Podkolzin Scores First as Nurse Makes Impactful Return

The goal must have motivated the Oilers as they finished the first period with a shorthanded goal by Darnell Nurse to take a 2-0 lead. Nurse got a great pass from Mattias Janmark and buried it. Jonathan Quick had been so good in the first, making 18 of 20 saves. Eventually, the Oilers were able to solve him and the Rangers couldn’t handle the accumulation of shots. They had only eight in the first.

Oilers Players Had Been Working to Get Podkolin a Goal

The Oilers acquired Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks in the offseason and he’s been a wonderful addition. He hadn’t scored until Saturday night but he’d been working hard, playing aggressively, and working his way up the lineup. He’s been a good fit in the top six with Edmonton, specifically alongside Leon Draisaitl.

Kevin Bieksa said during the intermission that he saw Podkolzin’s skill in Vancouver and he needed a break. This goal might have been the break he needed. The Oilers had been working hard to get him a goal in the past few games and his teammates had noticed how hard Podkolzin was working.

The hope for the Oilers is that the floodgates open and Podkolzin starts to produce regularly to go along with all of his hard work.