The Edmonton Oilers, despite all their statements of not needing it, have secured home ice advantage in the first round.
A 6-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks, dead last in the NHL and long since eliminated from playoff contention, locked Edmonton into second place in the Pacific Division. It also gave the Rogers Place faithful something to feel good about heading into the postseason, because the Oilers played with the sense of urgency, confidence, and determination fans have been asking for.
Matt Savoie scored a hat trick before the first period was even over. Three goals in 20 minutes. A hat trick before most people have finished their first beer.
"I'm tenacious and I think I'm getting better working to areas to be able to finish," said Savoie. "I think the looks have been there especially over the last seven, eight games. I'm starting to finish more and looking to continue with the confidence."
He's not wrong. The 22-year-old has been knocking on the door for a stretch now, getting to the right places, generating the right looks. The difference lately is that he's burying them. Thursday was the exclamation point on a run that's had people paying closer attention to what he's capable of at this level.
Meanwhile, Connor McDavid didn't score and still finished with four assists. That's just what he does. McDavid is often happy to set everyone else up while racking up points te secure yet another Art Ross Trophey.
Josh Samanski and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also scored, and Colton Dach had a full Gordie Howe hat trick—a goal, assist, and a fight—which is what you like to see against Vancouver.
"They came out ready to play and secured their spot in the playoffs on home ice," said Hronek. "We were not ready for it."
The Canucks are a team that was playing out the rest of their season till they could depart and go on their respective vacations. Nobody's blaming them for not having the same energy as a club fighting for a playoff spot. But the Oilers didn't exactly need them to roll over when they brought it themselves.
"We came out and looked like we were assertive in every way possible, and weren't going to let this one slip," said Mattias Ekholm. "Kudos to us for having a professional performance against a team that looked like they kind of wanted to go on their break."
That's a fair way to frame it. Games like this, against an opponent with nothing to play for in the final week of the regular season, are traps. Not for the standings necessarily, but for habits. For mindset. A sloppy, disengaged performance heading into the playoffs isn't the tone you want to set.
"It was 60 minutes of a good hockey game," added Darnell Nurse. "We checked well—we've been checking well for a little bit now—and were able to produce the offence. I think for our group it was good overall."
Sixty minutes of good hockey against a last-place team in the final week of the season. Not as easy as it sounds. The Oilers got it done, got the home ice they were playing for, and head into the first round with some momentum and a 22-year-old forward who just had the best game of his young career.
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