Player grades: Unsung Oiler is OT hero, Edmonton Oilers, 1, Vegas Golden Knights, 0
In total, the Grade A shots were XX for the Oilers, XX for VGK, with the subset of more dangerous 5-alarm shots XX for Edmonton, XX for the Knights (running count).
, 7. Largely contained, but always threatening. He charged back like a rocket on the back check to break up a 2-on-1 rush, a fantastic play. Almost scored in the last minutes of the third on a 2-on-1 snipe. He had two solid chances off the rush early. in OT. Contributions/mistakes on Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +5/-1; Special Teams +0/-0
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 7. Snapped a slot shot from inside home plate early on but hit post, not net. Chipped it up for McD's third period break-in shot. GAS: ES +4/-0; ST +0/-0.
Zach Hyman, 7. Worked his heart out, like he's done consistently in the playoffs. Came out like a drillbit slamming and shattering hardrock. Excellent backcheck with McD on Olofsson early on. Solid hit on McNab in the second. He set up Drai's early third period break in. GAS: ES +2/-0; ST +0/-1
Leon Draisaitl, 7. High event game. Beauty pass in OT. Some defensive miscues. A big ragged and lacking in danger on two early Oilers power plays. Where has his Executioner's Shot gone? He broke up a rush in the second, then rushed up ice to help on a Grade A shot. He broke in hard on a breakaway but could not beat Hill early in the third. A moment later he broke in again but failed to get it on net. GAS: ES +6/-3; ST +0/-0.
Vassily Podkolzin. 7. Set up Stecher for a dangerous Grade A in the second. Deked out by Theodore on a Grade A rush. Excellent stop-up and pass on winning goal. GAS: ES +5/-2; ST +0/-0.
Kasperi Kapanen, 8. Huge goal, just kept slamming away until it went in for three bonus points. He got off a Grade A shot to end a solid Oilers rush in the second. Out of position as Theodore moved in for a Grade A in the second. He won a battle to send in Drai early in the third. GAS: ES +5/-2; ST +0/-0.
Evander Kane, 5. He blasted through an attempted Shea Theadore check as if Theadore was a pee wee player, the first notable play of the game. Ripped a harpoon on net late in the first. But not much more on the attaxck. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.
Connor Brown, 6. Set up Kane's one-timer late in the first with a fast, eyes-up pass. Strong backtrack to break up a dangerous Vegas rush in the second. Got a Grade A off a Klingberg feed early in OT. GAS: ES +2/-1; ST +0/-0.
Adam Henrique, 5. Solid screen on Kane's one-timer almost led to a goal. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.
Trent Frederic, 5. He broke into the slot half-way through the game, but was quickly thwarted. GAS: ES +2/-0; ST +0/-0.
Corey Perry, 5. Won a battle harassing Hill to kick off Virtuous Cycle leading to two early Grade As by Janmark. GAS: ES +2/-1; ST +0/-0.
Mattias Janmark, 5. Almost cashed in on two tight jam shots early on. Allowed a dangerous pass into the slot late in the second but VGK hit the post. GAS: ES +2/-1; ST +0/-0.
Evan Bouchard. 7. Handled a bouncing puck to get a shot at net which Janmark almost slammed in early on. Send in Drai on a break but Drai missed the net. GAS: ES +3/-1; ST +0/-0.
Brett Kulak, 6. Solid defence. His bad line change after a successful PK led to dangerous VGK moment on the attack. Won the battle to end off McD's late third period charge. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-0.
Jake Walman, 6. Got it done in the two-way game. Deked out by Eichel in the slot early in the third but VGK failed to convert. GAS: ES +4/-2; ST +0/-0.
John Klingberg, 6. Plenty of solid passing but deked out in the slot leading to a Dorofeyev 5-alarmer in the second. GAS: ES +2/-1; ST +0/-0.
Troy Stecher, 6. Moved the puck fast and smart. His turnover kicked off a dangerous VGK rush early in the second. Almost slammed home a slotter on the rush in the second. Lost a battle and his skates as Karlsson was set up for 5-alarmer late in second. GAS: ES +1/-2; ST +0/-0.
Darnell Nurse, 7. He went for a big hit early in the second but let in Oloffson free for a wicked Grade A. He made a great defensive sprawl early in third on the PK to crucially delay an Eichel slot pass. Huge slot shot block on Dorofeyev in OT. Got the puck at net on Kapanen's OT goal. GAS: ES +4/-2; ST +0/-1.
Stuart Skinner, 9. First big challenge early in the second when he stood up tall to Olofsson's screamer. Huge on Dorofeyev's 5-alarm slotter later that period. Assisted by post on Karlsson's second period slotter on a low-high pass. He gave his team a chance to win in the third with great saves on Eichel, McNabb and others,
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