Avs Round 3, Game 1 Grades: Enjoy the ride

Andre Burakovsky – C

Great play on the first goal to delay a bit to get it to Newhook with speed. Beyond that, I didn’t like his game. He struggled along the wall again and was soft on the puck. It was nice to see the third line get a game together, but hopefully Burky is okay after that shot block at the end of the game.

Bowen Byram – B+

Really liked Byram again, and was one of the few defensemen who didn’t make any blatant mistakes. The Oilers tried to take some runs at him a few times and he seemed pretty unfazed.

Andrew Cogliano – B

Back-to-back games now where the fourth line picks up the game-winning goal, although this was maybe one of the easier ones he’ll ever get. PK definitely needs some work but the Cogliano/Helm duo actually did their job.

J.T. Compher – B

I guess it’s one of the handful of times where Compher gets hot during a year. Not a bad time to have a hot streak, with a puck literally just hitting him and going into the net on the sixth goal. Lost his guy a bit on the fifth Edmonton goal and had a tough night in the face-off circle.

Pavel Francouz – B-

I don’t know how you grade this one, as that’s a tough game to come into where every other shot seems to be entering the net. Made some huge saves, including the stretch at the end of the second and a few in the third period late. They may have to rely on him for a bit now.

Darren Helm – B

I continue to like Helm a lot. He had a tough night in the face-off circle but actually won a pretty big one late in the game against McDavid.

Erik Johnson – B

The fountain of youth continues to work with EJ at the moment. Another really solid game and had a few good looks offensively as well. He and Byram had a few really smart breakouts against the forecheck.

Jack Johnson – D

He’s unsure with the puck, and right before the Kane goal, launched a good chance high and wide on Smith. He’s gotten a chance and it hasn’t been great, so wonder if Murray gets a look against a quick team.

Nazem Kadri – B+

Scored the big powerplay goal at the start of the second and had plenty of other great looks with nine total shots on net. Got a breakaway later in the game but was pressured from behind, so couldn’t get everything he wanted to on it.

Darcy Kuemper – D

Apparently left the game with blurry vision, which is not good. Did make a big save on a breakaway right after the ugly third goal, but left soon after. Hopefully it’s not a long-term thing.

Gabriel Landeskog – A-

Outside of the dumb penalty, he was the most competitive and complete player on the ice, in my opinion. He set the tone on the first shift with a hit on McDavid that caused a turnover and was a monster on the forecheck. Nearly set up a goal in the third for Nichushkin just by his hard work and getting his own dump in. Happy he got the empty netter.

Artturi Lehkonen – B-

Pretty quiet night, all things considered, but his one shining moment was the poke check at center ice then chipping it up to Kadri for a breakaway.

Nathan MacKinnon – B+

Needs to do better on that fourth Edmonton goal, but a really strong first game for him, and he looked ready to go head to head with McDavid. That goal was a thing of beauty and great work on the Rantanen goal.

Cale Makar – A-

Needs to be better on the cross-crease pass on the Edmonton powerplay goal, but had a great game beyond that and went head to head against McDavid with no real issues other than the fourth Edmonton goal where Toews failed to clear the puck. His goal just had to count just for the pure beauty of the shot. Won his matchups against the big guns.

Josh Manson – F

Woof, toss that game out the window and never look back. The read on the Kane goal was awful, and it did not get better after that, as he was beaten to the net on the third goal and played a major role in two other Oilers goals. He isn’t coming out of the lineup, but no way can they get by with him playing like that.

Alex Newhook – B-

Great feed on the Compher first goal, as he waited just long enough for Keith to give him room to fit it under his stick. He had a good look in the third period that he couldn’t bury past Koskinen, but a nice way to get back into the lineup.

Valeri Nichushkin – C+

His best play was a late bodycheck on Draisaitl on the back check, something he does best. I still don’t really love his game, as he made a few turnovers trying to go low to high against the McDavid line, which is not something you can be doing.

Logan O’Connor – B+

That play on the game-winning goal was something else. Kind of a gimme pass by Kassian to steal, and I don’t know what Keith was doing, I thought for sure he was shooting. Great work to draw the defender in and get the pass across.

Mikko Rantanen – B+

MIKKO…SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. Finally. He had a good look in the first period and kind of put a weak wrister on a mini two on one, and I was worried it would be one of those nights. Great feed on the Kadri goal, and finally breaks through with one of his own. He even tried to do a classic Mikko spin and backhand in the third but couldn’t quite get it off.

Devon Toews – C

Boy, a really tough game to grade for him. There has to be something wrong with him, because the mistakes we’re seeing, we haven’t seen consistently since he arrived. Still, he had one play where he played McDavid perfectly one on one to break up a rush. Even not at his best, he’s huge for this team.