Final Buzzer: Oilers Prevail

In a back-and-forth game between two playoff contenders, Edmonton emerged with the two standings points up for grabs Saturday afternoon at high-decibel Climate Pledge Arena. While star center Connor McDavid came into the game with 131 points and 11 more goals than any other NHL player and didn't score until late in the game, left-wing and linemate Evander Kane earned a hat trick, scoring on mid-range shots in each period.
Kane's final goal sealed off the 6-4 victory that is frustrating for Kraken fans, but there was no doubting the entertaining and never-quit play of the Seattle squad. The Kraken finished with 37 shots on goal to 23 for Edmonton.
"Our team played a good hockey game today," said Coach Dave Hakstol, content with his team's effort. "It's an even hockey game, we worked extremely hard, especially on the offensive side of the puck. We ground for our offensive opportunities for the majority of the 60 minutes. Our team played hard, our team played well."

Edmonton remains in third place in the Pacific Division with 86 points. The Kraken stand in the first wild card position with 83 points and a game in hand on Edmonton. Winnipeg (81 points) beat Nashville in overtime Saturday to stay in the second wild-card spot. Nashville now has 76 points with two games in hand on the Kraken. The two squads square off Thursday night and Saturday afternoon at Nashville.

Back-and-Forth, Part One

After an early goal from Edmonton forward Evander Kane, the Kraken didn't waver from Saturday's objective: Take two points from the Oilers and move back into third place. Kane's goal was his sixth in 15 games since returning from a serious wrist laceration injury and his 10th of the season.
The Kraken tied the game at 1-1 when Vince Dunn's shot from the point was deflected by Jaden Schwartz for the alternate captain's 17th goal of the season. With the primary assist, Dunn extended his franchise and personal record point streak to 12 games. He has scored four goals and added 13 assists during the stretch. The 26-year-old defenseman leads the Kraken in scoring with 57 points.

After yet another early-period goal by Evander Kane in the middle 20 minutes - a replay of the first period - the Kraken kept pushing, turning in good shifts in response to the 3-1 margin. Veteran Jordan Eberle, who couldn't settle a puck for a shot net-front in the first period with a wide-open net, took a pass from Jared McCann four minutes in the second period. He settled the puck this time with his skates, then fought off disruption from Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard to find the time and space for an open shot. Eberle wristed the puck through the "five-hole" or between EDM goalie Stuart Skinner's leg pads to close the score to 3-2.

When asked about the team's push leading up to his goal Eberle said, "I thought we had some good o-zone shifts. We sustained some pressure and created some chances."
"For the most part we were skating with them and creating plays and obviously I felt like we had a lot of the offensive zone chances but you give them high-quality chances they're gonna score."

Grubauer Leaves Game

During the first television timeout of the middle period, Philipp Grubauer appeared to be laboring at the bench. The starting goalie left the game and went down the tunnel with trainers. The team reported in-game that Grubauer was doubtful to "return to today's game due to a non-Covid illness. Forward John Hayden suffered a lower-body injury during a middle-period fight and also did not return.
Martin Jones then manned the net with Grubauer in the locker room. On the ensuing shift, the Oilers moved the puck out of their end and got the puck on the stick of superstar Connor McDavid. Seattle defenseman Carson Soucy tied up McDavid but the puck went off D-man Justin Schultz's stake right to Edmonton forward Zach Hyman's stick, who moved the puck quickly past Jones for a 4-2 lead. Hyman now has 30 goals and McDavid's second assist of the period and, this is not a typo, 133rd point of the season on the way to a 134th point (58th goal) on a late-game power play.
Jones was not deterred, making big saves from there out in the middle frame and another particularly memorable glove save on Oilers D-man Evan Bouchard in the early minutes of the third period when the Kraken were whistled for a too-many-men penalty.

Bjorkstrand Getting Hot?

Kraken over-the-summer trade acquisition scored his 15th goal of the season Thursday to beat San Jose in overtime. He tallied again to get the Kraken to 4-3. It's his third goal in the last four games. He has 16 goals on the year.