The Edmonton Oilers look like on cruise management heading into the playoffs whereas gathering new milestones on a nightly foundation.
Leon Draisaitl recorded a hat trick to get to 50 objectives on the season and Jack Campbell made 36 saves to file his first shutout as an Oiler as Edmonton gained its fourth recreation in a row to formally clinch a playoff berth with a 6-0 victory over the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.
“It was a very good evening. There have been plenty of nice performs by the fellows round me, on the lookout for me. I’m proud and really lucky to have completed it,” stated Draisaitl, who scored his third purpose short-handed to turn out to be simply the twelfth participant in NHL historical past to have three seasons with 50 objectives and 50 assists.
“I used to be most likely being slightly too egocentric within the third, I used to be taking pictures it from all over the place. I feel that’s all proper. Usually, I are inclined to overpass it so for as soon as in my life it’s OK. There have been some nice performs. I did not assume it was going to occur on the kill, however I’ll take it.”
Zach Hyman, Darnell Nurse and Connor McDavid additionally scored for the Oilers (45-23-9), who’ve gone 13-2-1 of their final 16 outings.
WATCH | Draisaitl leads approach with hat trick in rout of Ducks:
Draisaitl hat trick clinches playoff berth for Oilers in shutout win over Ducks
Leon Draisaitl’s fiftieth purpose of the 12 months was additionally his third of the sport, as Edmonton secured a spot within the postseason with a 6-0 shutout win over Anaheim.
Edmonton has managed to file shutouts in its final two video games after not having one beforehand within the season, with Stuart Skinner in web for a 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
“I assumed that Soup [Campbell] made some actually massive saves, particularly early within the first,” McDavid stated. “I assumed we have been slightly bit sloppy initially of the sport, however he was stable and gave us an opportunity to get our toes below us.
“I’m actually, actually glad for him. Obviously it has been an up-and-down 12 months for him and he has battled so onerous, so to be rewarded, the boys love that.”
The Ducks (23-43-10) have tied a season-high with their seventh consecutive loss.
“Edmonton has a top-notch explosive crew,” stated Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins. “I assumed we had a very good first interval, possibly considered one of our greatest durations of the 12 months. But I feel the discrepancy is end on the 2 groups, they’re loaded with guys that may end and we’re challenged with it.
“I feel the differential of pictures was 4, they’d 36 we had 32, we simply could not get something previous their goaltender tonight.”
Anaheim managed a lot of the early play and was unlucky not to have the ability to seize the lead as Ryan Strome had Oilers goalie Campbell cleanly beat three 1/2 minutes in, however hit the publish. With eight minutes left Frank Vatrano had a few alternatives in tight, however was stoned by Campbell, who would find yourself stopping 17 first-period pictures.
However, Edmonton received the sport’s first purpose with 2:04 to play within the opening interval as Hyman tipped a Mattias Ekholm shot and it simply snuck previous Ducks starter John Gibson for his thirty fourth of the season and fourth purpose in his final 5 outings.
The Oilers made it 2-0 two minutes into the second interval as Evander Kane fed it throughout to Draisaitl who minimize onerous to the within earlier than beating Gibson on the backhand, extending his factors streak to 12 video games within the course of.
Edmonton added to its lead 5 minutes into the center body because the puck got here again to Nurse after a scramble in entrance and he despatched an extended blast via Gibson’s legs for his eleventh. Nurse hit a brand new profession excessive for factors on the play, reaching 42.
Draisaitl scored his second of the sport simply earlier than an influence play expired with 8:16 remaining within the second interval as he banged in a bouncing puck for his thirtieth purpose with the person benefit. McDavid picked up an help to increase his level scoring streak to 11 video games.
Leon Draisaitl turned the primary <a href=”https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers?ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>@EdmontonOilers</a> skater to attain 30 power-play objectives in a season and the fifth participant in NHL historical past to attain the feat.<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLStats?src=hash&ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>#NHLStats</a>: <a href=”https://t.co/B8lYyaHDrf”>https://t.co/B8lYyaHDrf</a> <a href=”https://t.co/Yn4BjXLN4n”>pic.twitter.com/Yn4BjXLN4n</a>
—@PR_NHL
Edmonton made it 5-0 simply 4:25 into the third interval as McDavid circled all the web earlier than casually selecting the highest nook to attain his league-leading 62nd purpose of the season.
Lukas Dostal got here into the Ducks web to switch Gibson, who confronted 36 pictures earlier than struggling a lower-body harm.
Draisaitl picked up his fiftieth purpose of the season with 5 minutes left within the third as Ekholm hit him with an extended go earlier than he scored a short-handed marker from the highest of the fitting circle.
1st teammates to attain 50 objectives in similar season since Lemieux, Jagr
It was the third time in his profession that Draisaitl has hit the 50-goal mark, and he additionally mixed with McDavid to be the primary teammates to hit 50 objectives in the identical season since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr did it for Pittsburgh in 1995-1996.
“This one may be very thrilling to me as a result of it was at house and the opposite two have been on the highway,” Draisaitl stated. “It was nice to do it in entrance of our house followers.”
The Oilers’ spectacular 12-2-1 run in March was acknowledged by the NHL, as McDavid and Draisaitl have been named the primary and second star for the month.
Skinner, who set a franchise file for many wins in a month at 10, was additionally named the NHL’s rookie of the month for March on Saturday
The Ducks are proper again at it on Sunday after they head to Calgary to face the Flames, whereas the Oilers start a four-game highway journey on Tuesday in opposition to the Kings.
