GAME RECAP: Oilers 3, Canucks 2 (SO)

EDMONTON, AB - In the final tune-up game before the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Oilers gritted out a 3-2 shootout victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Place on Friday night.
It would be Devin Shore who seized his opportunity with the Oilers top two scorers in the lineup, beating Canucks goaltender Spencer Martin with the backhand-forehand shot for the only goal of the shootout.
The Canucks dictated the pace early on in the game, but the resilient Oilers pushed back like they have so many times this season.
With Edmonton trailing 1-0 through two, Brett Kulak tied the game just 31 seconds into the period. The defenceman collected the puck at the blueline and blasted his fifth goal of the year cleanly past a screened Spencer Martin to break the shutout for the Oilers.
The deadlock would barely last two minutes however when Canucks winger Conor Garland collected a Quinn Hughes pass along the half wall, skated out, and fired a perfect blocker side shot through Mikko Koskinen for the Scituate, Mass. native's 19th goal on the season and second point on the night.
Tyson Barrie knotted the game up 2-2 at the 10:50 mark of the period, a score that would hold up until Shore's shootout winner. Edmonton finishes the NHL regular season with a 49-27-6 record and 104 points, good enough for second in the Pacific Division.
"We didn't start the game the way we wanted to start, we were on our heels for a little bit but I thought we settled in," Jay Woodcroft said. "Our players played towards an identity of how we wanted to play, and it's a good sign we found a way to win."

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FIRST BLOOD

After a sleepy start to the game, the Canucks struck first with 2:29 remaining in the first period.
Former Oiler Brad Hunt stepped in from the blueline and dished to JT Miller. The Canucks leading scorer made no mistake sniping his shot high over Koskinen's glove for his 32nd goal on the season and his 99th point.
The shot was one of 17 that the Canucks were able to rack up in the period on a depleted Oilers squad, and was one of the few highly dangerous opportunities in the frame.

OFFENCE FROM THE BACK

When you're missing your top two scorers, you need others to step up and the Oilers backend did just that on Friday.
Stony Plain, AB product Brett Kulak broke the ice for the Oilers early in the third period with his fifth goal of the year. The defenceman has been a solid trade deadline addition for the Blue & Orange, recording eight points in his 18 games with the club.
Tyson Barrie tied the game for the Oilers midway through the final frame. The defenceman collected the Zach Kassian pass at the blueline, before swiftly walking the line and firing a wrister clean through a screened Spencer Martin for his seventh goal of the season.

SAVE OF THE GAME

The biggest save of the game was a team effort. Roughly eight minutes into the first period on a Canucks powerplay, Miller walked in and wristed a shot on Koskinen from the left circle.
The Oilers goaltender got a piece of the tipped shot, but the puck began to trickle behind him until Duncan Keith came to the rescue, scooping the puck off the goal line amidst a sprawling Koskinen.
The stop was one of 39 on the night for Koskinen -- not including the shootout -- who was playing both games of the Oilers back-to-back prior to the start of the Playoffs. Koskinen also robbed Miller of his 100th point of the season in the overtime period. On a cross-crease pass from Quinn Hughes, Miller quickly one-timed the dish but the pad of Koskinen kicked out to deny the Canuck of the milestone.

NO BIG GUNS, NO PROBLEM

In a Western showdown, it's tough to go in without the big guns, but the Oilers were able to grind out the win with a full team effort.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were sidelined for some much-deserved rest prior to next week's opening round showdown against the Los Angeles Kings, leaving the Oilers without their top two scorers and top two centres on the evening. With a combined 233 points missing from the lineup, the Oilers needed contributions from throughout the roster to take down the Canucks and rob Canucks Coach Bruce Boudreau of his 700th NHL win.
Edmonton's other top players were able to grind out some opportunities throughout the night, with Evander Kane leading the way for the Oilers with eight shots in the game and Zach Hyman getting five opportunities of his own.
"How about some of the guys who were in the line-up?" mused Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft. "I think Nugent-Hopkins played very hard for us and had great leadership. Kulak was excellent on the backend. We got goals from a couple of D-men, we had contributions from every single line. The way Mikko (Koskinen) played tonight; you can't say enough about him. It was a good team win for us, and it's a good sign to find a way to win in that situation."

