EDMONTON — The focus around the Edmonton Oilers has been centred on all the goals that arenâ€t going in. But have we been looking at the wrong end of the rink?
While a high-powered offence managed just one even-strength goal in a 3-2, life and death, overtime struggle against the Brady Tkachuk-less Ottawa Senators, at the other end of the ice stood Stuart Skinner, who is quietly authoring perhaps the best start of any of the Oilers’ core players.
“I feel like this is a really good floor for me. The new floor for me,†Skinner said. “Just continuing my game, staying in the same mind frame here, and just give the guys a chance to win.â€
On a night of milestones Tuesday, Skinner notched his 100th career win, stopping 18 Ottawa shots. He has quietly started the season in solid fashion, building up a 2.17 goals against average and a .909 save percentage behind a team that has trouble scoring more than twice a night in regulation.
It was a long and windy road to 100 wins for a local kid who has been a whipping boy for Oilers fans at times. Heâ€s in a contract year, and it feels like this is the season where Skinner either establishes himself as the goalie of record in Edmonton, or the Oilers go out and find one.
So far this season, heâ€s staking claim to the gig, becoming the sixth Oilers goalie ever to win 100 games, and third fastest (179 games), behind Grant Fuhr (174) and Andy Moog (163).
“It’s actually funny — my first game was against Ottawa,†Skinner chuckled after beating the Sens for the sixth time in seven starts. “I’m pretty sure Davo and Leo (Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl) had nine points, and I still managed to let in five. So it was a pretty tough first game. From there to here — it’s my fourth year now in the NHL — it’s been quite the journey.
“I’m definitely miles ahead of that guy when I was 20, 21, years old.â€
On a night where Adam Henrique played career game No. 1,000, Ike Howard scored his first-ever NHL goal, and Jake Walman won the game with an OT blast in his first game of the season, Skinner just quietly went about his business. He was beaten on a close-in snipe by Dylan Cozens and a long, screened blast by Thomas Chabot — both coming in the opening 1:49 of the third period to tie the game.
The win was perhaps Edmontonâ€s best overall performance on a 2-3 road trip, a journey that saw the Oilers offence go flat. They scored just two regulation goals in every game but one, and that night Curtis Lazar scored with three seconds left in a 5-2 game.
The struggle is real in Edmonton, where this win was more important than any win on Oct. 21 should be, considering the circumstances.
“We wanted to get this one before we went back home for one (against Montreal Thursday), and try to finish off the road trip on a positive note,†said Walman, who stepped back into the lineup after losing the first six games to injury, bombing home the winner at the tail end of an overtime power play.
“It could have been an ugly road trip,†said Skinner.
Itâ€s crazy to think that Adam Henrique would play his 1,000th NHL game on the same night that Ike Howard would score his first NHL goal.
Even crazier? Henrique is the first player ever to play game No. 1,000 in an Oilers uniform. Ever!
“Thatâ€s kind of shocking,†said Henrique. “Youâ€d think with the history here, you would think someone would have played their 1,000th game here at one time or another.â€
Well, before you know it, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will become the second player. His 1,000th game — assuming he doesnâ€t miss any starts between now and then — is slated for Dec. 31 at home against Boston.
Henrique, a highly respected veteran who has always played an honest game, was feted nicely in Ottawa on Tuesday
What does he want people to think of him as when heâ€s gone?
“A good person and a good teammate,†the 35-year-old said. “Thatâ€s all Iâ€ve ever tried to (be). Lead by example — Iâ€m not a rah rah type of guy.â€
“A true pro — to be in the league that long is amazing,†said Walman. “A lot of guys around the league have taken something from Ricoâ€s game at some point, and off the ice for sure.â€
Meanwhile, Howard snapped home a clean one-timer on a pass from Draisaitl, the first of many for a 21-year-old who is just beginning to find his legs in the NHL. Edmonton gained possession of the puck when McDavid doggedly checked/hauled down Ottawaâ€s Chabot, who turned it over to Draisaitl.
“Super cool. Going to be a moment I’ll remember forever,†said Howard. “And to have those two guys in on the goal, it’s pretty special. A couple great plays by them.â€
OIL SPILLS: Edmonton head coach Kris Knoblauch said that Kasperi Kapanen will be gone long-term with an undisclosed injury suffered Sunday in Detroit. “Unfortunately heâ€ll be out several weeks — up to six. Heâ€ll be unavailable for a while.†He also said that Mattias Janmark is “not coming back anytime soon.†… Walman returned Tuesday, leaving Kapanen, Janmark, Alec Regula and Zach Hyman on the injured list. Lazar and Troy Stecher were healthy scratches Tuesday.
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