EDMONTON, Alberta – After yet another slow start, in which the Flyers momentarily recovered, they could not stop the in inevitable.
Michal Neuvirth, under siege from the drop of the puck, eventually collapsed under the weight of 49 shots as the Oilers handed the Flyers their fifth straight loss, 4-2, at Rexall Place.
It was the last time these two will play here as a new arena opens next season.
The Oilers averaged almost a shot a minute through the first 26 minutes of play. One, tiny positive: It took the Oilers 19 shots to get their first goal while it took the Flyers "just" six.
After Ryan White had given the Flyers a 2-1 lead going into the third, Edmonton scored twice in a little over a minute to regain the lead.
Key goal
Taylor Hall’s rebound for the game-winner at 7:40.
Slow starts
How slow was this latest slow start? Well, the Oilers opened up with a 13-1 shot advantage in the first period. Seven of those were from 12 feet or less on Neuvirth.
Bad ice
The Oilers used to have the NHL’s best ice. Now the arena, which opened in 1974, has some of the worst ice in the league. Jakub Voracek twice fumbled the puck on rushes and fell down at one point. The resulting turnover saw Neuvirth forced into back-to-back saves on Teddy Purcell and Mark Letestu.
Goalie report
Neuvirth was outstanding with 45 saves. His best? A glove snare of Purcell’s breakaway 6:03 into the second period. He once had 51 saves in a game.
Power play
The Oilers had four shots inside the blue paint on their first chance and Neuvirth came up huge. It was like having no defense in front of him.
Penalty kill
Brandon Manning had a double-minor at first period’s end and the Oilers scored on the power play with 3.2 seconds left in the period. Neuvirth had made some great saves to that point when Leon Draisaitl rapped a shot off the post but fed it back to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who buried the second chance for a 1-0 lead.
Shots
Edmonton outshot the Flyers, 19-2, in the opening period. Luke Schenn and Mark Streit had the two for the Flyers.
McDavid
Oilers rookie Connor McDavid did not have a shot in that first period but injured his left shoulder with 1:44 left in the second period after a collision with Manning and Michael Del Zotto. He did not return and was wearing a sling after the period.
Injuries
McDavid’s left shoulder injury.
Scratches
Evgeny Medvedev (upper body), Chris Conner (healthy), Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (IR/right knee or ankle) and Sean Couturier (concussion).
Up next
The Flyers have a complete day off on Wednesday. They flew to Calgary after this game and meet the Flames on Thursday.