The Oilers stormed out of the gate and had an 11-1 edge in shots 12 minutes in. Scored 1st (their record is now 26-2-1 when they do that) and kept scoring for a much-deserved victory.
Special Teams leaned heavily in Edmonton’s favor: The Oilers PP went 2/4, the PK 3/3 with a shorty to boot. Goaltender Mike Smith was very good when he needed to be.
Oh, and Leon Draisaitl put on a 2-way hi-light reel show.
Here’s the tale of the tape…
MIKE SMITH. 9. Earned his 43rd career shutout on 30 Nashville shots. On one hand, Mike Smith did not face near the Grade “A” chances that his Nashville counterpart did. But he was there when his mates needed him. Smith’s best stop was a nifty glove save off Duchene early in the 3rd as Nashville tried and failed to push back. Then, earned an unofficial assist on the Nurse 3-0 goal as his poke-check on Tomasino thwarted a potential 3-on-1 before Kane lugged it up the ice. The potential 3-1 was quite rightly called back on a Coach’s Challenge for being offside. Rounding into traditional Mike Smith at a very convenient time. The Game’s 2nd Star. Mike Smith and Nikolai Khabibulin are the only 2 Oilers goalies aged 40+ in franchise history to record a shutout.
