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Three Oilers who made an impact, for better or worse, on the recent three-game road trip

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03.03.2026

The Edmonton Oilers’ Jekyll-and-Hyde season continued on their past three-game road trip.

They gave up yet another lead to lose to the Anaheim Ducks in the first game, looked like men among boys in a dominating 8-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings, and just when you thought they had turned the page, they came out flat in a 5-4 loss to the San Jose Sharks.

While the big names — Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, and Leon Draisaitl — produced as usual, here’s a look at three players who made a noticeable impact on the California road trip, for better or worse.

Matt Savoie

One of, if not the, biggest positives on the three-game road trip was Matt Savoie, who registered six points, second only to Connor McDavid’s seven, while also leading all forwards with 7:31 minutes on the penalty kill.

Having played one game in the AHL during the Olympic break, it was clear Savoie was in game shape from the get-go, and that showed almost immediately against the Ducks. He picked up his first point of the road trip just 13 seconds into the game, setting up Jack Roslovic for a breakaway goal. He added another assist in the first period and scored a short-lived go-ahead goal in the third by making an excellent read, following the play, and pouncing on the rebound.

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The next night against the Kings, he registered two more assists, the most notable coming when he skated the puck up ice, made a pass, and earned a secondary assist on Ty Emberson’s first-period goal.

By far, those first two games on the road trip were the most confident Savoie has looked this season, and he carried that into the game against the San Jose Sharks. It showed in the way he was firing the puck.

Photo courtesy of NHL.com via YouTube

In the first period against the Sharks, he got on a shift with a mix of personnel from the first-unit power play and unleashed a one-timer on his offside that caused a scramble in front of the net. With the Sharks on their heels, Draisaitl finished it off with a power-play goal on the same play. Savoie didn’t get credit for an assist, but his one-timer started the sequence that left the Sharks scrambling.

To top it off, the 22-year-old made a nice move to........

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