'We know it's gonna improve': Igniting power play key to Oilers' climb

Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid, from left to right, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins celebrate Draisaitl's goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Saturday, November 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press)

The Edmonton Oilers may have found the break they were looking for. 

After struggling through the first month of the NHL season, the Oilers trounced the Vancouver Canucks 7-3 on Saturday. 

“It was a step in the right direction, for sure," captain Connor McDavid said of the victory. "Not an easy building to win in, a team that obviously we've got lots of history with and this is a great win. Hopefully it's something that we can build on.”

Edmonton's special teams have struggled early in the campaign, but the team's power play capitalized in Vancouver. 

With Canucks defenceman Filip Hronek in the box for holding, Oilers winger Zach Hyman tried to swipe a backhanded shot in past goalie Kevin Lankinen from the top of the crease. The netminder made the stop, but the rebound popped out to McDavid at the side of the net and he tucked it in for his fourth goal of the season. 

It was a defining moment in the game, said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. 

“Glen (Gulutzan) and I were talking on the bench about 'This is the time we need a goal. If we can score here we feel the game is sealed.' And they came out and executed right away with that goal," he said.

Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring early in the first period moments after Canucks captain Quinn Hughes stepped out of the penalty box, too. 

The power-play unit didn't get credit for the tally, but it was "pretty much a power-play goal," McDavid said. 

"That's what we want to do. We want to contribute to games, contribute to wins," he said. "We've done that for years and years, and I would expect that it'll get going.”

Powerless play

The Oilers came into Saturday's game with their power play operating at 14.3 per cent and ranked 26th in the league. 

That's well below the previous two seasons when Edmonton has boasted the NHL's most-potent man advantage, clicking at 29.5 per cent. 

Special teams were key on the Oilers' run to the Stanley Cup final last spring, Knoblauch said, and they'll be key to the team climbing the standings after starting this season 2-4-1. 

"Right now, for us to find that identity and start playing really well, that's gonna be a big part of it," the coach said after Saturday's morning skate. "And we know it's gonna improve. It's just, a little bit of luck, a little bit of execution, a little bit more focused. But that's a big part of us turning it around." 

The win over Vancouver improved Edmonton's record to 7-7-1. 

That's not indicative of what kind of team the Oilers believe they are, said centre Mattias Janmark. 

“We're right around .500. We don't think we're a .500 team, so we've got to show it to everyone and show it to ourselves that we're not and that goes by winning some games," he said. 

"So the urgency for sure has got to be there, but I do think we're not far off, so there's no need to panic or start cheating. We just got to build it the right way and that starts with the defensive side and then the offence will come."

Building a successful team doesn't come easily, added the veteran forward. 

"We're going to have to put in the work next game, too, and that's the good part about it, not getting it for free, and having to do it the right way," Janmark said.

"I don't think we've been too far off, but we've been slacking in areas, the most important ones. And today was a step in the right direction.”

Regional rivals

After ousting the Canucks from last season's playoffs in a gritty seven-game second-round series, the Oilers feel a rivalry building with their West Coast compatriots. 

“For sure, there's a rivalry building, for sure," Janmark said. "You can feel that. And winning here is obviously a nice thing. It's always nice.”

Jerseys from both sides filled the stands at Rogers Arena on Saturday and competing chants routinely rang out through the rink. 

Milestone watch

McDavid contributed a goal and two assists on Saturday, bringing his career total to 995 points over 657 games. He's set to become the 99th player in NHL history to hit the 1,000-point mark and will likely be the fourth-fastest player to do so, trailing only Wayne Gretzky (424 games), Mario Lemieux (513) and Mike Bossy (656). 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 10, 2024.