The Oilers kept rolling Thursday night, edging the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 in their third pre-season game and improving to 3-0-0. If you count the 6-1 win over the Calgary Flames’ prospects in the NextGen game earlier this month, they’re 4-0-0 in exhibition play.
The opening goal came four minutes into the first period when Vancouver won a defensive-zone faceoff but couldn’t clear the puck. Tomáš Cibulka kept it in at the blue line, the puck slid to Isaac Howard in the faceoff circle, and he buried it to put Edmonton up 1-0.
Howard stayed in the middle of things early in the second period, too. Roughly five minutes in, he knocked a puck down near the Canucks’ blue line, won a battle, and moved it to Viljami Marjala for a quick chance up ice. Marjala tried to make the extra pass, the puck deflected off a Vancouver skate, and Quinn Hutson was first to it for the tap-in.
The Canucks answered less than two minutes later on the power play. Linus Karlsson finished a play from down low and beat Tristan Jarry for Vancouver’s only goal.
Howard’s night stood out after two quieter outings to start the pre-season. He flashed the shot that made him dangerous on the first goal, then helped create the second by winning the puck along the boards.
Hutson picked up his first goal of the pre-season, while Marjala added an assist and continued a strong camp. He’s been putting together one solid showing after another since the NextGen game.
Vancouver controlled more of the play overall, which made sense with an NHL roster against an American League lineup. Even so, Edmonton got a big night from Jarry, who stopped 25 of 26 shots for a .962 save percentage.
On the blue line, Tomáš Cibulka finished as Edmonton’s best defender with a plus-2 in 17 minutes. Damien Carfagna also had a good night, logging 25:25 and finishing plus-1 despite a minor penalty. Ty Emberson and Spencer Stastney handled the heaviest workload among the defense pairs, each skating more than 25:30.
The Oilers close out the pre-season Saturday at 7 p.m. MT against the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Then the games start to count, with Edmonton opening the real season against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday at 8 p.m. MT.
In Other News...
Messiers Oilers Blast Just Raised A Bigger Leadership Question
Mark Messiers latest remarks landed with the kind of force only an Oilers legend can deliver, especially when the discussion turns to how the organization has handled its coaching search. His criticism was aimed squarely at Edmontons decision to hire Mike Babcock, a move that continues to stir debate because of the way it was made and the people who were apparently involved along the way.
What makes the reaction sting a little more is the leadership angle tucked inside it. Messier did not just take issue with the hire itself, he also raised questions about the role the Oilers leadership group played in the process, arguing that players should not have that kind of influence. For a team that has spent years trying to define its internal hierarchy, it is the sort of challenge that invites a much bigger conversation about who is really steering the room. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Face A Kirill Marchenko Decision They Can't Let Drag Out
The winger market is already getting attention around the league, and Kirill Marchenko is suddenly part of that conversation as Columbus weighs what comes next. The pending restricted free agent is drawing interest from three Canadian clubs, including the Oilers, according to Sportsnet insider Nick Kypreos, which is the kind of development that tends to ripple quickly once teams start checking on availability.
Marchenko is entering the final year of his extension, and the Blue Jackets do have the flexibility to move him if they can line up the right return. For Edmonton, it is another reminder that the search for scoring help can lead to names with real bite, even if the asking price and the timing of any deal are still very much in flux. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Could Take A Risk That Changes Their Middle Six
Shane Wrights name is back in the rumor mill after a promising first full NHL season gave way to a dip in production, and the former fourth overall pick is suddenly looking like a player who could be available at the right price. For Edmonton, that creates an intriguing kind of opportunity, the sort that comes with some risk but also the chance to reshape a middle-six group that can use more upside and long-term value.
Any move would likely mean sending prospects and draft picks back the other way, which is no small thing for a team trying to stay competitive now while keeping an eye on what comes next. But Wrights pedigree alone makes him the kind of swing worth discussing, especially for a club that could benefit if a change of scenery helps him rediscover the form that once made him such a coveted prospect. [Read more 🡒]