A few thoughts on the Edmonton Oilers never-in-doubt win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Don't look now but the Edmonton Oilers have won five games in a row. The Carolina Hurricanes were the latest team to fall prey to the surging Oilers.
Zach Hyman and his teammates celebrate his hat trick goal.From the moment the puck dropped the team was ready to go. The Oilers would only need one minute to score enough to win the game. Their unrelenting attack reduced the Hurricanes to little more than a gentle breeze.
Hat Trick Hyman
I'm not sure what else I can say about Zach Hyman that I haven't already. He continues to impress this writer with his point production in addition to his commitment to play the proper way on both ends of the ice. He doesn't take shortcuts. He doesn't cheat for offense.
Zach Hyman & Vincent Desharnais.His teammates see the value he brings, as Hyman was given the Plunger today - an award handed to the defensive player of the game.
Oilers Showed No Sign of Rust
I'm not going to lie, I had a little voice in my head telling me to mentally prepare myself if the Oilers stumbled out of the gate last night. In years previous that's been the case more often than not. Last night, they rewrote that narrative.
The five day break paid massive dividends for the players last night. No one was sluggish, everyone was moving their feet and playing with pace.
Complete Domination
The Oilers that defeated the Hurricanes last night are the team that spectators and pundits alike thought they were going to get to start the year. It took them awhile to find their game - and cost a good coach his job in the process - but the real Oilers are here.
Zach Hyman.The Hurricanes may have out-shot the Oilers but they didn't look like they came ready to play. They looked slow and lethargic - especially at the start of the game. The Oilers were engaged and committed to winning. They blocked 17 shots, with Mattias Ekholm and Vincent Desharnais leading the team with three blocks each.
Vincent Desharnais and James Hamblin.The Oilers play the second game of their home stand tomorrow night, against the other team in the NHL that has a new coach in-season, the Minnesota Wild. Game starts at 7PM Mountain Time.
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