TOP PERFORMER

While the Oilers have been riding the hot hand of goaltender Mike Smith over the last month -- the veteran is a perfect 9-0 in April -- it was Koskinen who was on his game on Friday night. The Oilers goaltender had a busy couple of days, playing both nights of the team's back-to-back home games, and facing at least 40 shots in both contests.
While the shot counter racked up, the Oilers defensive structure helped keep Koskinen's night relatively routine. The Finn was calm and composed in his crease and the few scrambles in front of his goal were quickly negated by the Edmonton goaltender.
Koskinen's came up clutch when the game mattered most. He stopped all six Canucks skaters in the shootout to earn his 27th victory of the season and some much-needed confidence heading into the NHL postseason.

PARTING WORDS

Barrie on riding the momentum of their three-game win streak and solid home form into Game 1 of the playoffs:
"It's big. I think the way we've been playing the last little while, and even the last two-and-a-half months or whatever, it's all kind of building towards what we're going to be stepping into on Monday. I think we're in a good position and we're a confident group. We know what's expected of us and what our systems are. We're ready and excited to execute it."
Barrie on having the ability to win games in different fashions:
"It's huge. Good teams find ways to win. I think that rings really true, and the last couple have been a bit different in the way that they don't have any bearing on the standings and stuff, so I don't think we've been as tight as we should be. Going into this Game 1, we're going to have to be locked down defensively and play as well as we've played all year to get it done."
Koskinen on confidence heading towards the most important part of the season:
"I think it's awesome. That's why we battle so hard over the 82 games, and now we have a chance to make it like what we've been dreaming about our whole lives. It's a fantastic opportunity for us."
Barrie on confidence heading towards the most important part of the season:
"I've been there a bunch of times, but I've never been this excited to get into the postseason. Just the season we've had with all the adversity we've faced, I think the way we've come out of it and the position we've put ourselves in, we're a group that's prepared and excited as anybody to get this going. I think we have a real shot at it this year and I can't wait for Monday."
Koskinen on the difference he sees in this team to last season's Oilers side:
"I can't really remember, but how we're playing right now is a system where everybody believes and has bought in. I think that makes the difference, so I really like our team. Good guys in there ready to go."

Barrie on the Oilers being a team nobody wants to play right now with their strong form:
"I don't think we've surprising anyone. I don't think we're an underdog by any means, so any time you have Connor and Leon, people are doing to pay attention to you. I like the spot we're in. I like how we've played it out, finished the year, and we've put ourselves in a position to have home ice. I wouldn't want to play us if I was another team either. It's a fun position to be in and we're excited to get it going."
Barrie on the process inside the locker room for the Oilers being 26-9-3 since Feb. 10:
"I think it was actually pretty gradual. I think [Woodcroft] came in and didn't try to introduce too much right away. We worked on one thing, then as soon as he thought we had a good grasp on that, he's kind of introduce something else. Even up until this week we were still working on different things that we haven't before. He's just trying to build up blocks and I think we've done a good job grasping what he's trying to lay down. I think we've put ourselves in a good spot now where we have a foundation for how we want to play. We're right on schedule."
Coach Woodcroft on whether he feels this Oilers team is ready for the playoffs:
"There are a lot of really good signs. I like the fact that we're just getting right into things right off the bat, without a huge week of practices or build-up towards a start of a series. It allows us to stay in the rhythm that we've been in. It's been a sprint to get here.
For me personally coming up in the middle of February it feels like the schedule has been relentless, but we've found comfort in the rhythm of that schedule."
Coach Woodcroft picking a shootout line-up without Connor and Leon:
"I have experience with some of those players in the past, so I have an understanding of what their capabilities are. You make sure you're seeing things clearly in the game as it's being played, and who might have a little extra jump in their step and who might be dangerous in that situation. We played the cards the best that we could."
Coach Woodcroft on the Oilers faithful:
"We think we have the best fans, the most passionate fans, the most knowledgeable fans in the National Hockey League. I can tell you, having experienced a playoff run in this city first hand, I know how excited everybody is for the play-offs and how excited our players are to play to their full potential."