Player grades: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins shakes off ghost of Steve Smith, scores winner against Calgary Flames


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The Edmonton Oilers gave up their weirdest playoff goal against in decades, likely since Steve Smith put the puck off Grant Fuhr into Edmonton’s net in 1986.

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Somehow, who knows how, Oilers goalie Mike Smith was way out of position on a d-zone clearance by the Flames and wasn’t close to keeping it out of the net.

The goal against, half-way through the third period, tied this game at three, completing a three goal comeback by Calgary.

But Edmonton shook off the ghost of Steve Smith in this one on a massive hustle play by Zach Hyman, Kailer Yamamoto, Tyson Barrie and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, with RNH going to the net to score the winning goal. Edmonton ended up winning 5-3.

Such a key play, the winning goal, for if the Oilers had lost that one, I suspect they would have been so spooked they would have lost the series.

But RNH’s goal was the cure.

Play La Bamba Baby!

Edmonton has 16 Grade A shots, nine of them 5-alarmers, while Calgary had just eight Grade A shots, four of them 5-alarmers.

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Connor McDavid, 7. He wasn’t a supernova in this one, just his normally super self. He pounded a shot on net on the power play, with Hyman driving home the rebound. He got slew-legged by Gudbranson late in the first. No penalty called, but the Hockey Gords evened it up with Kane scoring a moment later. He whizzed into the slot early in the second and got off a wicked shot. He carried the puck a full ten seconds in the third before making a horizontal dart on Drai’s dangerous harpoon on net half-way through the third. He cooly set up Kane for the empty-netter.

Leon Draisaitl, 7. Still not running on all cylinders but found a way to get three assists. He set up Nurse for a 5-alarm slot shot early in the game. He picked up his 20th point of the playoffs setting up McDavid in the slot on the Hyman goal. He picked up another setting up Kane’s goal. He lashed his trademark Executioner’s Shot on net on an Edmonton third period power play, but could not score. He made a turnover to kick off a Flames short-handed scoring chance sequence late in the game.

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Evander Kane, 7. Plenty to like here. He clocked Jarnkrok Street with a first period hit/elbow. His high slot shot late in the first deflected in past Markstrom. He took an ill-advised penalty in the second. I have slammed home the empty-netter.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 9. Two goal game and big game hero. A hideous turnover by Markstrom 21 seconds into the game and RNH had the calm and skill to fire it home from a sharp angle. A bit late to the shooter on the Flames second goal. He went to the net and scored the biggest goal of his NHL career, the game winner. I have led the team with 22:44 of ice time. He had five blocked shots in the game. He led the team with five shots, all five of them Grade A shots.

Zach Hyman, 8. He out-battled Tanev at the side of the net on the power play for the Oil’s second goal, slam dunking it home. Take an n-zone penalty in the second. He showed good battle on the Oil winning goal, making a key contribution.

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Jesse Puljujarvi, 5. He had a tough defensive shift, first with a turnover, then he got deked out by Kylington. He was fighting the puck a bit but made a solid shot block early in the third.

Kailer Yamamoto, 7. He failed to ice the puck twice on a second period Flames power play (once with some time and space to make a clearance) and, sure enough, the Flames finally scored, making it 3-to-1. He redeemed himself completely by winning the puck and making a low-high dart to Barrie in the high slot to ignite the winning goal.

Ryan McLeod, 6. He and Archibald missed the puck in the o-zone to kick off the Sequence of Pain on Calgary’s second goal. But he skated fast and hard all game.

Warren Foegele, 6. A hard-working game. He skated hard and was tough on the forecheck. He was late on the backcheck on Gaudreau’s first period snipe. He threw a big hit, then got slew-footed by Toffoli. I have led the team with six hits.

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Derek Ryan, 5. Quiet game, but sound one.

Josh Archibald, 5. Malfunction at the Junction in the first period when he and Kassian missed Zadorov with a hit and bashed into each other. Hustled hard in limited minutes.

Zack Cassian, 5. He was shaken up on the Malfunction in the Junction collision. He missed some time but was well enough to fly down the wing early in the second on a breakaway, where he got a bit fancy with his deke. Not much else to report.

Darnell Nurse, 6. His best game in some time but not without its warts. He kept a clean sheet at even strength with no major mistakes on a Grade A shot against, the first time he’s done so in ages. He had a slot one-timer off a horizontal dart from Draisaitl. On Lindholm’s power play goal, he was down on his knee, out of the play, allowing the Calgary sniper to move in and pick his spot from him. He took a bad penalty late in the second. He burst into the slot again in the third for a 5-alarm shot.

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Cody Ceci, 8. Another really solid game. Three major contributions to Grade A shots for. He kicked off the game charging up ice for a 5-alarm slot shot off a swell Kane rush and feed. He made a good pinch to kick off the Virtuous Cycle on Kane’s goal.

Evan Bouchard, 7. Playing with smarts and composure, keeping a clean sheet at even strength. His stretch pass helped send in Kassian on a break in the second.

Duncan Keith, 7. He got burned down the wing on a quick inside move by Backlund on Calgary’s second goal. He won a big battle on the kill early in the third, picking off and icing the puck. Other than the mistake on the goal against, super solid hockey in 21:33.

Brett Kulack, 7. Quiet game, but a good one, giving up little in his own end. I have kept a clean sheet at even strength.

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Tyson Barry, 7. I have also kept a clean sheet at even strength. He ripped a wicked shot on net to kick off the sequence Edmonton’s winning goal.

Mike Smith, 3. Not his night, not even close. I have faced just eight Grade A shots, just four 5-alarmers, but gave up three goals, one of them quite memorable, it’s fair to say. But he won the game. That’s the bottom line for a goalie. He came up big stopping a harpoon from Gaudreau five minutes into the game. A moment later he stopped a rocket off Gaudreau who had rocketed up the ice. I have faced plenty of tricky, screened outside shots as the period went along. Gargantuan save off Lindholm in the second. But he got beat by Lindholm on the power play, then got beat by Backlund on a saveable shot, even if it was a Grade A. He thwarted Lindholm on the power play early in the third. He had a brutal lapse of concentration on Calgary’s third goal, a 132-foot clearance play by Rasmus Andersson. It was a close to a Steve Smith moment as the Oilers have had in decades. Oh well, sh*t happens. He then kicked off a bad rebound

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