Looking North: Oilers bounce back, Leafs and Jets battle for top spot
Welcome to the eighth edition of "Looking North," our weekly Friday dive into the all-Canadian division. This installment dates back to March 5.
The rundown
The Oilers rebounded nicely from last week's disaster, collecting two tight wins over the Flames and Senators before blowing Ottawa out 7-1 on Wednesday. How Edmonton would respond to the first-place Maple Leafs smothering them was a big talking point, and Dave Tippett's club delivered.
Conversely, Toronto hit the skids following its sweep of the Oilers. The Leafs lost three games in regulation for the first time during the Sheldon Keefe era, giving up considerable ground as the division leaders. However, they did earn a crucial extra point with an overtime win over Winnipeg on Thursday. The Jets have won seven of their last 10 contests, and they're six points back of the Leafs with two games in hand. The two clubs meet again Saturday.
The Canadiens appear to have adjusted to Dominique Ducharme's systems, earning a pair of convincing wins to inject life into a season that seemingly reached its breaking point long ago. The Habs weren't perfect, but they were also dealing with a terrible schedule that sent them from Vancouver to Calgary on back-to-back nights.
The Flames lost their first two games after firing Geoff Ward, but they bounced back with a victory in Darryl Sutter's return behind the bench. It's too early to project how Calgary will finish after its surprise head coach hire, but the club will surely be intriguing to watch.
Finally, the Senators pulled off a promising shootout win in Calgary, but they followed it up with a pair of defeats in Edmonton. The Sens sit 30th in the NHL with a .328 points percentage.
| Team | Points over last week |
|---|---|
| Edmonton Oilers | 6 (3-1-0) |
| Montreal Canadiens | 5 (2-1-1) |
| Vancouver Canucks | 4 (2-1-0) |
| Winnipeg Jets | 3 (1-1-1) |
| Calgary Flames | 3 (1-1-1) |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 2 (1-2-0) |
| Ottawa Senators | 2 (1-2-0) |
The stars
Forward: Connor McDavid was held off the scoresheet during an important three-game set against the Maple Leafs last week, but he rebounded significantly. The NHL's leading scorer padded his cushion in the Art Ross race with two goals and six assists to help the Oilers get back on track.
Defenseman: Jeff Petry continued his excellent campaign this past week, sniping three goals to move into second among defensemen with 24 points. His underlying numbers this season are also phenomenal. Montreal is outscoring opponents 25-12 and owns 57% of the expected goals with Petry on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Goalie: Carey Price put an eventful week in Montreal on the back burner while playing brilliantly after the dismissal of Claude Julien and longtime goalie coach Stephane Waite. The netminder won two of his three starts, and he posted a .963 save percentage and 0.98 goals-against average.
Canadian of the week
McDavid gets the nod here, too. Not only did his eight points lead the league, but no other Canadian playing on home soil registered more than four points over the same span.
The Oilers captain remains on a separate planet from his peers.
The moments
Draisaitl dazzles vs. Senators 🤩
Draisaitl had already produced a six-point game versus the Senators this season. But he didn't feel like resting on his laurels in their latest clash, burying a hat trick and adding two assists. The dynamic superstar also appeared on the highlight reel, flying coast to coast for one tally, and then converting after an otherworldly no-look pass from McDavid to complete the hatty.
Matthews' overtime showstopper 😲
Connor Hellebuyck was moments away from stonewalling the Leafs for a second consecutive game. But Matthews - bad wrist be damned - sealed the victory in overtime for Toronto with this silky smooth top-shelf backhand.
Gaudette drops the hammer 🔨
Is there a hockey highlight more satisfying than a player unleashing an on-the-fly slapshot off the post and in? Adam Gaudette delivered this glorious blast during the final minute of the third period versus Montreal, sparking the Canucks to a comeback shootout victory.
The question
There's no denying Calgary's core has underachieved over the last few seasons. But can Sutter be the voice the Flames need?
The two-time Cup winner's straightforward style and fixation on team discipline could be the right jolt for this group to wake up and meet expectations. But if his approach doesn't click and Calgary misses the playoffs, hiring a coach who retired to become a full-time rancher in 2018 could result in serious repercussions.
Right away, one thing is abundantly clear: Sutter's work is cut out for him. It was anticipated the Flames would compete for the top spot in the North Division, yet they sit 22nd in goals for per game and 18th in goals against.
Quote of the week
Canadiens forward Phillip Danault was mired in a goal drought that extended more than a calendar year. He finally got off the schneid late in Wednesday's blowout win over the Canucks, and Danault wasn't shy about expressing his relief afterward.
"Yeah, I think there was more than one monkey. I threw a bunch of monkeys off my back," Danault said, according to The Athletic's Arpon Basu.
Games to watch
The Leafs and Jets will play the rubber match of their high-octane three-game set Saturday night. Looking ahead to next week, the always-entertaining Battle of Alberta is featured on Monday and Wednesday.