Nugent-Hopkins Hits 1,000-Game Milestone in Style as Oilers Blank Blues 5-0
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins couldn’t have scripted it any better. On a night when he was celebrated for reaching the 1,000-game milestone-all with the Edmonton Oilers, no less-he delivered the game-winning goal and helped power his team to a dominant 5-0 win over the St. Louis Blues at Rogers Place.
The milestone moment came with a touch of history, a dose of emotion, and a whole lot of swagger from an Oilers team that’s suddenly looking like it’s figured out its identity. With the win, Edmonton picked up its second straight shutout and now sits at 25-17-8, just two points back of the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights.
A Night to Remember for Nugent-Hopkins
From the moment the Oilers stepped onto the ice for warmups, it was clear this wasn’t just another regular-season game. Every player wore a Nugent-Hopkins jersey.
Coaches and trainers sported tribute shirts. The pregame ceremony included a video tribute and on-ice presentations for the 32-year-old forward and his family.
Even the jerseys featured a commemorative patch honoring the occasion.
And then, just 5:55 into the first period, Nugent-Hopkins gave the fans the moment they were hoping for. With the Oilers on the power play, he ripped a shot past Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington to open the scoring-just like he did in his NHL debut back on October 9, 2011.
That makes him only the 10th player in league history to score in both his first and 1,000th career games. Talk about full-circle.
That goal would prove to be all Edmonton needed, but they didn’t stop there.
Hyman, Mangiapane, Podkolzin Add to the Onslaught
Zach Hyman continued his strong season with a two-goal performance, while Andrew Mangiapane and Vasily Podkolzin each found the back of the net. Mangiapane’s goal was especially notable-it was just his second since early November, and it came off a gritty rebound effort that put Edmonton up 2-0 midway through the first.
The Oilers built a 3-0 lead by the end of the opening frame and were up 4-0 after two. By the time Podkolzin added the fifth, the game was well in hand, and the crowd was in full celebration mode, serenading Nugent-Hopkins throughout the third period.
Ingram Seizes His Moment in Net
While the offense grabbed the headlines, Connor Ingram quietly delivered a statement of his own between the pipes. Making his first shutout as an Oiler, Ingram turned aside all 27 shots he faced, including eight in the third period when the game was all but over but the clean sheet was still on the line.
This wasn’t just a feel-good performance-it may have settled Edmonton’s backup goalie debate. Ingram has now allowed just two goals over his last three starts, and since being called up from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors in mid-December, he’s posted a 5-3-1 record with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.
The Oilers had until Sunday to send Ingram back to the AHL without exposing him to waivers, but that window has closed. And with Calvin Pickard seeing limited action-just one start since January 3-it’s clear the Oilers are leaning into Ingram’s hot hand. For now, they’re carrying three goalies, but Ingram’s play is making that decision easier by the day.
Secondary Scoring Steps Up in Draisaitl’s Absence
One of the biggest storylines from the weekend isn’t just who scored-it’s who else scored. For a team that’s often leaned heavily on its stars, the Oilers suddenly have some depth showing up on the scoresheet.
In Saturday’s 6-0 win over Vancouver, it was Jack Roslovic from the third line who netted two goals, including the game-winner. On Sunday, it was the fourth line’s turn, with Mangiapane breaking through and Podkolzin adding insurance.
Over the last two games, Edmonton has gotten eight goals from players outside of its usual core of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Hyman. That’s more than they had from those same supporting cast members in the previous 11 games combined (seven). It’s a small sample, but it’s a trend the Oilers would love to see continue.
Interestingly, this uptick in secondary production has coincided with Draisaitl’s absence, as he’s away from the team due to a family matter. His absence has forced the coaching staff to shuffle lines and spread out the offensive responsibility-and so far, it’s working.
What’s Next
It’s unclear if Draisaitl will be back in time for Edmonton’s next game, a Tuesday night home tilt against the New Jersey Devils. But with the way this team is rolling-two straight shutouts, balanced scoring, and a red-hot backup goalie making his case-the Oilers are trending in the right direction.
They’ll be chasing a franchise-record third straight shutout, and if they keep playing like this, they might just get it.