The Edmonton Oilers made their homecoming a memorable one as they faced off against the St. Louis Blues at Rogers Place on Wednesday night. This matchup marked the end of their regular-season series, with the Oilers having already secured two victories the hard way — one in regulation and another in overtime.
Both squads headed into the contest tied at 93 points, with a golden opportunity to clinch playoff berths hanging in the balance. The Oilers were in a tight race themselves, holding firmly onto third place in the Pacific Division, just a few steps behind the Los Angeles Kings. With a recent performance of 5-4-1, avoiding a third consecutive loss was high on their agenda.
Meanwhile, the Blues were flying high, positioned snugly atop the wild card standings in the Central Division. Their impressive 9-1-0 run in the last 10 games — only recently halted by the Winnipeg Jets — had everyone talking.
In a game filled with drama, the Oilers edged out a 4-3 victory. Let’s dive into how it all unfolded.
Game Recap
The opening minutes of the game were a display of defensive prowess, both teams playing it close to the chest. Things ignited quickly, though, when a skirmish broke out in front of the Blues’ net.
Corey Perry and Blues goalie Jordan Binnington exchanged some heated blows, enticing Perry and Jake Neighbours to drop gloves in a quick bout. After the dust settled, the Oilers found themselves on the power play, but in a twist of fate, Ryan Suter capitalized on a shorthanded opportunity, giving the Blues a 1-0 lead.
Edmonton’s frustration boiled over as Jeff Skinner landed a 10-minute misconduct for voicing his opinion on a missed call.
The period continued with bursts of chirping, but the tension eventually simmered down. The only blip came with Connor McDavid’s hooking penalty late in the period. The Blues, however, couldn’t leverage this, and the frame ended with them leading 1-0, outshooting Edmonton 8-5.
The second period breathed new life into the Oilers’ offense. Just 1:30 in, Connor Brown took advantage of some sloppy Blues defensive play to even the score.
The next stretch was a goalie clinic, each stopping quality chances with poise. Midway through, Darnell Nurse set up a rebound for Vasily Podkolzin, who pushed the Oilers ahead.
As the buzzer sounded, the Oilers led 2-1 despite being outshot 16-12.
The third period opened with a bang as Jordan Kyrou swiftly equalized mere seconds in, sneaking one past Calvin Pickard. Not to be outdone, Viktor Arvidsson responded quickly for Edmonton, seizing on a delayed penalty for the go-ahead goal.
The game oscillated as Pavel Buchnevich tapped one in to keep the Blues alive, locking the score at 3 apiece. Jeff Skinner nearly sealed it with a dazzling one-on-one chance, only to send his shot through the crease.
The final minutes were electric. Nathan Walker’s trip handed the Oilers a power play late, yet McDavid’s quick hold nullified it, setting up a four-on-four showdown.
As the penalties expired, and with just seconds on the clock, Brown sealed a thrilling victory with his second goal of the night, courtesy of McDavid’s no-look assist. The Blues scrambled for one last push, but Edmonton’s 4-3 win was securely in the bag, despite being outshot by St.
Louis 26-23.
In a game packed with standout performances, McDavid returned from injury with three pivotal assists, including his crucial feed on Brown's winner. Brown shone with two goals, Nurse contributed two assists, and the Blues weren’t without their stars — Buchnevich and Kyrou both making it a night to remember.
Edmonton now sets its sights on their upcoming clash against the struggling San Jose Sharks at Rogers Place this Friday, April 11, with puck drop scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MDT. This game promises to be another exciting chapter in the Oilers' quest for playoff glory.
