Player ratings: Unlikely forwards on fire as Edmonton Oilers stomp New York Rangers 6-2

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Edmonton was led by some unlikely forwards, Vasili Podkolzin, Connor Brown and Mattias Janmark, as well as the usual suspects, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, in hammering the New York Rangers 6-2 on Saturday night.

Podkolzin had the game’s first goal, while Brown and Janmark both had two assists.

Grade A shots in the game were 15 for Edmonton, ten for the Rangers, with a subset of 5-alarm shots seven to three for the Oilers.

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Connor McDavid, 8. Two goals and one assist. Came alive early in the second, firing a breakaway pass to Draisaitl, then took Draisaitl’s pass and hammered it off the post on the ensuing power play. He then raced in and passed from one knee to set up Drai’s goal, Edmonton’s third. He was in the right place to tap in Edmonton’s fifth goal. Grade A Shot Contribution/Flaw (GAS): Even Strength +6/-2; Special teams 1/0

Kasperi Kapanen, 6. First Oiler point tonight. He went around town with the puck in the o-zone before feeding it to Bouch on Edmonton’s fifth goal.
GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 7. It’s better! Good game, one of his first this year. He drew a strike on a dump-in play early, a solid sign, then set up Ekholm for a tough outside one-timer. He made a smart pass to Brown for a one-timer in the second. GAS: ES +2/-0; ST 1/0

Leon Draisaitl, 8. Goals and assists. He ripped a harpoon on net for Edmonton’s first Class A off a Podkolzin pass. He set up Podz’s goal with a hard rush and a deft return pass. He broke into animal mode early in the second to take a McD pass, fire a hard shot and then stumble hard into the end boards. A few shifts later he broke in hard again with McD, this time taking the pass and hammering it in. He was ripped on the air by Luke Gazdic for some bad body language, but that’s Leon the Great. He does his own thing. GAS: ES +4/-0; ST 1/0

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Connor Brown, 8. Set on the second line and probably had his best game of the year. He won a board game on Edmonton’s first Class A game. He started the Virtuous Cycle on Edmonton’s second goal and won a board battle in his own zone. GAS: ES +3/-0; ST 1/0

Vasili Podkolzin, 8. His hard work paid off tonight. Just missed a tip opportunity off a Connor Brown pass in the first, then set up Drai’s one-timer. Edmonton did well with 18 shots in the first, but wasn’t rewarded until the 19th. Podkolzin ripped in a feed from Draisaitl, his first goal of the year. GAS: ES +2/-1; ST 0/0

Adam Henrique, 7. He got a Grade A shot late in the first off a Skinner-Nurse-Janmark combo pass play. He rushed onto the ice to set up a short-handed tip by Janmark. Excellent return and Total Eclipse of the Sun screen on Bouchard’s snipe, Edmonton’s fourth goal. GAS: ES +3/-0; ST 1/0

Jeff Skinner, 6. Get it done. He made a nice pass to make a Grade A shot late in the second. GAS: ES +2/-0; ST 0/0

Matthias Janmark, 8. This was playoff Janmark in this one, hungry and efficient. Excellent play on Nurse’s shortie who charges in to win the puck in the o-zone and then goes to town with the puck before zipping a nail to Nurse. Almost scored his own shortie in the second period hard to the net and tip shot. He won the puck and then passed it to Bouchard for Edmonton’s fourth goal. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST 2/0

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Derek Ryan, 5. Quiet game GAS: ES +0/-0; ST 0/0

Drake Caggiula 7. Great effect in limited ice age. He knocked Kaapo Kakko off his feet with a big hit early and stopped a NYR rush. He blocked a key shot on a Rangers scramble play in the second. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST 0/0

Corey Perry, 4. Weak on the Rangers goal against. He lost a board battle and then left shooter Panarin on NYR’s first goal.
GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0

Evan Bouchard, 7. Goals and assists. High event, but much more good than bad. He did not take the skate before the game and battled illness to play this game. He hammered a hard shot on net late in the first that Ekholm nearly tipped in, the first 5-alarm shot of the game. he ripped a shot in through Henrique’s screen for Edmonton’s fourth goal. Brilliant pass to McD at the side of the net for Edmonton’s fifth goal. GAS: ES +3/-3; ST 0/0

Matthias Ekholm 6. Quiet game, but solid. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST 0/0

Darnell nurse, 7. Nice to see him back and playing well. He looked unsure on his first few shifts, shaky with the puck, unsurprisingly after coming back from such a wild shot. but made a solid keep-in. He smartly moved up in the o-zone and took his time finding his spot on the short-handed slot shot late in the first for Edmonton’s second goal. He was caught by ice and let Zibanejad in for a Class A. His late turnover led to the second Rangers goal. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST 1/0

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Brett Kulak, 6. Solid and calm game, after a few leaky games.
GAS: ES +0/-1; ST 0/0.

Ty Emberson, 6. Another solid game,
GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0

Troy Stecher, 6. His game-winning shot started Edmonton’s six-goal scoring streak. He kept the zero at even strength, not a big mistake on a Grade A shot at even strength. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0

Stuart Skinner, 7. Two bad moments, but plenty of good ones in a generally quiet night online. He battled through heavy traffic to stop outside shots both early and late in the first. He faced his first Class A shot six minutes into the second period and stopped it. Moments later, he turned the puck over, leading to a scramble and Grade A shot by Jonny Brodzinski, a hockey name if ever there was one. He smothered Panarin’s shot on New York’s first goal. But moments later, he thwarted Chris Kreider on a 5-alarm shot at the side of the net. A mega save from Alexis Lafreniere early in the third. Strike in stoppage time on the second Rangers goal.

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