The Edmonton Oilers smoked the Seattle Kraken 9-4 on Thursday night, moving to 12-11-5 on the season. Those 29 points have them tied for the final Western Conference Wild Card spot and four points out of first place in the Pacific Division. Oilers captain Connor McDavid spoke about the 13th hat trick of his career after the game.
“I thought I passed a couple away the other night and it ultimately cost us, losing a 1-0 game,” McDavid said, per NHL.com's Gerry Moddejonge. “Who knows if I score on one of those. I definitely thought about shooting a little bit more.” The game McDavid is referring to is Tuesday's 1-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild.
The Oilers got off to a brutal start to the season, with a 6-6-4 record after a 9-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in November. Since then, they have steadied the ship and gotten back into playoff contention. McDavid said it was good to see the offense explode on Thursday.
“It feels good to get a couple as a group, and hopefully guys are feeling good about themselves and can build on it,” McDavid said. “I feel like we’re playing better. It’s nice to score some goals and feel good about ourselves.”
Despite the Oilers making the last two Stanley Cup Finals, there are a lot of questions about the team. Goaltending has been an issue, but Calvin Pickard held his own against Seattle. Edmonton could still make a goaltending trade this season, but the offense stopped that conversation as the homestand continues.
The Oilers have three more games on their homestand, continuing with a Saturday night duel with the Winnipeg Jets. With Connor Hellebuyck still on the shelf, the offensive momentum could continue in that marquee spot. They'll finish the stretch with the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings. Can McDavid keep up his hot streak?
