THIRD PERIOD

X – EDMONTON!

PLAY LA BAMBA ALL THE WAY TO THE POSTSEASON! The Edmonton Oilers are bound for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, ascending to the top of the mountain against the Colorado Avalanche with a 6-3 victory on Friday to secure their ticket to the postseason after playing the Western Conference leaders SO WELL in the season series. Evander Kane nets a hat-trick and has 20 goals in 40 games as an Oiler.

Go crazy, Oil Country!

1:13: AIR RUSSELL!!! HE SENDS IT 200 FEET INTO THE EMPTY NET AND THAT’LL DO IT!!! Time to celebrate, Oilers fans — you’re going to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. | EDM 6, COL 3

1:40: MacKinnon pulls one back for the visitors late. | EDM 5, COL 3

3:18: An early pull of the goalie for Colorado down by three and with the man advantage.

4:09: McDavid took a whack on a breakaway and argued the non-call all the way back up the ice. The ref didn’t like it, so he gives a bench minor for Unsportsmanlike Conduct.

9:15: SPIN-O-YAMA!!! McDavid’s pass deflects onto the tape of Yamamoto, who throws a backhand spin-o-rama on Kuemper that beats him five-hole. What a goal. Who else gets the assist other than Kane, and McDavid who has his third helper of the game. EDM 5, COL 2

11:33: Coincidental penalties get handed out to Yamamoto (holding) and Aube-Kubel (cross-checking). Let’s play some 4-on-4!

13:10: Puck bounces right to Draisaitl for an open chance in Colorado’s zone but his five-hole attempt is denied.

16:00: Darnell Nurse will not return for the Oilers tonight (lower-body injury).

19:00: JT Compher gets held by Nugent-Hopkins after dumping the puck in. Powerplay to the Avalanche.

20:00: The final frame is ON!!!

SECOND PERIOD

0.0: The Oilers score four — three through Evander Kane — and lead 4-2 after 40 minutes. What a period!

5:40: IT’S RAINING HATS!!! WHAT A MOVE & WHAT A HAT-TRICK BY EVANDER KANE!!! He throws an incredible dangle on Josh Manson at the blueline, puts his shot under the right arm of Kuemper, and it trickles over the line to bring the hats down on Rogers Place and put the Oilers up by a pair. | EDM 4, COL 2

10:18: Kulak gets the stick up on Lehkonen and trudges off to the box.

11:41: EVANDER AGAIN!!! After nearly banking it in from the goal line, the puck finds its way up to Duncan Keith at the top of the circle, who fires it back onto the tape of Kane at the back post to emphatically deliver into the empty net. The Oilers are back in front! | EDM 3, COL 2

13:53: Josh Manson gets the elbow up on McLeod, meaning two minutes and an Oilers powerplay!

15:42: Just 15 seconds after the Oilers went in front, Nichushkin rips his second of the game far side on Smith from the right circle. | EDM 2, COL 2

15:57: BOOOOOOUUUCH!!! The puck takes an unworldly bounce off the backboards and bounces off the top of the net before the defender bats the go-ahead goal out of mid-air. Bouchard is up to an incredible 41 points in 77 games with his 11th of the year. | EDM 2, COL 2

17:19: EVANDER ON THE WRAPAROUND!!! Connor McDavid passes one short to Evander Kane, who shimmy-shakes Darcy Kuemper at the near post and goes all the way around the net for an easy wrap into the empty cage. Tie game on Kane’s 18th of the season right after the Oilers came up with a big 5-on-3 kill! | EDM 1, COL 1

18:12: Big kill by the Oilers down 5-on-3!

20:00: HERE WE GO! The second period is underway.

FIRST PERIOD

Down one after one.#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/0fpE6VSTZD

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 23, 2022

0.0: The opening period concludes with the Avalanche up a goal. They’ll start the period with a two-man advantage.

32.3: Puck sits dangerously on the line but Smith manages to get the blocker to the post and keep it out. Seconds later, the referee calls a weak hooking penalty on Nugent-Hopkins. Oilers will be shorthanded 5-on-3 to end this period.

1:01: Oilers get tagged for a Too Many Men call after Kulak jumped over the boards prematurely.

7:45: Andre Burakovsky is chopped down by Nurse at the Oilers blueline. Colorado is heading to the powerplay.

10:04: Draisaitl cuts through the Colorado defence after dropping it to Hyman at the blueline and draws a holding penalty! Go to the net, folks. Good things happen.

11:31: Smitty can’t stop that one. A hard one-timer by Valeri Nichushkin beats Smith on a 3-on-1 for the Avalanche. Odd-man rushes aplenty for the Avalanche right now, and it’s not helping Edmonton. | COL 1, EDM 0

12:12: 2-for-2 on breakaways for Smitty! The Oilers netminder does well to track the pass from helm and the ensuing move from Logan O’Connor, who tried to go backhand over the right pad to no avail. Smitty lookin’ sharp.

14:40: Smith comes up HUGE on a breakaway for Darren Helm, using the right pad to parry away a clean look for the centre. His first save of the night and it’s a big one early.

20:00: GAME ON!!! Let’s book our ticket to the playoffs!

20:00: Both teams have hit the ice for warmups.

20:00: Tonight’s game at Rogers Place will start at 7:07PM MT

 

TODAY’S LINEUP

OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game vs. COL