The Edmonton Oilers have defeated the Calgary Flames, 5-2, in the 2023 NHL Heritage Classic. Not only was it a quality win over a hated rival, but the Oilers also got two big points to halt an early-season skid.
Coming into this game, both sides needed a win in the worst way, and it was the Oilers who looked like the more desperate group. Edmonton jumped all over Calgary from the opening puck drop and did not relent much, if at all.
Evander Kane led the way for the Oilers with three points, and he was the most noticeable player on the ice. Kane took a couple of bad penalties, but he was positioned in front of the net all night, and he was somehow in the middle of every post-whistle scrum.
Still, Edmonton deserves credit for a dominant team performance. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were good, and they got on the scoresheet, but all four lines and all three defensive pairs were rolling for the Oilers.
The Flames came out flat and never got into any kind of rhythm. Nazem Kadri got his first goal of the season, but that was about the only positive takeaway for Calgary. Despite the offseason coaching change, the Flames continue to underwhelm, and it is very concerning at this point. If this keeps up for a couple more weeks, Calgary will have played itself out of playoff contention.
OK, maybe the light isn't all the way off just yet. Perhaps it's just dimmed a bit. Regardless of how you slice it, this was a step in the right direction for the Oilers. Edmonton was in control of this game for lengthy stretches, and it wasn't just Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl doing the heavy lifting. All four lines -- and the defensemen -- had some energy and forced Calgary on its heels.
The Oilers crushed the Flames in terms of shot attempts, high-danger chances and expected goals. You don't dominate at five-on-five unless it's a full team effort. Did Edmonton bowl over another struggling team? Sure, but even that is a massive improvement over what we saw from the Oilers in the first seven games of the season. The team that showed up in Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday night looked a lot more like the Stanley Cup contender everyone expected.
The question now is whether the Oilers can use this as a springboard and go on a roll.
You can't make the playoffs in November, but you sure can eliminate yourself from contention by then, and the Flames seem to be headed in that direction. What's even more concerning than the loss is the way in which Calgary lost this game.
The Flames were simply outclassed. There is no other way to put it. Calgary was on the wrong end of the shot attempt share (44.7%), high-danger scoring chance share (17.4%) and expected goals share (29%) at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick. The only thing that kept the Flames in this game were penalties by the Oilers, but even that was a sore spot for Calgary. They found the back of the net just once on two separate 5-on-3 power plays in the first period.
Calgary still has some talent on its roster, but it hasn't meshed at all, dating back to the start of last season. Over the last couple of years, the franchise has made moves with hope of contending for a Stanley Cup, and it made a coaching change in the offseason. Despite all that, Calgary is still a long way off from being a true threat in the West. Unless the team straightens things out soon, the Flames will be watching the postseason from home again in 2024.
Evander Kane played the role of villain, at least from the Flames' perspective, and he did so effectively. Kane got Calgary's attention with an unwise boarding penalty in the first period, but he redeemed himself by being a nuisance for the other 58 minutes.
Kane was all over the Flames in their own end. He was extremely aggressive on the forecheck, and he was parked in front of Jacob Markstrom all night long. In the first period, he redirected a point shot, creating a rebound that Brett Kulak put home for the first goal of the game. In the third period, he assisted on Vincent Desharnais' goal while also providing an excellent screen that took Markstrom's eyes off a bouncing puck. Fittingly, Kane put an exclamation point on the win with an empty-net goal.
Outside of his three points, Kane was a general pain in the neck, and I mean that as a compliment. He was in the middle of every scrum and kept trying to get under Calgary's skin. Kane probably didn't win over many fans clad in red and white, but he probably doesn't mind too much.
For the Oilers to get back on track, Kane needs to be more involved, and something seemed to click tonight.
This was an old fashioned butt whoopin'. Just no two ways about it. The Oilers rolled over their provincial rival and didn't really meet any resistance. The Oilers were able to get up off the mat after a slow start, and the Flames continue to struggle in the early going.
Evander Kane has been everywhere tonight, and he ices the game with an empty-netter.
