This season’s first full game without superstar Connor McDavid turned into a roaring success for the Edmonton Oilers. Now, the Oilers aim to replicate their impressive performance when they visit the Calgary Flames on Sunday.
Despite entering the season with high hopes, the Oilers initially stumbled, recording three straight losses. However, a dominant 5-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday boosted their spirits, marking their third win in four games. Winning so decisively without McDavid, who will miss two to three weeks due to an ankle injury, significantly raised their confidence.
“We don’t want to play without Connor, but everyone stepped up a bit more,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said after Saturday’s practice. “We capitalized on our opportunities, something we struggled with earlier in the season.”
The Oilers entered this season with lofty expectations after reaching the Stanley Cup Final last year. However, their season began poorly, including a 4-1 defeat to the Flames on October 13. With only two victories in their first seven games, the win over the Predators has rejuvenated the Oilers’ belief in their potential.
“We’re feeling confident. We’re not just a one-man team,” Edmonton forward Zach Hyman asserted. “We have many players ready to step up. It feels good to win, and our confidence as a group remained strong.”
“Injuries happen to every team. It’s unfortunate that our best player is sidelined, but it opens doors for others to perform better. That’s beneficial for us. When Connor returns, we hope to be an even stronger team.”
Meanwhile, the Flames recently secured an impressive 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils, snapping a four-game losing streak.
“We deserved that win; our overall effort improved,” said Calgary forward Blake Coleman, who scored twice against New Jersey. “We checked tightly, minimized our mistakes, and when we faltered, goaltender Dan Vladar stepped up. That’s how we need to play, and we know we strayed from that recently.”
Vladar, who stopped 22 shots to earn the shutout, will likely start against the Oilers, altering the Flames’ previous rotation.
“This win was crucial for us after a couple of losses,” Vladar noted. “It’s a great day for me, but the primary goal is to secure those two points.”
The Flames returned home following a difficult road trip during which they lost two games by a combined score of 10-1. The second defeat occurred during Calgary captain Mikael Backlund’s 1,000th career game, a milestone that the team recognized before their matchup against the Devils.
“Mikael’s an emotional player, and this milestone likely means more to him than many realize,” Flames coach Ryan Huska remarked. “After a poor performance in Utah, it felt good to see us move closer to the level of play we need for success, especially on such a special night for Mikael.”
