GAME RECAP: Oilers 3, Predators 2 (SO)

EDMONTON, AB - Connor McDavid scored the shootout winner with a dizzying display of stickhandling while Mikko Koskinen foiled Filip Forsberg, Matt Duchene and Roman Josi in succession to capture the Oilers 21st win of the season with a 3-2 shootout victory at Rogers Place on Thursday.
Edmonton extended their winning streak to three games as they improved their record to 21-16-2 overall and 12-8-0 on home ice, also increasing their point total to 44 on the season.

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FIRST BLOOD

Despite the Oilers effort to reverse a 10-game trend of allowing the first goal against with a 3-0 shot advantage early, Predators forward Forsberg gained the lead at 5:07 of the opening frame on the second shot of the match.
After Edmonton suppressed a Jesse Puljujarvi tripping minor by preventing Nashville from registering a shot on goal, Forsberg found the back of the net with a laser through the screen of Alexandre Carrier. The goal was Forsberg's 22nd of the year and 200th of his career, and also marked the 11th-straight time that the Oilers were scored on first.

SAVE OF THE GAME

Koskinen's best save of the evening came in the second period when the Preds were pressing for the insurance goal - to no avail.
After a wraparound circled behind the Oilers cage, Koskinen lost his footing and fell out of position. At that time, Duchene received a feed in the slot but the Finnish netminder made himself big enough to get a pad on the attempt and keep Edmonton within one.
The denial was the 6-foot-7 guardian's best during regulation but Koskinen also made a stellar stop on Duchene again in the shootout.
The Predators centre encroached in the skills competition all alone, handcuffing Koskinen with quick mitts before trying to lift the puck over the netminder's right leg but the big Finn made a scorpion save to shut the door.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT

Coast-to-coast Connor.
Add another incredible individual rush to the Oilers Captain's resume, as No. 97 picked up the puck in his own zone and turned on the jets to leave everyone but former Oiler Matt Benning in his dust before sweeping a shot under Juuse Saros' right pad for his 21st of the campaign.
Not only did the equalizer tie the game at 1-1 but it was also McDavid's 632nd point as an Edmonton Oiler, placing him ahead of fan favourite Ryan Smyth for sixth-most in the franchise's all-time scoring department.

PARTING WORDS

Head Coach Dave Tippett on Thursday's effort:
"There's lots of work in our game and lots of try in our game, which you really like. There are a couple of areas we could still clean up a little bit. A couple of mistakes here and there we're making that arise in a game. You make a mistake and we're giving up some chances. For the most part, we're solid. We got everybody working hard and Koski has given us two really good games. Koski was really good. We gave up too many chances in the second period and he was really strong. They go 0-for-3 on the shootout, that gives you a chance to win."
Tippett on Koskinen's strong play:
"Mikko is a well-liked guy. A very well-liked guy. Everybody knows of the pressure he's been under and they're happy when things go well for him. Mikko wants to do that, too. He wants to be part of the solution here. It's contagious, those things. When your goaltender makes big saves, it's contagious for your group."
McDavid on the team turning it around with three consecutive wins:
"We're starting to see some things in our game that we saw at the beginning of the year. Guys are getting their confidence back and we're getting good goaltending. Meeks (Mikko Koskinen) has been a rock back there and when he plays like that, it makes our job easier. We got to make his job easier, too, by being better in front of him."

McDavid on the team's turnaround and how much is attributed to confidence:
"Confidence is so big in this game. Either if you have it or you don't, it's a big thing. Our confidence is getting better and better. That's just momentum, right? It's good we found a way to get a win tonight and keep it going into a big road trip before the All-Star break."
Darnell Nurse on the ability to come back from two separate one-goal deficits on Thursday:
"It's a battle. When you believe in the battle and the work that you put in, we worked for our confidence to be able to come back in these games. It wasn't like we just simply believe we were going to win. We worked our way to having the confidence to come back in this game tonight. It's a big win and something to build off of."
Evan Bouchard on stepping up for a solid performance against a difficult Central Division opponent:
"We knew we were going to get a good team. Between the second and third, we really wanted to show what we were capable of. It was a good test. I think we played a good, solid home game."

Bouchard on Koskinen's performance lately with crucial saves:
"They're huge. Those are make-or-break points in the games. Huge saves. He's been doing that for us a lot this season, especially the past few games. He's been a rock back there and he's really kept us in the games and won us games, as well."
Koskinen on the team getting back into a winning groove and how the victories restore confidence:
"That's how it seems and feels in the locker room. In the last two games, we have played really well and I'm happy to see that.
"We learned our lesson. We can't look too much ahead. We have to go, it's cliché, but it's so true. We have to go one day and one game at a time. Otherwise, our focus isn't there. That's the main thing. Keeping building our game. We're doing a lot of good things right now. There's still a lot of room to improve and if we can do that, then we're going to be a very strong team at the end of the year."