The Edmonton Oilers were back home for their third game of the season, against a mighty Western Canadian opponent as they play host to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. For Edmonton, it was the first time this year the game was not decided in a shootout. For the Oilers it was the first time the team left without a point, but it was the second time that Oilers’ fans left Rexall Place happy and ecstatic about their new talent on forward. 16:37 of the second period marked the fourth time the 2011 1st overall NHL Entry Draft Pick, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, scored a goal at Rexall Place in just his third NHL game. He completed the hat trick in a mad scramble in front of Roberto Luongo, as the entire building shook around him.
"I definitely didn't expect to have that kind of a start. I just want to keep it going," said Nugent-Hopkins, who netted first career hat-trick in his hat trick’s worth of games played in the National Hockey League.
Nugent-Hopkins’ first goal came at 13:44 of the first period on the powerplay. Taylor Hall fed a pass deep to Jordan Eberle on the short-side, who then fed Nugent-Hopkins shot that barely powered through Luongo as the 18 year-old batted at the puck for his second NHL goal. His tally had tied the game at 1-1, as the kids finally came through. The trio of first rounders’ would wreak havoc on Vancouver’s netiminder throughout the game.
His second tally also came in the opening period with just 29 seconds remaining. Jordan Eberle once again assisted on the goal, as he passed to point-man Tom Gilbert, who fired the puck for a touch-pass to Nugent-Hopkins who redirected the puck past an obviously frustrated Luongo for the 2-1 lead.
His third came in the second to give the oilers the lead at 16:37 during a mad scramble in front of Luongo when he received a pass from Potter, and dug to the net and passing to Taylor Hall deep on the short-side. Hall buried the puck into the pads of Luongo, as Nugent-Hopkins stayed alive on the play and rushed in for the rebound shot. Jubilance filled the hearts of Oilers fans to see hats trickled down onto the ice surface for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Youth continues in excellence in the form of some very high draft picks and downright hard working individuals in Edmonton, Alberta. 2010 1st overall pick Taylor Hall registered two assists and four shots through the game. 2009 22nd overall selection Jordan Eberle kept things rolling as well, as he picked up two assists of his own, matching Hall with four shots. The trio of first rounder’s led forwards in powerplay time in the contest, and quite effectively in points as the three combined for seven points in the game.
But unfortunately for the sellout crowd of 16,839 the youngster’s contributions were short of attaining victory on this night. Veteran players of the Vancouver Canucks took the young players back to school in a lesson that experienced and wise veterans do know what’s best. Canucks defenseman Sami Salo would get the goal scoring started at 8:49 of the first period on a slapshot from the point on a Vancouver powerplay. He would end the scoring as well, as he was also the eventual game winner with a heavy wrist shot through traffic 7:47 into the final period. The 37 year-old Finn finished the night with two goals and one assist, and the Sedin brothers once again didn’t do so bad either.
Henrik Sedin’s powerplay tally just over four minutes into the second tied the game at 2-2, and split up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ eventual hat trick. His brother Daniel assisted on the game tying goal, and the twins also collected helpers on the post-hat trick response from the Canucks as Alex Burrows tipped in the second tying tally at 3-3 with just 16 seconds remaining in the second period.
For Nugent-Hopkins’ first two periods of play it was a fantastic result for himself personally. The team is extremely young overall, Nugent-Hopkins now being the youngest at just 18 years of age. The young squad put together some great scoring chances, with a total shot differential of 30-26 in favor of the Oilers In the end, the experience wore the youngsters down to an ultimate defeat. Through the first two periods the young Oilers outshot their opponents 26-17, but managed just four shots in the third period. Salo’s second goal of the night 7:47 into the third period would seal the deal for the Canucks, which gave them a split in their four game road trip.
"We outplayed them for most of the game so it's disappointing to come up short," Nugent-Hopkins said.
Vancouver’s Roberton Luongo and head coach Alain Vigneault complimented their own team’s abilities, and credited the young Oilers team with a job well done.
"We find ways to win games," said Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo, who stopped 23 of 26 shots. "It's just that comfort level I think the guys have. Going into the third no matter what the score is we feel we can win."
And win they did, as they improve to an overall record of 2-2-1 ahead of their matchup back home against the New York Rangers. The Canucks have gotten off to a bit of a rocky start this year, which is something not too far from the norm having gone deep into the playoffs in successive post seasons. The Canucks have some rust to knock off, but the team is poised to return to the Finals with an exceptional roster.
"You've got to give credit to the Oilers and especially their young line," Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault said. "They were all over the place, it was a phenomenal (second) period by three young kids that all have a great skill set and a lot of speed and a lot of competitiveness. They really outplayed us in that second period.
"We were fortunate we were able to tie the game with a couple of seconds left in the second. That gave us momentum going into the third. And in the third period, with the game on the line, I thought we played real well. We didn't give them anything and we got a few scoring chances and were able to score on one of them. I'm happy about that."
- Kendall Grubbs
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