Déjà Vu for the Oilers: St. Louis Strikes Again
It feels like a case of déjà vu for the Edmonton Oilers. Once again, they found themselves in St.
Louis with a 2-0 lead, only to see it slip away in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Blues. Let’s break down how it all unfolded.
The game remained scoreless for the first 35 minutes until the Oilers finally broke through late in the second period. Kasperi Kapanen initiated the play, dropping the puck to Leon Draisaitl at the point.
Draisaitl, always the playmaker, maneuvered down low and delivered a stunning backhand pass to Kapanen, who was waiting in the slot. Kapanen made no mistake, firing it past Joel Hofer to give the Oilers the lead.
Midway through the third, the Oilers doubled their advantage. It started with Connor Ingram’s clearance, which found Matt Savoie.
The rookie quickly dished it to Connor McDavid, who weaved through the Blues’ defense and slotted it home with ease. Classic McDavid magic.
But the Blues weren’t done. With under eight minutes left, Jonatan Berggren orchestrated a clever play from behind the net, fooling everyone with a fake wraparound before setting up Pius Suter, who was left alone in front to score.
The Blues continued their comeback. Oskar Sundqvist won a crucial faceoff in the offensive zone, and Cam Fowler capitalized, blasting a shot past Ingram to tie the game with just three minutes remaining.
In overtime, the Blues dominated possession and eventually found the winner through Robert Thomas, who sent a shot off the post and in, sealing the 3-2 victory.
Takeaways from the Ice
The Oilers had previously experienced a similar heartbreak against the Blues back in November, blowing a 2-0 lead in regulation. This time, it was a late overtime dagger that did them in.
Despite the loss, Connor Ingram’s performance in goal was a step up from recent outings. He stopped 22 of 25 shots, and while his save percentage might not jump off the page, the goals he conceded were the result of well-executed plays and pinpoint shots.
Matt Savoie continues to impress, adding another assist to his tally. With a goal and eight points in his last nine games, there’s growing anticipation about his potential pairing with McDavid.
The Oilers’ fourth line, featuring Trent Frederic, Max Jones, and Adam Henrique, was a bright spot, outshooting the Blues 7-0 and dominating the expected goal share.
A 2-1-1 record on this road trip isn’t shabby, especially against stiff Central Division competition and the Vegas Golden Knights. However, letting this game slip away stings. The Oilers now sit at 32-26-9 for the season, trailing the Anaheim Ducks by two points in the division, though they’ve played two more games.
Next up, the Oilers host the Nashville Predators on Sunday at 6 p.m. MT, kicking off a four-game homestand. It’s time for the Oilers to find their groove and start stacking up some wins.