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Takeaways from the Oilers’ 1-0 Loss to the Golden Knights

The Edmonton Oilers lost a close one as Adin Hill came up big in the Golden Knights 1-0 win one night ahead of making the 4 Nations Team.

The Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights delivered a thrilling, tight-checking, playoff-style matchup that ended with a 1-0 victory for Vegas. A costly mistake on a touch-back pass by Leon Draisaitl led to the only goal of the game. The Oilers couldn’t make up for the mistake and didn’t score.

Despite the loss, the Oilers dominated large stretches of the game, especially in the third period, where they outshot the Golden Knights 16-2. Adin Hill stole the show with an incredible shutout performance, reminding everyone why he’s earning consideration as Team Canada’s starting goaltender. While the Oilers left frustrated, there were positives. Here are three key takeaways from this tightly contested battle.



Adin Hill Stands Tall for Vegas

Adin Hill’s performance was nothing short of extraordinary, stopping all 28 shots and turning away 16 in the third period alone. If there were questions about why he is a shoo-in for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament, he answered them in this game.

The Oilers’ offensive stars, Connor McDavid and Draisaitl, dominated possession and peppered Hill with Grade A chances, but they couldn’t solve Hill. His ability to keep the Golden Knights in the game and pull out a win as his team only scored once was key.

Oilers were beaten by Adin Hill of the Golden Knights
Oilers were beaten by Adin Hill of the Golden Knights

Hill praised his team for being strong defensively and keeping most of the chances to the outside. They clogged up the middle of the ice, which frustrated the Oilers. Sticks were knocking down passes and disrupting plays. It forced the Oilers to force things at times. Hill called it a tight playoff-atmosphere kind of game. When asked about being part of the 4 Nations Team, he said it would be a dream come true.

Oilers Bring the Effort, Not the Finish

Edmonton’s performance was strong across the board, but mostly in the final frame. They simply couldn’t score and while the Oilers had possession most of the period, Vegas still fended off a number of the high-danger chances. The Oilers controlled play and outshot Vegas 16-2 in the third period. They registered 12 Grade A scoring chances to Vegas’ 5. Natural Stat Trick had Edmonton with 10 high-danger chances to Vegas’ six. It should have been enough, but it wasn’t.

Some credit should go to the Golden Knights for not giving up much in the first 40 minutes. Their goaltender saved them in the last 20. Hill robbed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins late on a point-blank opportunity.

The Oilers’ inability to convert was the real problem in this game. While being shut out for the fourth time in 25 games is concerning, the process was there.

Playoff Atmosphere Highlights Edmonton’s Potential

Despite the loss and a few decisions they might want to have back, this game offered a lot to be excited about. The Oilers were potentially guilty of letting Vegas swing the tide early in the first and sequences where they overpassed the puck. Still, Edmonton outplayed Vegas for much of the game and absorbed the Golden Knights’ limited offensive pushes. It’s the type of performance that should build confidence for a rematch in May.

The Oilers finished their road trip with four of six points. One could argue the Oilers deserved at least a point out of this one, but they shouldn’t hang their heads.

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