So, that sucked. After opening the scoring on a first-shot goal by Mattias Ekholm to grab their first lead of the series, the Oilers struggled to gain much traction in a pivotal game that they couldn’t seem to catch up to.
Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final is in the books. The Florida Panthers are now two wins away from their first Stanley Cup. Florida defeated the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 4-1, as Evan Rodrigues had two goals.
The Oilers finally broke through against Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
There are players who could swing the series in one direction or another, and it may not always be in a positive direction for their respective team.
It’s safe to say not many saw the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final coming back around Thanksgiving when the team was 5-12-1 and had just fired head coach Jay Woodcroft.
For over a decade, Edmonton’s blueline has been a focal point of criticism by many, and rightfully so. It’s a significant reason why, for eight consecutive years, the Oilers failed to win a single game past the second round of the playoffs despite Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on their roster.
The Edmonton Oilers have a problem. It’s not a new problem, though. It’s one that’s become a tale as old of time for this team: their blue line. And on Monday night the struggles were on full display for the Oilers in a 5-3 loss to the Dallas Stars.
The Edmonton Oilers showed up and showed out in a double overtime victory over the Dallas Stars Thursday night. The narrative coming into this series is that the Oilers’ depth wouldn’t be a match for the Stars, but in Game 1, they showed they could hold their own.
The Edmonton Oilers survived a late onslaught from the Vancouver Canucks, earning an appearance in the Western Conference Finals for the second time in the last three years.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm has made quite the splash in round two. In all three games of the series, Ekholm has found a way to put the puck in the back of the net.
The Edmonton Oilers got a steal of a deal when they acquired Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators at the 2023 Trade Deadline. They traded Tyson Barrie, Reid Schaefer, and two draft picks in exchange for Ekholm, and he has been everything the Oilers wanted and more.
Mattias Ekholm reached a personal milestone when he found the back of the net early in the second period. As the Oilers were cycling the puck in the Vegas end, Ekholm found an open lane while the Golden Knights were more concerned about watching the puck.
As the Edmonton Oilers take on the Vegas Golden Knights, Mattias Ekholm has reached a new career high in goals and tied his career high in points on the Oilers’ second goal of the night putting them up 2-0 over the Golden Knights.
In February 2023, Ken Holland made his boldest move as the Edmonton Oilers general manager when he dealt Tyson Barrie, Reid Schaefer, and a first-round pick to acquire Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators.
Mattias Ekholm is a force to be reckoned with this season. Since his acquisition in 2022, Ekhom has solidified himself as an elite defender. As well as being an elite defender, he recently found his offensive game elevated.
Oilers Now host and play-by-play radio voice of the Edmonton Oilers, Bob Stauffer highlighted a compelling statistic today, shedding light on the Edmonton Oilers’ remarkable success since the arrival of defenseman Mattias Ekholm from Nashville.
The Edmonton Oilers are off to a horrific start. After their 3-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday (Oct. 26), they are 1-5-1 through their first seven games, putting them second to last in the NHL.
Ryan Rishaug of TSN writes, “Ekholm looks pretty good out here. My guess is he plays as 7th D – kills penalties and depending on how he feels his minutes go up or down.
No timeline for the defenseman’s return is known at this point.
Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland has said that Mattias Ekholm will miss the start of training camp with a hip flexor. No timeline for the defenseman’s return is known at this point.
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