Despite outshooting the Detroit Red Wings 45-23, the Edmonton Oilers had to settle for a 5-4 shootout loss Wednesday night at Rogers Place.
“We had control of a lot of parts of that game,” Head coach Jay Woodcroft said. “But I thought we were sloppy in some of our details.”
The Wings jumped in front on a power play before the game was five minutes old.
Dylan Larkin took a pass at the side of the net and whizzed it by Jack Campbell. Late in the first, Moritz Seider’s centering pass ticked off Philip Broberg and snuck past Campbell to make it 2-0 Detroit.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins notched his 25th of the season with a shot from the right wing 1:26 into the second.
“I thought we did a good job of battling back and getting at least a point, but it’s disappointing not to get the second,” Nugent-Hopkins said.
“We can’t dwell on it now.”
Robby Fabbri snapped a shot past Campbell for another Wings power play marker halfway through the session.
Connor McDavid set up Nugent-Hopkins for a tap in, less than three minutes later. However, the Wings went back in front by two when Olli Maatta fired a long slapper past Campbell’s blocker.
“Definitely a frustrating one, but it’s hard to win in this league when you give up four goals,” Leon Draisaitl said post-game.
“We had a good rally back, but we would’ve liked that extra point.”
The Oilers pulled even with two goals 2:01 apart early in the third.
Draisaitl ripped home his patented power play one-timer, then Derek Ryan tipped Klim Kostin’s long wrister past Ville Husso.
Campbell came up with his best stop of the night with just over seven minutes remaining, sliding across to make a left pad save on Tyler Bertuzzi.
“I thought the guys played a tremendous game in front of me,” Campbell said. “A couple tough ones to give up tonight, but things have been going really well lately and you don’t want to lose the momentum from one game. I’ll look at it and move on.”
Evan Bouchard had the best chance in overtime but his shot on a two-on-one was turned aside by Husso.
The shootout lasted five rounds. Pius Suter netted the game-deciding goal.
The Oilers, 30-19-6, will host the New York Rangers Friday night (630 CHED Face-off Show at 5:30 p.m., game at 7 p.m.)