THIRD PERIOD
0.0: OILERS WIN! The club claws back in the third period to drop the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in the first of a two-game series. McDavid nets a goal and two assists, Puljujärvi pots two points and Smith stops 22 shots in the victory.
1:39: EMPTY-NETTER! Shore deposits Yamamoto’s pass into an open cage as the Oilers are running away with it late. | EDM 4, MTL 1
2:23: JESSE’S GOAL! Puljujärvi beats Allen’s glove hand to extend the lead and provide the Oilers with insurance late! The Finn has 11 goals on the year. McDavid gets the only assist. | EDM 3, MTL 1
4:49: OH MY MCDAVID! The Oilers Captain picks up the puck at his own blueline, guns down the ice and splits Jeff Petry and Joel Edmundson to score on Allen. An incredible play by No. 97 puts the Oilers ahead late in the game. That’s McDavid’s 24th of the year. | EDM 2, MTL 1
6:43: Kassian goes cross-ice to Devin Shore and he zips the puck off Allen’s shoulder and out.
9:11: WAKE THE BEAR! McDavid finds Ethan Bear in the slot for the equalizer after the Oilers buzz around the blue paint for an extended period. The young defender pots his first goal of the year on the play, while McDavid and Nurse get the helpers! | EDM 1, MTL 1
10:07: Kassian flings a wrister on from outside and Shore’s follow-up attempt flutters wide.
13:57: Josh Archibald wills his way to the house then chips one on the net but Allen makes the glove save. Shots are 22-19 EDM.
14:33: CHIASSON SO CLOSE! The cage yawns while the puck bobbles, making it hard for Chiasson to score on the open net. Edmonton is 0-for-4 on the man advantage tonight.
20:00: The third period has begun with the Oilers on the power play!
SECOND PERIOD
#Oilers down by one after 40. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/r7FoIiyqzQ
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 20, 2021
0.0: The Oilers fail to capitalize on the late power play and remain down by a single after 40 minutes. The club will get a fresh two minutes of man-advantage time on a clean sheet of ice when the third begins because Toffoli took a cross-checking minor against Haas. Shots are 17-15 EDM.
2:27: More rough stuff as Paul Byron is called for interference after bringing down Jones.
4:16: Smith airs the puck to McDavid to spring him and Puljujärvi on a 2-on-0 but the Captain loses the handle near the crease.
6:17: Draisaitl will be in the box for two minutes now after hi-sticking Anderson.
7:42: Montreal doesn’t give the Oilers much tie or space to establish themselves on the man advantage. Edmonton is 0-for-2 tonight.
10:51: Tatar hacks down on Barrie’s stick and is guilty of a slashing penalty. Edmonton gets another chance on the power play.
11:14: Draisaitl drives in from the wing and shoots his shot wide then Caleb Jones corrals the puck for a slap shot that Allen catches in his breadbasket. Much more pace to this period.
13:14: Eric Staal re-directs Corey Perry’s feed with his skate to put the Habs on the board first. | MTL 1, EDM 0
16:44: SCHMIDDY! Artturi Lehkonen goes backhand, forehand on a breakaway but Smith stays with it for the huge stop.
20:00: The second period begins with Jake Allen taking over the crease for Price, who is not on the Canadiens’ bench. Word comes down that Khaira will not be returning to action tonight due to an upper-body injury.
FIRST PERIOD
Bodies flying EVERYWHERE but scoreless after 20. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/cYuT5lDsdL
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 20, 2021
0.0: The first period comes to a close scoreless after McDavid’s goal was called back. No check is going unfinished tonight as the two sides register 32 hits in the first period. Twenty of them were by the Oilers, who are without Khaira after he was bumped by Romanov.
2:02: The Oilers suppress Nurse’s minor thanks to some stingy penalty killing and puck luck with Jesperi Kotkaniemi putting a one-timer wide of the cage. Danault goes to the box now for interference on McDavid with a late hit that just misses the Captain.
4:45: Darnell Nurse’s stick catches Nick Suzuki in the mouth, warranting a hi-sticking minor. Oilers go shorthanded first tonight.
5:30: Tyson Barrie releases a shot from up top and the rebound finds McDavid, who centres it out front for Jesse Puljujärvi while Price is out of position but the Finn can’t put it back.
7:59: McDavid fakes outside then cuts inside on Josh Anderson, roofing a laser top corner to score but the Canadiens challenge for goaltender interference due to Chiasson’s net-front presence. The goal is called back and the game remains scoreless.
8:50: Joakim Nygard pulls a nifty move to gain some space inside the offensive zone, leaving the puck for Chiasson to toss a quick shot on net that Price snares.
11:42: Things are getting physical as McDavid gets tangled up at the bench with Phillip Danault, causing some pushing and shoving, and then Alexander Romanov throws a heavy hip check at Jujhar Khaira to leave the Oilers forward struggling to gain his footing. Khaira goes down the tunnel to the dressing room.
13:57: Canadiens forward Tyler Toffoli barrels in from the left side and pumps a wrister at Smith that is gobbled up for the whistle.
17:06: Connor McDavid sauces a backhand pass to Alex Chiasson streaking for the net but the winger can’t get his blade on the airborne puck.
20:00: Let’s go! The Oilers look for their second straight victory but it won’t come easy as the club is 1-3-1 against Montreal this year. It’s Mike Smith’s net tonight and he’ll go up against one of the best in the League, Carey Price.
Comin’ in hot. 🔥#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/7NVtGBZX9J
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 20, 2021
TONIGHT’S LINEUP
Draisaitl – McDavid – Puljujärvi
Kahun – Haas – Yamamoto
Archibald – Khaira – Chiasson
Nygard – Shore – Kassian
Nurse – Barrie
K. Russell – Larsson
Jones – Bear
Smith
Koskinen
OUT: William Lagesson, Dmitry Kulikov, Alex Stalock
OILERS TODAY | PRE-GAME VS MTL