scoring chances and 1.49 individual expected goals. I can’t wait to see he does this season.
• The Oilers couldn’t stay out of the penalty box taking six minor penalties, struggling to kill them as they allowed two power play goals against.