The Edmonton Oilers winning streak came to an end after two games on Monday (Nov. 4), with a 3-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils at Rogers Place.
Devils forwards Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier and Stefan Noesen each scored, while New Jersey netminder Jake Allen made 31 saves to pick up his 26th career shutout. Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard stopped only 13 of the 16 shots he faced, for a less-than-stellar .813 save percentage.
It was a disappointing performance from Edmonton’s NHL team, which was playing its third game since losing captain Connor McDavid to an ankle injury last week. The Oilers had won their first two outings without McDavid, defeating the Nashville Predators 5-1 at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday (Oct. 31) and the Calgary Flames 4-2 at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday (Nov. 3).
This was the second time in seven home games this season that Edmonton has failed to score a goal. With the loss, the Oilers are now 6-6-1, including just 2-4-1 in front of their fans. Here are some takeaways from Monday’s tilt in Oil Country:
Five-Hit Wonders
For a sense of how things unfolded on the Rogers Place ice Monday, consider that Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse had as many hits against the Flames on Sunday as his entire team had 24 hours later against the Devils.
The Oilers registered just five hits, their fewest in any home game since November 2008. That measly total is also the least number of hits by any NHL team in a game so far this season.
If the Oilers thought Monday’s engagement was simply going to be a game of shinny, the Devils didn’t get that memo: New Jersey was credited with 19 hits, nearly four times as many as its opponent.
Getting Killed on the PK
Edmonton’s penalty kill unit faltered again Monday, as Bratt scored on New Jersey’s only power-play opportunity of the game, late in the second period, to give his team a 2-0 lead.
Jesper Bratt now has 15 points in 15 games this season. 👀 #NHLStats: https://t.co/WXAN7ZXDOO
📺: @SportsOnPrimeCA ➡️ https://t.co/93veFI9jrZ pic.twitter.com/a7Cjmlqyqs
— NHL (@NHL) November 5, 2024
Bratt’s goal, which came at 16:34 of the middle frame, was a backbreaker: Edmonton had outshot the visitors 21-12 to that point, but were unable to solve Allen, and a lead of two goals in this game might as well have been a five-goal advantage.
The Oilers have now allowed a…
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