Oilers gain much-needed win with playoff-style game plan

There was no sweeter sound for Edmontonians than the final buzzer on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

A: It meant the Edmonton Oilers had hung on for their first win in three games.

B: It also meant that ugly dog of a hockey game was finally over.

Other than a brief burp of life late in the third period when the Leafs had to start gambling, the much-anticipated showdown between Connor Mcdavid and the Oilers versus Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs was 60 minutes only a coach could love.

Despite it being two teams loaded with high-octane talent and offensive star power, the end result was a grinding snoozer of a chess match that saw the Oilers register just 11 shots over the first 40 minutes of a 3-1 win.

But it was a thing of beauty as far as the Oilers are concerned.

“Sometimes the boring games are the most solid,” said Leon Draisaitl, whose first goal of the season midway through the third period stood up as the winner.

“We're frustrated with the way we started the season, so it's a big win. That's a really good team over there, very skilled, very dangerous. Giving up just one goal against a team like that is always a success.”

It did check a lot of the boxes. A win. The power play got one. The Oilers locked it down defensively. They upped their battle level. And Mikko Koskinen was very good in the Edmonton net, allowing just one goal, albeit the worst goal ever.

“Pretty solid, pretty solid all the way through the game,” said head coach Dave Tippett. “Both teams checked well, both teams were playing really tight hockey.

Hard, with not much space out there.

“You're going to get a lot of games like that this year. Every game is such a meaningful game in a short schedule, you're more apt to get more games like this than high-scoring games.”

It certainly lightens the mood in the room. The Oilers had only lost two in a row, but in Edmonton, that can sometimes feel like the sky is falling. This eases some of that.

“It's a huge win and a huge confidence boost for our team,” said winger Kailer Yamamoto.

With the three losses in their first four games and the walls closing in around them, the Oilers needed something to go right early, and it did. Midway through the first period, Dominik Kahun and Yamamoto created just enough chaos around the Toronto crease to make Jimmy Vesey bank one into his own net and it was 1-0 Edmonton.

That was it for offence for the next 36 minutes as the Oilers played a little ground and pound and waited for the opportunities to come to them.

“I think we just stuck to our game plan, getting pucks in, getting on the forecheck and just kind of wearing them down,” said Yamamoto. “I thought we played a really good road game that worked in our favour.”

Koskinen didn't have to be spectacular in his 25-save win, but that's the whole point. It's amazing how good a goalie's numbers can look when the team in front of him is committed to not giving up any five-star chances.

The only goal he did give up could have been a back breaker, whiffing on a sharp angle muffin to Auston Matthews to tie the game at 6:44 of the third period.

That could have been a turning point, but cue the Oilers power play. Draisaitl's first of the season at 9:12 restored the lead.

Josh Archibald sealed it with an empty netter to improve the Oilers to 2-3-0.

The teams are right back at it in the rematch Friday.