“It stings now," said Jesper Bratt. "Tomorrow we’re probably going to look at this road trip as really successful but right now it stings. We’re doing some good things and playing against a high offensively skilled team. We were shutting it down for the most part.”
Devils head coach Lindy Ruff added that he felt that the team did play well in this game but were definitely fatigued after a game late Thursday night in Seattle, travel plus time zone to Calgary then games Saturday and Sunday to wrap the trip.
“Schedule got us a little bit. We didn’t have quite the energy," noted Ruff. "We missed the net a few times. Didn’t funnel pucks when we had the opportunities. Some of our execution. One of the biggest differences in the game is our power play could have really helped us out.”
He did add that he felt as a whole, the road trip was a success.
“You go three out of four, you’ve got to be happy. It’s hard to win on the road. Hard to win in Vancouver. Played a tough game in Calgary. I think the back-to-back took some energy out of us. I thought we played a smart game tonight. A real smart first period. We walk in with a two-on-one in the first that we didn’t finish. Part of the execution that I’ve been talking about.”
The Oilers looked to have scored the first goal of the game. Akira Schmid was behind the net to play the puck but pressure forced a turnover. Schmid raced to get back in the net and a weird bounce saw the puck find its way into the net off the stick of Connor Brown. However, Devils challenged the play and won. It was ruled that Evander Kane was in the crease and contacting Schmid moments before the puck crossed the line.
Nico Hischier was called for slashing Kane 8:25 into the first period as the Oilers forward was breaking in on the Devils goal. The penalty was killed off with the best chance being a Leon Draisaitl one-timer that Schmid slid across to deny.
Jack Hughes was tripped up at the blueline with 9:23 to go in the first by Darnell Nurse, giving the Devils their first man advantage of the game. They had two shots but could not convert. Devils power play came up short again later in the period on a puck-over-glass play.
Oilers struck for the game’s first goal with 1:24 to go in the first. Sam Gagner’s backhand pass to Derek Ryan at the bottom of the right circle was one-timed short side past Schmid.
Shots on goal after one period were 8-7 for the Oilers.
Devils took a penalty early in the second when Jonas Siegenthaler was called for interference but were able to kill it off despite allowing four shots during the Oilers man advantage.
Oilers looked to have scored midway through the second as the puck hit the post behind Schmid then trickled over the line during a mad scramble but it was ruled no goal with Schmid being pushed by Zack Hyman over the line.
Lazar was called for tripping in the offensive zone with six minutes to go in the middle frame. Nineteen seconds into the power play, Eric Bouchard teed up a one-timer blast from the right point past a screened Schmid to double the Oilers lead to 2-0.
That goal, and the Oilers' power play versus the Devils' power play on the day was a big difference in the contest noted Ruff.
“They took advantage of their (power play) but we didn’t with ours. They set some tone and momentum and for ours I think we took some energy out of our team.”
Bratt agreed with his coach.
“Their power play was better than ours. We didn’t take advantage on ours. They had some good plays and got the puck in the net.”
After two, shots on goal were 19-12 for Edmonton.
Oilers made it 3-0 early in the third. Schmid got caught behind the net trying to play the puck and Hyman forced it out front where McDavid was all alone to put it into an open net.
Schmid felt back for his blunder.
“We did a lot of things good. Just too many mistakes by me,” he said. “It was kind of a slow rolling puck at the end there. I was trying to play it over but then got stuck. There was two guys on me so I was trying to block it and it resulted in the goal.”
Ruff made sure to point out that Schmid, while he did make his mistakes, he also made some tough stops in the contest.
“He made some good saves," Ruff stated. "The play behind the net, that short side from behind the net that snuck in probably a couple that he wants back but made a huge save on Draisiatl in the first period.”
Devils got that goal back 30 seconds later. Jesper Bratt quickly converted a cross-ice pass from Nico Hischier at the left circle past an outstretched Calvin Pickard.
“Just an entry. Good neutral zone turnaround," said Bratt of his goal. "We were driving in and good play from Nico.”
Midway through the third period, shots on goal were 10-4 for the Devils as they put on a push to try and get back in the game.
Coach Ruff pulled Schmid with four minutes to play but not long after, the Oilers' Evander Kane scored to make it a 4-1 contest.
Final shot count was 30-27 for the Oilers.
