Edmonton Oilers
Oilers Win 2-1 After Dramatic Finish Over Lightning
The Edmonton Oilers picked up a dramatic win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, a 2-1 win with a close call in the final seconds.
The Edmonton Oilers secured a hard-fought victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night, holding onto a one-goal lead in a dramatic finish. In the final seconds of the third period, the Oilers wound up shorthanded. As they were killing the penalty, Tampa thought they’d put one in, but a review could not determine whether the puck had crossed the goal line conclusively. Nick Paul appeared to knock the puck down with a high stick, and Darnell Nurse managed to get his glove on it, preventing a clear goal. With strong defensive play and a bit of luck, the Oilers earned a solid home win.
The Oilers have won six of their last seven games.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl scored the two goals for the Oilers, both on breakaways. Jake Guentzel scored for the Lightning.
McDavid was denied on an earlier breakaway but capitalized on his second opportunity. After Draisaitl’s initial shot was stopped, Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen crashed the net, looking for a rebound. In an attempt to clear the puck, Andrei Vasilevskiy inadvertently sent it off Victor Hedman and into the net.
Stuart Skinner played well again for the Oilers. He was asked after the game about the near goal that wasn’t determined to have gone in. He didn’t know what the ruling would be and was grateful the call went their way. He also noted that it was big for the Oilers to get a mature win over a very mature Lightning roster.
The Oilers Earned This Win Over the Lightning
The Oilers earned their sixth win in the last seven games with a solid team effort. Skinner was reliable in net, making 21 saves, while Draisaitl contributed a goal and an assist, bringing his season total to 20 goals, including an NHL-leading 16 even-strength tallies. McDavid added another highlight-reel goal, continuing his incredible form with 11 goals, 17 assists, and 28 points in his last 14 games.
It was a strong victory against a high-quality opponent. This was the template for a game that would see the Oilers successful against strong teams and in postseason games.
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