THIRD PERIOD
0.0: Another positive effort, but a 3-1 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday marks five-straight losses for the Edmonton Oilers. Andersen posts another fine performance against the Oilers with 23 saves to improve to 16-1-2 against the club all-time. Edmonton will try to break the funk on Tuesday when the Toronto Maple Leafs roll into Rogers Place.
1:30: Nugent-Hopkins and the whole of Rogers Place thought Nuge put McDavid’s feed in, but it hit the post and slid across the goal line before Andersen kicked it out. How did that not go in?
2:05: Andersen with a great glove save on Kassian. The guy’s had our number over the years.
2:44: Koskinen can’t handle the puck behind the Oilers net and Aho takes advantage. | CAR 3, EDM 1
7:30: Hyman gets a great look on a rebound from a shot by Nugent-Hopkins, but puts it right through the crease!
8:05: Oilers go back to the PP!
11:41: Edmonton can’t make anything come from their first powerplay. We go on, still in search of an equalizer.
13:41: FINALLY! An Oilers powerplay! Brady Skjei hooks Nugent-Hopkins in the neutral zone to send Edmonton to its first man advantage, and a crucial one at that.
17:20: Svechnikov tries to pull off the Michigan from behind the net, but luckily he couldn’t convert it.
20:00: Puck is dropped on the third period!
SECOND PERIOD
0.0: Both teams bank a goal in the second period as the Hurricanes outshoot the Oilers 14-4 in the middle frame. RNH pulls one back for the Oilers, and Koskinen makes a big pad stop late in the period to keep it 2-1 heading into the intermission.
1:15: KOSKINEN!!! Huge pad stop by the Finn on the breakaway after Steven Lorentz was played in all alone! Keeps it a one-goal game.
Mikko MASSIVE in the middle frame. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/ffRQ5VZw8e
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 12, 2021
9:49: NUUUUUUUUUUUGE!!! Needed that one to get the Oilers back in the game. Puljujarvi begins the play at the Oilers blueline, sending it up to a streaking Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who walks in and goes post-in at even strength to cut Carolina’s advantage to one goal. That’s number three on the year for Nuge, and his 24th point. | CAR 2, EDM 1
12:55: Bouchard trips up Jarvis to send Carolina back to the PP.
13:41: Niederreiter sneaks one under Koskinen’s arm on the rush. | CAR 2, EDM 0
20:00: The second period has begun!
FIRST PERIOD
0.0: The Oilers end the period with pressure, but Andersen is standing tall. Shots are even 10-10 through 20 minutes, but Aho has the lone goal to put the ‘Canes up 1-0 at the intermission.
6:13: Right after Bouchard was denied by Andersen’s right pad and Puljujarvi couldn’t connect on the rebound, McDavid has his slap-shot effort stopped smartly by the Carolina crease protector. Two great chances for Edmonton in quick succession!
9:44: McDavid picks off an errant pass in the offensive zone and elects to pass instead of shoot, but he couldn’t connect a pass to the back post. Would’ve had a good look if the captain put it on net.
12:42: Third time’s the charm. Sebastian Aho gets three whacks with the backhand in front and gets it over the line and past Koskinen on the third try. Carolina opens up the scoring with a PP goal as Aho stretches his point streak to five games. | CAR 1, EDM 0
13:35: Kassian runs Andrei Svechnikov in front of the Oilers bench and takes a boarding call. Carolina gets the night’s first man advantage.
13:51: Over six minutes into this one and we’ve had only two stoppages of play.
17:14: Ethan Bear touches the ice for the first time tonight and gets a loud roar from the fans. Welcome back, Bearsy!
20:00: PUCK DROP!!!
20:00: The Oilers look to end a four-game slide at the expense of the Carolina Hurricanes, who’ve conversely won three-straight games and begin a back-to-back set tonight that ends tomorrow in Vancouver. Ethan Bear & Warren Foegele face their old sides for the first time after swapping allegiances in an off-season trade. Mikko Koskinen is in Edmonton’s crease to begin this one for the Blue & Orange.
Coming up next, it’s Oilers vs. Hurricanes on Hockey Night in Canada!
TONIGHT’S LINEUP
Hyman – McDavid – Puljujärvi
RNH – Nugent-Hopkins – Yamamoto
Foegele – McLeod – Kassian
Shore – Ryan – Sceviour
Nurse – Bouchard
Lagesson – Ceci
Niemelainen – Barrie
Skinner
Koskinen
OUT: Tyler Benson, Kyle Turris, Philip Broberg
OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game vs CAR