The Calgary Flames headed into the Christmas break on the wrong end of the Battle of Alberta, falling 5–1 to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night at Rogers Place. Undisciplined play proved costly for Calgary, as Edmonton’s red-hot power play dictated the game. The Oilers converted on three of five man-advantage opportunities, improving to 19 power-play goals over their last 13 games. At the center of it all was Connor McDavid, who orchestrated the night with five assists in a dominant performance. Edmonton opened the scoring early in the first period when Dustin Wolf kicked out a point shot, allowing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to jump on the rebound and beat the Flames’ goaltender. McDavid picked up the helper, extending his point streak to 11 games. Calgary briefly found its footing late in the opening frame. With just over four minutes remaining, Mikael Backlund continued his strong stretch of play by setting up Mackenzie Weegar, who blasted a shot through traffic and past Connor Ingram [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette] to tie the game 1-1. © Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/0cc49790-4880-42d2-93c8-cbc93c4550c7.jpeg] © Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images That momentum was short-lived. With 16.8 seconds left in the period, the Oilers struck on the power play. McDavid slid the puck to Zach Hyman, who fed Leon Draisaitl for a quick finish, sending Edmonton into the intermission with a 2–1 lead. The second period tilted heavily in Edmonton’s favour. After a hooking penalty to Matt Coronato, the league’s top-ranked power play went back to work. McDavid found Draisaitl in tight, and he buried his second of the night, also passing Glenn Anderson for third on the Oilers’ all-time goal list with 418 career tallies. McDavid’s dominance continued, collecting his third assist of the night on the goal. Tempers flared midway through the period following an uncharacteristic unsportsmanlike penalty and game misconduct to Weegar. Edmonton threatened again on the ensuing power play, but Wolf stood tall with several highlight-reel pad saves to keep the deficit from growing further. © Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/b10dc045-f059-4d5d-9278-7553170d891f.jpeg] © Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images The rivalry intensity ramped up after Kevin Bahl leveled Zach Hyman, prompting Trent Frederic to answer with a fight [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/time-to-reset-what-next-for-trent-frederic] a few shifts later. Despite the pushback, Edmonton maintained control. Late in the period, McDavid struck again on a 2-on-1, patiently waiting before threading a pass to Hyman, who finished short side to make it 4–1. It marked McDavid’s fourth assist of the night. Any hope of a Calgary comeback was extinguished early in the third. Draisaitl completed his hat trick on another power-play goal, pouncing on a loose puck at the side of the net. McDavid earned his fifth assist on the play, marking the 12th five-point game of his NHL career. McDavid and Draisaitl have combined for 55 points over their last 11 games — a staggering display of offensive firepower. THREE TAKEAWAYS 1. Odd-Man Rushes Cost Calgary The Flames repeatedly turned the puck over at the offensive blue line, leading to a steady stream of odd-man rushes the other way. Edmonton’s speed in transition punished every mistake, often sending McDavid and the top line in alone. 2. No Answer for Edmonton’s Stars McDavid’s five-assist night and Draisaitl’s hat trick highlighted the gap in execution. Nugent-Hopkins and Hyman were equally impactful, as Calgary struggled to contain Edmonton’s elite offensive depth. 3. Wolf Battled Despite the Scoreline While the final numbers won’t flatter him, Wolf was under constant pressure and made several outstanding saves. His lateral quickness and athleticism kept the game from becoming even more lopsided.
