The Edmonton Oilers are starting to look like themselves again. With a 4-3 comeback win over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night, the Oilers secured their second straight victory, improving to 22-16-6 on the season. And tied for first place in the Pacific Division.
At the center of it all was Evan Bouchard, who delivered a statement performance when his team needed it most.
Evan Bouchard Steps Up in a Big Way for Oilers
Bouchard finished the night with a goal and an assist, including the power-play winner, as Edmonton erased a two-goal deficit. The tally pushed him to 41 points in 44 games this season and marked the fifth straight year he’s reached the 40-point mark.
That consistency puts him in rare company in Oilers history. The only defenseman to post a longer streak is Hall of Famer Paul Coffey. He did it six straight seasons.
He faced criticism for defensive mistakes this season (65 giveaways). But Bouchard showed a more complete game on Thursday. He made a significant goal-line stop before scoring the game-winner. “That’s a big focus of mine. The offence will come, especially with the guys that we have on our team. It’s more the defensive side that you got focused on.” Bouchard said.
At 10:37 of the third, Bouchard scored the power-play winner from the high slot, giving the Oilers a 4-3 lead. He also made a clutch block on Adam Lowry just moments before at the Oilers’ net.
“Timing is everything. It’s momentum in the game. It’s a big swing in the game. When you get a chance like that, definitely near the end of the third period, it’s one that you’ve got to capitalize on. I think that’s when we really are at our best,” Bouchard said.
Winnipeg looked firmly in control early, outshooting Edmonton 11-7 in the first period and building a 3-1 lead. But the Jets couldn’t hold it, as their skid continued.
Edmonton’s push started in the second after Logan Stanley and Trent Frederic’s fight fired up the Oilers’ bench. Then, Connor McDavid scored to cut the lead to 3-2. From there, the game turned completely. The Oilers controlled the third period and tied the game. And finished the comeback on Evan Bouchard’s decisive goal.
“They came out hard. That’s a desperate team,” Bouchard said. “We started getting it together later in the game. Big fight for Freddy to get us going. I think that really rallied us together.”
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Edmonton will look to keep that momentum rolling when it faces the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.