It’s an old hockey axiom you don’t often hear anymore: Bad goaltending, good game.
On Saturday, shady goaltending turned a 5-1 game into a thrilling, 7-5 finish. Don’t look now, but with 55 games left in the 2017-18 season the Oilers pulled to within five points of Calgary after Edmonton won its sixth straight game in the Battle of Alberta.
Truly, the 6-1 lead Edmonton had was more indicative of this game than the final score, as Oilers goalie Laurent Brossoit imploded in the third period to keep Calgary in the game. But the Oilers were the better team in this one, and they just might be turning a corner — finally — in what has been a brutal start to the season.
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Here are some takeaways from a game played in 2017 with a final score from about 1987:
• Brossoit’s last four starts: a 2-1 shootout loss at Washington; two goals against at Buffalo; five goals against versus Toronto; and a good night turned dreadful Saturday night in Calgary.
With Cam Talbot (upper body) out for at least another 10 days or so, and the Oilers not up again until Philadelphia comes to Rogers Place on Wednesday, we’ll bet Brossoit gets another start versus the Flyers, with a very short leash. Remember, backup Nick Ellis hasn’t played an NHL minute.
What of Brossoit though? He was good into the third period, holding a 6-1 lead. And then he absolutely imploded.
An awful goal to Sam Bennett from well below the circle. Then another to Johnny Gaudreau — maybe worse. Almost cost the Oilers a game they once led 6-1.
Edmonton appears ready to turn a corner. They won’t turn anything with goaltending like that however. GM Peter Chiarelli is shopping, no doubt.
There could be a new man between the pipes come Wednesday, because at this point there isn’t a man inside this organization who has faith that Brossoit is ready to carry a team.
• Jesse Puljujarvi entered the game with three NHL goals, and very nearly doubled that total in the opening 20 minutes. He closed the game with two goals, and couple of Grade A chances missed.
The 19-year-old Finn, we’ll have to say, is starting to very much resemble an NHL player. He skates well, and is figuring out that he’s as big or bigger than most NHL defencemen. He can barge into the blue paint and stay there a while against a lot of pairings, as he learns that every goal doesn’t have to be a 30-foot snipe show.
With Kailer Yamamoto at WHL Spokane, and Puljujarvi still just 19, the Oilers look strong on the right side. If Puljujarvi can find chemistry there with McDavid, it will allow head coach Todd McLellan to keep Leon Draisaitl at centre ice on his own line for the foreseeable future.
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• This is how hockey works: Two night ago Toronto talked about how great their power play was, scoring two goals on two shots, needing only 1:28 to go 2-for-2 on the man-advantage vs. Edmonton. The Oilers, meanwhile, bemoaned their own brutal PK, which is the worst in the NHL.
Fast forward to Saturday, when the Flames blew an early four-minute power play in a scoreless game, and would go on to convert just one of six power play chances. The Flames would tell you that special teams cost them a hockey game Saturday, while the Oilers will take five kills in the same game, something that is rare as an Eric Gryba hat trick this season.
