Oilers look good without Mcdavid

The Vegas Golden Knights were missing five guys. The Edmonton Oilers were missing Connor Mcdavid.

So, let’s call it even. And it was no Connor, no problem as Edmonton rolled over another Western Conference power team Wednesday night at Rogers Place.

In what they’re calling one of their best all-around games of the season, the Oilers scored five times without their captain in the lineup and held the desperate visitors to 18 shots in a 5-1 no doubt victory at Rogers Place.

“That was a solid, complete game for us,” said winger Corey Perry. “I thought tonight, playing a really good hockey team, we put all 60 minutes together and you can see what kind of team we are when we do that.”

The Oilers improved to 6-1-1 in their last eight games and 15-4-3 in their last 22. In other words, things are looking pretty good, other than the fact Mcdavid is dealing with some sort of leg injury.

Actually, playing without Mcdavid is a helpful exercise for the rest of the Oilers, an opportunity to expand their roles and showcase their depth.

“When you’re missing the best player in the world you don’t try to replace him,” said

Oilers winger Zach Hyman, whose scored his 53rd goal of the season.

This stretch of games — Dallas, Denver, then Calgary in the second of back-to-back games followed by Vegas — was billed as a four-game dry run for the playoffs. And while it started with a horrendous 5-0 loss to the Stars, the Oilers have been lights out ever since, beating the Avalanche, Flames and Knights by scores of 6-2, 4-2 and 5-1.