NHL playoff scores 2017: Cam Talbot proves his worth to Oilers yet again

Remember the Great Goalie Carousal of 2015?

Contenders on the rise needed starting goalies, and other contenders had backups to set free. The Kings’ Martin Jones went to the Sharks. The Rangers’ Cam Talbot went to the Oilers.

Edmonton paid a pretty price for him, too: three draft picks that turned into Rangers prospects Sergei Zborovskiy and Adam Huska and Capitals prospect Jonas Siegenthaler.

At the time, it seemed like a high price to pay for an untested backup. Now? Boy.

What a trade.

Talbot finished the regular season having played more games than any other NHL goalie but doesn’t look tired at all. He was sensational in Game 2 for the Oilers, stopping 39 shots and sending Edmonton back home for Game 3 up 2-0 on the Anaheim Ducks.

So it’s no surprise the Carolina Hurricanes shocked everyone by trading for Blackhawks backup Scott Darling yesterday. Cam Talbot and Jones set the trend.

Blues 3, Predators 2 (Series tied, 1-1)

Oilers 2, Ducks 1 (EDM leads, 2-0)

Easier said than done, I know. The Blues were buzzing late in the third, and it was only a matter of time until Tarasenko unleashed a prime scoring chance.

Nashville never had to run-and-gun with the Blackhawks, who only scored three goals all series. Now the Blues have them on their heels a bit, and goalie Pekka Rinne is leaking goals at a higher rate. Nashville has to shift from a “hold down the fort” mentality to a “match the Blues’ energy” mentality.

The Oilers’ captain had about three or four chances to get a breakaway before the Ducks shoved him off the puck. It’s only a matter of time before he does something truly special in this series.

Vern Fiddler is probably getting suspended for this: