Oilers Streak Comes to Screeching Halt in 4-0 Loss Against Leafs
Oilers #Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers dropped a 4-0 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Jack Campbell turned aside 30 shots as the Leafs took the first of a three-game series against the teams.
Connor McDavid looked sharp early on but the high-powered Leafs found a way to shut down Edmonton’s stars without the help of Auston Matthews.
It wasn’t a pretty one to watch, but I stuck around to provide a complete breakdown of the game…
First Period:
The pace was good to start this one. It wasn’t the most exciting hockey but it was clear that both teams knew the significance of this series. With first-place on the line, both the Leafs and Oilers were trying to balance steady defensive play with explosive offence.
McDavid had an extra spring in his step and nearly set up the game’s opening goal as he fed Chiasson who was stopped. The Leafs would come right back with an excellent chance of their own as Mike Smith made a great stop on a Barbanov chance at the top of the crease.
It would be the Oilers who blinked first in the form of a lazy holding call from Kris Russell. The Leafs would cause havoc in front of Smith and William Nylander would convert on a feed from Mitch Marner. It somehow made it through a sea of bodies, but it beat Smith. The Leafs were on the board first with a 1-0 lead.
It didn’t take too much longer for Toronto to take hold of the game’s momentum. A rush from the Leafs’ top line led to the puck getting on the stick of Marner. The Oilers gave him too much time and space and he made it count. He wired one through Smith to give Toronto a 2-0 lead. The goals were scored just 1:13 apart.
Tyler Ennis had a chance in the dying seconds with a slapshot from the left circle but Jack Campbell would deny him. Oilers found themselves in a 2-0 hole after the opening frame.
Second Period:
The second period saw less defence and more of a run-and-gun game from both sides. Both teams were trading chances and it appeared that the Oilers had the advantage in the period.
Edmonton’s momentum would be dashed about halfway through the frame as Smith would bite on a fake shot and Spezza would roof one. 3-0 Leafs and it was looking dire for the Oilers.
Edmonton’s best chance would come off a deflection in front of the net that hit the crossbar but nothing would beat Campbell. They overcame a 3-1 deficit against Vancouver last week and they would have to overcome a 3-0 deficit tonight.
Third Period:
I’ll save the specifics to say that next to nothing was generated in this period. The Leafs went into shutdown mode and the Oilers had no answer for them.
Zach Hymen would pot one to seal the deal for the Leafs. The Oilers five-game winning streak comes to an end as they are unable to solve Jack Campbell in the Toronto net.
4-0 Leafs is the final.
Takeaways: