Jaroslav Chmelar gives New York a spark with a shorthanded goal, but Edmonton pulls away to hand the Blueshirts a road loss.
The Rangers were looking to extend their winning streak on Monday night, but the Oilers made quick work of the hosts. Edmonton quickly took the lead, and added to it in the second period. However, despite Jaroslav Chmelar scoring a short-handed goal to give New York hope, the Rangers could not find an answer and fell to a 3-1 loss at Rogers Place.
McDavid Strikes First
The Oilers struck first at 6:42 of the opening frame as Connor McDavid scored on a wrist shot. Edmonton started strong, forcing the Rangers to play catch up.
New York did have chances, but weren’t able to find the back of the net past the Oilers’ goaltending in the first period.
Edmonton Extends the Lead
The Oilers started strong in the 2nd period, and Leon Draisaitl scored on the powerplay at 2:59 assisted by Vasily Podkolzin and Mattias Ekholm giving Edmonton a two goal lead.
But the Rangers refused to give up.
Jaroslav Chmelar scored a huge shorthanded goal at 5:05, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The assist went to Mika Zibanejad, and New York had a chance to get back into the game.
The Oilers Close It Out
While the Rangers kept searching for an answer, Edmonton was able to score their third goal and hold onto their lead. New York could not find any momentum offensively and the Oilers took the game 3-1.
Key Takeaways
- Chmelar gets the Rangers on the board: His shorthanded goal gave New York a much-needed spark.
- Zibanejad contributes: Mika recorded the assist on Chmelar’s goal.
- McDavid opens the scoring: The Oilers captain got Edmonton going in the first period.
- Draisaitl adds another: His second-period goal gave Edmonton some breathing room.
- The winning streak comes to an end: After three straight victories, the Rangers couldn’t make it four.
Final Thought: A Tough Night in Edmonton
Although the Rangers had some strong moments, including a short-handed goal from Chmelar showing they wouldn’t back down, Edmonton were able to control enough of the game to prevent New York from making a comeback.
The Blueshirts will need to take the lessons on board and look to take their chances in their next game. Although their 3 game winning streak has come to an end there is still a lot of hockey to be played.
Final Score: Edmonton Oilers 3-1 New York Rangers
