EDMONTON — It was only their fourth game of the season but it already had the makings of a needed win for the Edmonton Oilers.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid each had a goal and three assists as the Oilers snapped a two-game skid with a 6-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.
“It was a big win for our group,” McDavid said. “It was a great test against a really good Carolina team, and they gave us everything that we could handle. Soup (goalie Jack Campbell) made some big saves and our power play did its thing. It was a big win, a bit ugly, but we’ll take it.
“Being 2-2 is nothing to write home about, but we’ll take it.”
Zach Hyman, Ryan McLeod, Evander Kane and Leon Draisaitl also scored while Campbell made 36 saves for the Oilers (2-2-0), who have split four of their six-game homestand to start the season.
“We know how important starts to the season are and with a big homestand like this, it is important to get off to them and make this place a tough barn to come into every night,” said Nugent-Hopkins. “We are back on track a little bit, but we obviously need to keep pushing.”
Andrei Svechnikov recorded his first career hat trick and Martin Necas also scored for the Hurricanes (3-1-0), who suffered their first defeat.
“Today was a tough game, we didn’t play bad, we just gave up some easy goals, which against teams like that can cost you,” Necas said. “We scored four goals and with four goals, we should win every night. It was tough night.”
Edmonton scored the game's first goal for the first time this season 8:22 into the opening period. On the power play, Tyson Barrie intercepted a clearing attempt and floated a puck on net for Hyman who tipped it past Andersen.
Carolina pulled even 1:38 into the second period as Svechnikov beat Campbell glove side to extend his point streak to four games.
Just over eight minutes into the middle frame, the Oilers regained the lead with their second short-handed goal of the season. Nugent-Hopkins sent the puck across to McLeod on a two-on-one, and he beat Andersen through the legs.
Edmonton made it 3-1 a couple of minutes later as McDavid sent a long pass to spring Kane and he scored his first of the year on the backhand.
The Hurricanes cut into the deficit 12:35 into the second as a Svechnikov shot ticked off a defender’s stick and past Campbell.
A little over a minute into the third period, the Oilers restored their two-goal lead. Andersen coughed up the puck behind his net and Hyman was able to kick it out to Nugent-Hopkins who scored into a wide-open net.
However, just a couple of minutes later, Carolina struck again on the power play as the puck deflected off a skate from the faceoff circle to Svechnikov, who scored his third goal of the game and sixth of the young season.
The Oilers struck on a power play 5:16 into the third as McDavid sent the puck across to Draisaitl for a one-timer into the net.
Carolina once again punched back with a power-play goal on a tick-tack-toe passing play converted by Necas 8:55 into the third period.
The Hurricanes had a great chance to tie it up with a minute left as Aho went on a breakaway, but Campbell came up with a huge save.
McDavid scored an empty-netter to put the game away with 10 seconds remaining.
NOTES
Entering the game, Carolina was the only team in the NHL that Oilers captain McDavid hadn’t averaged at least one point per game against in his career, but he changed that with his four-point night … Teammate Kane has had more success against the Hurricanes than any other squad in the league. His 30 points in 33 games were the most in his career against a single opponent … Canes goalie Andersen has absolutely dominated the Oilers over his career, coming into the game with a record of 17-1-2 with a 2.16 goals against average and .928 save percentage against Edmonton … The Oilers were without rookie Dylan Holloway, who was injured on a thundering hit by Buffalo Sabres defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin on Tuesday … Jaccob Slavin picked up the 174th assist of his career, passing Justin Faulk for the most in team history since relocation. Only Dave Babych (196) and Glen Wesley (176) have had more in franchise history.
UP NEXT
Both teams are back in action on Saturday. The Oilers play host to the St. Louis Blues in an afternoon affair, the fifth of a season-opening six-game homestand. The Hurricanes play the fourth of a five-game road trip in Calgary against the Flames.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2022.
Shane Jones, The Canadian Press
