Penguins Blitz Oilers Early in 6-2 Rout: Edmonton’s Home Stand Takes a Hit
Well, that escalated quickly.
The Edmonton Oilers were back at Rogers Place on Thursday night for the third game of their eight-game home stand, but this one got away from them before most fans had settled into their seats. The visiting Pittsburgh Penguins came out flying and buried the Oilers early, cruising to a 6-2 win in a game that was essentially over before the first TV timeout.
Let’s break down how it all unfolded-and why it unraveled so fast for the Oilers.
A Nightmare Start: Penguins Strike Three Times in 37 Seconds
This one turned ugly in a hurry. Just 1:20 into the game, Anthony Mantha snuck behind the Oilers’ defense and tapped in a backdoor feed to open the scoring.
Edmonton barely had time to process the goal before Mantha struck again-this time on a breakaway just 15 seconds later. Two goals in 22 seconds.
Then, before the clock hit the three-minute mark, Sidney Crosby got in on the action. A point shot from the Penguins found Crosby’s stick in the high slot, and he redirected it past Tristan Jarry for Pittsburgh’s third goal in just 37 seconds-a new franchise record for the Oilers for fastest three goals allowed.
It was a stunning blitz, and the Oilers never really recovered.
Walman’s Shorty Offers Brief Spark
Edmonton showed a flicker of life midway through the second period. Killing off a penalty, the Oilers turned a defensive stand into offense with a sharp counterattack.
Jake Walman trailed the rush and ripped home a perfectly placed shot from the slot for his second shorthanded goal of the season. That cut the deficit to 3-1 and gave the home crowd something to cheer about-if only for a moment.
Penguins Slam the Door Shut
Any momentum the Oilers hoped to build was quickly erased. Rickard Rakell restored the Penguins’ three-goal cushion with just under eight minutes left in the second period. Less than two minutes later, Evgeni Malkin broke free for a breakaway and made it 5-1.
The third period didn’t bring much relief, either. Egor Chinakhov added a sixth Penguins goal, beating Jarry over the shoulder with a clean snipe. Edmonton’s Matthew Savoie answered with a late tally, wiring a shot past Artūrs Šilovs to make it 6-2, but by that point, the damage had long been done.
Takeaways: A Few Bright Spots Amid the Blowout
There’s no sugarcoating a loss like this, but if you’re looking for silver linings, a few players did show flashes.
Matt Savoie continues to trend upward. His late goal gives him two goals and an assist over his last four games. He was also on the ice for Jake Walman’s shorthanded marker, showing he’s earning trust in key situations.
Jake Walman, meanwhile, is proving to be a valuable piece on both ends of the ice. Thursday’s shorthanded goal was his second of the year-the first came back in November against Columbus. The Oilers look more composed with him in the lineup; the key now is keeping him healthy and available.
Leon Draisaitl made a surprise return after a three-game personal absence. He logged 19:17 of ice time and finished a -1. Most of his five-on-five minutes came alongside Andrew Mangiapane and Vasily Podkolzin, and while they didn’t find the scoresheet, the trio posted a dominant 96.95% expected goals share in their limited time together, per Natural Stat Trick.
Another trio that quietly had a solid outing: Isaac Howard, Jack Roslovic, and Savoie. They combined for a 54.4% expected goals share in just over seven minutes of ice time and were responsible for the Oilers’ lone even-strength goal.
The fourth line-Curtis Lazar, Trent Frederic, and Mattias Janmark-also held their own. They outshot the Penguins 2-0 and posted a 75.7% expected goals share. Janmark picked up a shorthanded assist, his seventh of the season.
Defensive Struggles and Goalie Woes
While there were a few individual positives, the Oilers’ defensive group had a rough night. Every defenseman except Darnell Nurse finished in the minus.
Evan Bouchard was a -3, and Mattias Ekholm a -2, though both picked up assists on Savoie’s goal. Walman, of course, had the shorthanded goal.
The defensive breakdowns didn’t do Tristan Jarry any favors in his start against his former team. Jarry gave up six goals on just 22 shots, finishing with a .727 save percentage.
Since arriving in Edmonton, he’s only posted a save percentage above .900 once-his shutout of the Canucks on Saturday. Given recent form, there’s a strong case that Connor Ingram should’ve gotten the nod in this one.
Looking Ahead
The Oilers will try to put this one behind them as they continue their home stand on Saturday against the Washington Capitals. After a game like this, it’s less about revenge and more about response. The Penguins exposed some cracks-now it’s on Edmonton to patch them up and come back stronger.
Puck drops at 8:00 PM MT.