VANCOUVER — So, you’re saying there’s a chance?
The Edmonton Oilers accomplished something that no objective observer dreamed they would do when this 2016-17 season began, notching their 101st points and clinching second place in the Pacific Division with a methodical, efficient 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks Saturday night at Rogers Arena.
Now, with some luck, they’ll try for first place — and a Battle of Alberta in Round 1 — tonight.
The Oilers need to beat Vancouver Sunday night at Rogers Place, and have the Los Angeles Kings defeat the Anaheim Ducks in regulation at The Pond. The fact that first place is still a possibility after 81 games is a testament to the long-awaited progress made in Edmonton, a team about to play a playoff game for the first time since 2006.
“This is a 100-point team in here. There weren’t a lot of people who predicted that coming into the year,” declared centre Mark Letestu, who scored his 16th of the year (11th on the powerplay). “But as we win, as we continued to reach these different levels, new possibilities (arise). Now we’re talking about first place. A lot of things are going well for us.”
Ya think?
The Oilers passed the 100-point mark for the first time since 1986-87, a season that ended in a parade down Jasper Ave. in Edmonton. They also ran their record against Western Conference teams to 32-11-6 — tops in the conference.
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Connor McDavid had an assist to run his points total to 98 and consecutive point streak to a league-best 13 games, missing his 99th when Patrick Maroon hit a post with Canucks goalie Ryan Miller pulled late in the third period.
“More important the team gets 100 points than an individual,” McDavid said after the game.
He is completely disinterested in talking about the Art Ross Trophy that will be his as of Monday, but McDavid has also proven to be the kind of player that won’t disappoint Oilers fans hoping to see a two-point night Sunday in Edmonton. He’ll do his talking on the ice, likely against Vancouver backup Richard Bachman.
“Hundred points? It’s not weighing on my mind,” said McDavid.
The Canucks, meanwhile just don’t have the firepower. They’ve scored one or less goals 29 times this season, and needed a goal at 19:20 of the third (with the goalie pulled) to make this one close.
They tested Cam Talbot, but as so often happens at Rogers Place the visitors just outlasted Vancouver, a team clinging to 29th place in the NHL.
“For me it’s disappointing,” said head coach Willie Desjardins, who will likely coach his last game behind the Canucks bench Sunday in Edmonton, with the axe hovering. “When I look at where the year’s at, and where I expected at the start of the year, I didn’t expect to be in this spot again at this time of the year.”
Then Letestu scored the 2-1 goal, and after some great work by Milan Lucic, Iiro Pakarinen made it 3-1 halfway through the third. The Oilers simply put the squeeze on Vancouver.
They knew they’d win, it was just a matter of how.
“We’ve found ways to win differently,” said defenceman Kris Russell, a soft spoken but important cog in the Oilers’ improvement. “We’ve got firepower up front — sometimes we get goals early and often. But the longer we go, the tighter it’s going to get. We’re going to have to win all kinds of ways.”
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Ironically, Letestu’s goal was reminiscent of Henrik to Daniel Sedin, a nice redirection of a hard McDavid pass in the high slot.
“This team we played tonight kind of pioneered that, the way they make that tip in the high slot,” Letestu said. “You don’t get many like that, but that’s kind of the way the year has gone for me.”
He’s gained a goal, but lost half a tooth on an errant stick from Reid Boucher.
“I’ll always trade teeth for goals,” he quipped.
