GAME RECAP: Oilers 2, Flames 1

CALGARY, AB - The regular season Battle of Alberta has been won.
The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Calgary Flames by a 2-1 score at Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday night on the back of Tyson Barrie's 100th career goal, Connor McDavid's 31st marker of the season and 46 saves from goaltender Stuart Skinner to emerge victorious over their provincial rivals in the three-game season series.
"It's a tough game after the break to travel the day of and come into a tough building and win a big game where we're both battling for points," Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said. "Stu was obviously great tonight, but yeah, it was gritty. We found a way, and those are the ones coming down the stretch here. We're going to need to be able to play those low-scoring games and find a way to button it up."
Barrie reached a century for goals in his career with a slap shot that evaded traffic in front to level the score at 1-1 before the five-minute mark of the second period. Then with twelve-and-a-half left in the final frame, McDavid went post-in on an Oilers power play for the game-winning goal to extend his league-high point streak to 16 games that includes 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points.
"It always feels good to win in this building," McDavid said. "Our team historically has always struggled after breaks, so it's important for us to get out of the break hot and it's a big win for us."
Goaltender Stuart Skinner was sensational, making 46 saves in the victory to increase his stellar numbers against the Flames in his career to 117 saves on 120 shots (.975 save percentage). The 24-year-old improves to 2-0 this season between the pipes for Edmonton against their provincial rivals.
"Yeah, I thought we played a hell of a game," Skinner said. "I thought both teams obviously came out strong, especially coming out of three days off with the Christmas break. I thought we kept on getting better every single period and it's big that we got that one."

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MARKSTROM DENIES

Jesse Puljujarvi almosthad his just desserts at the end of a terrific shift from the Finn, but the catching hand of another Scandinavian denied him a delicious goal in the final two minutes of the opening period.
With the Oilers turning up the ice quickly on a 4-on-2 odd-man rush opportunity, Connor McDavid put a pass on a plate for the Bison King to quickly snap a shot glove side on netminder Jacob Markstrom in between the hashmarks, but the Flames crease guard flashed the leather to come up with a crucial stop on Puljujarvi with 1:34 to go in the first period.
The pace and competitiveness of the game improved after both sides shook out the turkey legs in the opening five minutes, but the first intermission arrived with both sides tied 0-0 on the scoreboard and 9-9 in shots.

FIRST BLOOD

Early in the middle frame, Calgary broke through to open the scoring.
Blake Coleman's backhander on goal looked to have taken a small deflection of Andrew Mangiapane's stick in front before the rebound kicked off the right toe of Skinner before falling onto the stick of Mikael Backlund, who potted the second attempt from just below the middle hashmarks 1:12 into the second period.

A 'CENTURRIE' FOR TYSON

Make it 100 career goals for Barrie.
The Victoria, BC product reached the century for goals in his NHL career with a blast just before the five-minute mark the evened things up for Edmonton.
As traffic arrived through the middle of the Flames offensive zone, the defender released a bomb as he inched towards towards the middle of the top of Calgary's end that eluded all the bodies in front and beat Markstrom under the left arm, marking his 100th career goal and tying the game in the process.
"Yeah, it's great," Barrie said. "You know, it's a long way from where I started and I remember my first goal, so I'm lucky to have played as long as I have and been given opportunities to be offensive. It's a cool little milestone, but it's behind me now."

PLAY OF THE GAME

There's just something about seeing Connor McDavid go post-in at the Scotiabank Saddledome. It never gets old, and never will.
After his last bar-and-in goal at Scotiabank Saddledome won the Battle of Alberta: Playoff Edition for the Oilers last season to book their ticket to the Western Conference Final, the captain did it again -- this time to give Edmonton a slender 2-1 lead on the power play in the third period.
Darnell Nurse was grabbed across his body by Mangiapane on a dump-in, awarding the Oilers their third man advantage of the evening that was ended in quick succession. Just 15 seconds into the power play, McDavid was loose to carry the puck into the slot where he shot across Markstrom's body and put the go-ahead goal in off the right post with 7:28 gone in the third period to extend his point streak to 16 games.

"That was a nice play by Leo, as usual," McDavid said. "Hyman keeps it alive, Leo puts it on my tape and I just tried to work across and get my shot off. I had been pretty quiet all night, so just trying to get a shot on net."
During that incredible 16-game span, McDavid as a paltry 32 points with 15 of those being goals. He extends his League lead in goals to 31 tucks in 36 games this season -- five better than Buffalo's Tage Thompson.
"Yeah, I don't know," McDavid said of his point streak that's one off his career high. "Like I said, I'm just always trying to play well like everyone is. I'm no different than anybody else just trying to play well and do my part."

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Skinner has been stellar against the Oilers divisional rival this season, with his 46 saves in the victory lifting his season numbers against the Flames in his career to 117 saves on 120 shots against.
"I think it always will be," Skinner said of his love for playing the Flames. "You grow up watching those games. Those are the most exciting games as a kid to watch, and being able to play in them is obviously a dream come true and I'm looking forward to playing them. Hopefully, a lot more."

His performance earned the Edmonton, AB product First Star honours in his fifth start in the last six games for the Blue & Orange, along with his 11th win of the campaign. With a new three-year contract, playing the best he ever has in his young career and a baby on the way that's expected to arrive just after the calendar turns to 2023, things are going pretty well for Skinner, who continues to be grateful for the opportunity to represent his hometown Oilers.
"You try to live every day with as much gratitude as you can," Skinner said. "I mean, we're all alive, so we all get a chance to be happy and enjoy ourselves. With my little buddy on the way, it's just a cherry on top. Very excited."

PARTING WORDS

Coach Woodcroft on his Oilers team earning the win coming out of the holiday break:
"Yeah, I think we're starting this next phase of our season or our schedule, and to come in and beat a division rival in their rink, I thought it was, to a man, a really good effort. I just think for us to find a way post-Christmas, three days off, and then to step into the Lion's Den so to speak here and find a way to get your second win on the season in this building, I think it's a good win for us."

Coach Woodcroft on finding consistency post-Christmas:
"We're like a lot of teams in the NHL right now. We're looking for a measure of consistency. Our hope is that our focus is sharpened. We are post-Christmas now. We have 14 games left before the All-Star break. We're quite aware of that. There's a lot of divisional games left on that calendar. We're quite aware of that. But you've heard me say this since the first day that I got up here is that our focus is on being the best we can be on a day-in, day-out basis. We don't worry about the 14 games in front of us. We worry about being the best we can be that day, and today we were pretty good and I'm happy that we got the result."