Player grades: Oilers with brilliant comeback, but bad habits in 4-3 OT loss to Buffalo

The Edmonton Oilers fought their way back to a dramatic comeback but gave away the game with their usual bad habits in a 4-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

Oh well, at least the Oilers fought back to win one point.

The Grade A shots were 19 to14 for Edmonton, with the subset of 5-alarm shots seven to six for the Oilers.

Connor McDavid, 8. Unreal goal with two seconds left in regulation, but part of the problem on Buff’s OT winner. The NHL’s fastest player charged down the wing early in the first to hammer on goal a hard backhander. Great puckhandling on the virtuous cycle leading to two dangerous Hyman shots late in the first. He charged in early in the third to scoop up a puck, drive the net and score a beauty to make it 3-1 Sabres. Pounced on a rebound with a second left to score the 3-3 goal. But he got drawn to the puck like a mouse to cheese — the defensive mistake he repeatedly makes — leaving his own check Alex Tuch wide open for the OT goal. Grade A shots plus-minus: Even Strength (EV): +7, -2; Special Teams (ST): +3, -0

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 6. He defended well on a shorthanded 2-on-1 against. He took a late penalty that hit hard. Put the puck on net for McDavid to slam home the 3-3 goal on the scramble. Grade A +/-: EV +3, -0; ST +2, -0

Zach Hyman, 6. He ripped a great shot on net late in the first off a sweet pass from Draisaitl. Super cheap call on Hyman for interference led to the 3-0 Sabres goal. He got in hard to help pop the puck for McD’s goal rush. He took another iffy penalty when Sabres d-man Connor Timmins grabbed his stick and flopped to the ice. When he got back on the ice, he drew a call on Tuch. Grade A +/-: EV +3, -2; ST +0, -1

Leon Draisaitl, 8. Twelve major contributions to Grade A shots, but one major blemish. Made a brave pass from behind the net to send in Podkolzin early on, then charged up the ice to plough Podz’s pass off the post. Ripped a power play slotter on net in the second. He threw an outside shot on net and Podz blasted it in for the 3-2 goal. He kicked off the virtuous cycle on the 3-3 goal with a clever pass to RNH, then went to the net and got tangled up with Lyon as McDavid shot it in. But he did a fly-by on McLeod, who then passed into the slot for the OT winner. 15/22 on face-offs. Grade A +/-: EV +9, -2; ST +3, -0

Matt Savoie, 5. Hustle but not much in the way of results. But his line got good results. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -0

Vasily Podkolzin, 9. Huge game. His best ever? Likely. Monster emotion, monster battle, monster chiller horror thriller heroics in front of the enemy net. Nine major contributions to Grade A shots. Set up two Grade A shots with great passes in the first. He went hard to the net, and battled hard, jamming one shot on net, then the second into the net, the 3-2 goal. He almost scored again a shift later, jamming on net a Draisaitl pass. He lost his stick but battled like a berserker in front of the net on the 3-3 goal. Grade A +/-: EV +9, -1; ST +0, -0

Adam Henrique, 4. He launched a wicked shot on early on a 2-on-1 rush. He was slow to the slot and let and point shot through on Buffalo’s 1-0 goal. He took an ill-advised tripping penalty late in the third, bringing on a 5-on-3. Grade A +/-: EV +1, -0; ST +0, -1

Mattias Janmark, 6. Set up Henrique’s early 5-alarm shot.  He battled at the net, opening things up on Podz’s 3-2 goal. Grade A +/-: EV +3, -0; ST +0, -0

Andrew Mangiapane, 3. His hope pass to no one in the oz-slot kicked off the sequence of pain that culminated in Buffalo’s 2-0 goal. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -1; ST +0, -0

Trent Frederic, 3. On a bad line change he also managed to get in the way of Draisatl trying to backcheck yet another dangerous Tage Thompson rush. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -1; ST +0, -0

David Tomasek, 3. He went too hard into the Buffalo goalie, taking a penalty in the first. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -1; ST +0, -0

Curtis Lazar, 3. Led his line on an effective early forecheck. He fanned on a clearance in the dz-slot, kicking off the sequence of pain on the 3-0 goal. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -1

Mattias Ekholm, 7. Another good game. Some solid attacking moves and made a hard pinch to stop an empty net goal late in the game. Grade A +/-: EV +3, -1; ST +0, -0

Evan Bouchard, 3. Some good plays on the attack but a horror show on defence. He was a step too slow to take out Josh Doan’s stick in the dz-slot on the 1-0 goal. Solid defensive play to break up a dangerous Sabres chance in the dz-crease. Wretched turnover beside the Edmonton net to Thompson on Buffalo’s 2-0 goal. He was caught in the puck-watching on the OT winner, wandering lost in the red light zone, not covering any player, or any passing or shooting lane. Grade A +/-: EV +5, -3; ST +1, -1

Darnell Nurse, 6. High event but more good than bad. Deked his way into the slot to get off Edmonton’s first Grade A, a tricky backhander. He coughed up puck leading to a dangerous Tage Thompson shot. Strong pass on the virtuous cycle leading to Podz’s 3-2 goal. Grade A +/-: EV +4, -3; ST +0, -0

Alec Regula, 5. Had his struggles on defence. Got beat down the wing by Jack Quinn for the first Grade A shot of the game.  Grade A +/-: EV +0, -3; ST +0, -0

Brett Kulak, 6. Right after Bouchard’s nasty turnover, Kulak and Lazar combined on a weak clearance in the dz-slot, leading to Doan’s second goal, the 3-0. But a huge and goal-saving stick check on Tuch’s PP slotter in the third. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -2; ST +0, -1

Ty Emberson, 5. He was a bit slow to Doan on the 3-0. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -1; ST +0, -0

Stuart Skinner, 5. A few early saves early, no chance on the 1-0 goal, a slot tip. Big stop on a Tage Thompson slotter. He made a huge save on a deflected Dahlin shot, then he and the Oilers got a break when Edmonton’s video team spotted Alex Tuch’s hand pass and nullified Thompson’s apparent 2-0 goal. But he failed to jam Doan on the 3-0 goal. Huge save on Thomson’s PP harpoon late in the third. He was hung out to dry by McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard on the OT goal against.

At the Cult of Hockey

STAPLES: Edmonton Oilers to bring in new defenceman, other roster moves as well

STAPLES:  Edmonton Oilers discover there’s no chemistry like old chemistry

STAPLES: Knoblauch always knew what was wrong with his Oilers — now he’s fixed it