Early last week, I wrote that the Edmonton Oilers would not win four games in a row. It wasn't the first time I've been wrong, and won't be the last, but being wrong has never felt so right. Winning four straight, the Oilers have recovered from an early stumble, clawing their way back into relevance with a 4-4-1 record through the first nine games of the season. Yes, Alberta, there is a Santa Claus.
Of course, if each game was scored by rinkside judges rather than a scoresheet the Oilers might be looking at a 1-8 record. Maybe 2-7 if we're being generous, and Monday night was no different. The Oilers were outworked, outshot and outchanced by the visiting Montreal Canadiens, but Ben Scrivens stood tall and the home team dug deep in the third period to preserve a 3-0 victory.
Frankly, I couldn't care less about the optics. When parents hold a newborn baby in their arms they're not looking for a chiseled jawline or Stamos-calibre hair, they just count out the 10 fingers and toes. The same thing goes for Edmonton victories. Each of them might have a lazy eye, crooked smile or dented head, but when you tally up the goal totals the Oilers keep coming out ahead.
Following Monday's win, the Oilers have as many points (9) as games played (9) for the first time since April 8, 2013. It might not seem like that long ago, but that was the same day Margaret Thatcher died, and I think we'd all agree that it feels like she's been dead for well over a decade. Moving right along, let's take a look at some of the Oilers' key performances against the Habs.
- Scrivens was phenomenal. He looked focused right from the start, turning aside a couple quality shorthanded chances in the opening minutes, and was solid down the stretch. What happened to Scrivens that allowed him to turn the switch? Is he the real deal? More importantly, if all he needed was a few extra games to settle in, why didn't he get them during the preseason?
- Just when you start asking yourself what, if anything, Mark Arcobello and Benoit Pouliot bring to the lineup, they connect for the eventual game-winning goal. Jumping on a turnover at the Oilers blueline late in the first period, Arcobello's nifty pass to the streaking Pouliot turned out to be the play of the game. With a goal and an assist, Pouliot doubled his season point total.
- Montreal's forecheck was ridiculous, especially in the first period, and the Oilers were fortunate to escape all the havoc unscathed. Canadiens forwards came screaming into the zone, barreling down on Edmonton defenders and forcing hasty clearing attempts with thunderous hits. It produced some fun, up-tempo hockey, but a scary sight for fans of the home team.
- Nail Yakupov had a very strong night hours after Mark Spector decided to carve him up, starting another nauseating round of "Did the Oilers draft the right guy?" Yakupov destroyed Habs defenceman Alexei Emelin behind the net in the closing minutes of the first period, showed solid defensive awareness, and scored his second goal of the season. Can we cut the kid some slack?
- Matt Hendricks and Boyd Gordon didn't have any points or legitimate scoring chances, but their gritty efforts helped seal the victory, blocking shots and clearing pucks. Each player has been worth every cent this season. Their jobs aren't easy, but they take a lot of pressure off the other three forward lines, winning defensive zone faceoffs and doing the dirty work that it takes to win.
- That Brad Hunt/Justin Schultz pairing looks like a ketchup and banana sandwich, leaving you wondering how anyone thinks they should be on the ice at the same time. Both players looked hesitant on the power play and at even strength, leading to some misadventures in their own zone. Hopefully Nikita Nikitin is back for Wedensday's tilt against Nashville, moving Hunt back to the press box.
- Neither team had any power play success, as shots were hard to come by. Edmonton had six shots on six opportunities, while Montreal only had three shots on four. Credit some blocked shots for the low totals, but both teams looked sloppy moving the puck with the man advantage and couldn't force the goaltenders to make any spectacular stops while shorthanded.
- I'm thrilled that the Oilers will be playing meaningful games into November. Through nine games last season Edmonton was already dead and buried, and would win only two of their next 12 games. The shot totals are ugly, the defence is questionable, the fancy stats are atrocious, but the Oilers are finding ways to win games. You really can't ask for much more than that.
ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com