Anders Nilsson takes over in net as Stars test Oilers
DALLAS Two weeks have passed since Anders Nilsson last made his way to the Edmonton Oilers net for anything other than a practice session.
His last appearance in game was a pre-season contest.
But with the Oilers struggling to find the win column and head coach Todd McLellan reluctant to let too much rust accumulate, he turned Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Stars over to Nilsson, a mountain of a man with strong intentions.
“You want to prove yourself and prove that you can play in this league. Prove that you can help the team to win games,” the six-footfive, 229-pound Nilsson said after the morning skate at the American Airlines Center.
Dallas won the game 4-2 on Tuesday, with one of those goals coming at the end of the third period on an empty net. Nilsson made 48 saves on 52 shots and was named the game’s second star.
It was Nilsson’s first regular season game in the National Hockey League since April 13, 2014. Back then, he was with the New York Islanders and restricted to spot duty in between trips back and forth from the American Hockey League.
He made 36 saves in that win over the Buffalo Sabres but when faced with another season of shuttling back and forth between the NHL and AHL, he elected to spend last season in the Kontinental Hockey League.
“I feel good about our goaltending,” said coach Todd McLellan. “Anders played very well in the exhibition season and our team played very well around him.”
Nilsson, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in an off-season exchange for prospect Liam Coughlin, turned away all 53 shots he saw in 120 minutes of pre-season action. He was good enough to secure the roster spot behind Cam Talbot, pushing Ben Scrivens to the Bakersfield Condors.
“They were honest,” he said. “They said we have three goalies but we’re only going to have two spots when the season starts. I was only trying to control what I could and trying to play the best I could.
“You want to prove yourself and prove that you can play in this league and prove that you can help the team to win games.”
Nilsson registered a record of 209-8 and a 1.71 goals against average in the regular season with Ak Bars Kazan and was 13-7 with a 1.55 GAA in the post-season.
“I definitely feel like a better goalie now, compared to when I left North America,” he said. “I developed last year. I become a better goalie and also a better person. I was able to find a consistent level in my game and with that, I gained confidence, and with confidence you usually play better.”
Given how well Cam Talbot played in the Oilers’ first two games, Nilsson, 25, could have waited even longer to get back into the net.
The Oilers have their home opener against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, then a back-to-back road set against the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames Saturday and Sunday.
“That’s how it is. That’s part of the goalie game,” Nilsson said.
“I haven’t played a game for a few weeks so it’s always a little tough but I think every goalie is the same. You like to play games often and play games regularly. The only thing I can do is treat every practice like a game. If you can do that, it helps when you get into a real game.
“You never know when you’re going to get a chance (then) when you do, you want to try and make the most of it. I ( just) need to get into the rhythm again, feel the game, just get back into it.”