Savoie's spark ignites the Oilers' top line, but defensive lapses and execution errors cost them against the Blue Jackets. A late push was too little, too late.
The Edmonton Oilers might have discovered something with Matt Savoie riding shotgun beside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Unfortunately, that spark wasn’t enough to overcome another night of inconsistent execution, lapses in defense, and costly breakdowns.
Edmonton’s newest top line looked dangerous, but the mistakes on a choppy ice surface, where the Oilers tried to overhandle the puck and complicate things, forced a late push that wasn't quite enough. Edmonton fell 5–4 to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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Savoie Is Making His Mark
Savoie took some time to get going this season, but he's starting to look like he belongs in a top-six role. Slotted next to McDavid and Draisaitl when the coach wanted to provide a spark early in the game, he tipped home an Evan Bouchard shot from the high slot, cutting the Blue Jackets’ lead in half.
It was Savoie’s third point in two games, and his speed and instincts gave the line a new dimension. He opened up space for Edmonton’s stars and was smart enough to play responsible hockey. When head coach Kris Knoblauch stacked McDavid and Draisaitl mid-game, he chose Savoie to be their wingman, and it looked like the right decision. There was a good portion of that game where that line was the only one creating any offense.
That line was the fastest combination Edmonton has put together this season. Savoie has taken a step. He looks like a player that appears ready to bust out and is more dangerous when playing with offensively gifted players.
The Spark That Almost Turned the Game
The Oilers didn't play well in the first. Their defense was lacking, the offensive stars tried to do too much, and neither played a simple game. It took the team going down 2-0 before they made a push.
For a brief stretch in the second period, the Oilers looked like the powerhouse team they’re supposed to be. Savoie got his tip-in from the slot, and the top line dominated shifts, scoring twice in short order. On the second goal, Draisaitl won a faceoff, slid into his signature spot along the wall, and ripped a one-timer off the post and in to tie the game.
In a span of 100 seconds, Edmonton erased a two-goal deficit and looked poised to take over. Then came what appeared to be the dagger — McDavid finished off a brilliant play set up by Draisaitl and Savoie, only for Columbus to challenge for offside. The replay made it obvious: Draisaitl’s skate never quite stayed on the blue line. The goal came off the board, and the momentum vanished.
Same Story, Different Night
The Oilers’ offensive surge did a solid job of hiding the fact that the Oilers often tried to overthink the game. Columbus was playing simple hockey, putting the puck on net, setting screens, and chipping away. The Oilers were trying to overhandle things, make slick plays, and make little passes that frequently failed.
Evan Bouchard lost the puck behind his own net in the first period, which led directly to a Columbus goal. Later, there were moments where Blue Jackets players were left unconstested in front of Calvin Pickard. In some cases, Pickard bailed out the team, but he didn't do it all evening. He finished the game with an .800 save percentage.
The Blue Jackets continued to dump pucks in, forechecked hard, and throw pucks on net — the kind of blue-collar hockey that seemed to be working. Edmonton’s attempts to finesse their way through the game backfired.
The Oilers Made a Late Push
Columbus extended the lead to 5-2, then Vasily Podkolzin responded to make it 5-3. Draisaitl brought it to within one when he scored from the faceoff dot. Edmonton pulled Pickard and pushed hard in the final minute. The Oilers just couldn't pull it out.
"We battled our way and kept it within striking distance," said Darnell Nurse. He admitted it wasn't good enough to put themselves in a spot where they had to battle just to get it overtime. Head coach Kris Knoblauch said," We were a little too soft around our net." He added, "Too often they were left alone in front of the net with Picks by himself." He said from the Podkolzin goal on, the Oilers played well.
In other words, it wasn’t all bad. Savoie’s emergence beside McDavid and Draisaitl is a genuine bright spot. The third-period push was also a positive.
At the same time, the Oilers didn't earn two points or move up in the standings.
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