Connor McDavid registered three assists, two on goals by Zach Hyman, and added an empty-netter, as the Edmonton Oilers broke open a tie game in the third period for a 5-2 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night.
With the game tied 2-2 after two periods, Kailer Yamamoto scored 2:53 into the third, and Evan Bouchard tapped in McDavid’s pass off a two-on-one a little more than five minutes later to help the Oilers win for the 16th time in 21 games to open the season.
Both of Hyman’s goals came in the first period as Edmonton recorded just 22 shots for the game but improved to 9-1-0 at home. Hyman thought he had his first career hat trick in the third, but the goal was overturned via an offside review.
Mikko Koskinen made 32 saves for Edmonton, which beat Pittsburgh on its home ice in regulation for the first time since January 2006, and snapped a six-game home skid in this series.
Jake Guentzel extended his point streak to a career-high 11 games with his 10th goal, and Teddy Blueger also scored for the Penguins, who are 0-2-1 following their season-high five-game winning streak. Facing off with McDavid in a superstar matchup, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby notched an assist.
Edmonton broke through 6:52 into the opening frame. Off a dish from McDavid, Hyman found an opening and drove the puck over the blocker of Tristan Jarry (17 saves) on the Oilers’ first shot of the game.
However, Guentzel one-timed John Marino’s perfect seam pass to tie the game with 5:05 remaining in the first period. In addition to his overall point run, Guentzel’s 10-game road point streak to open the season is one away from Evgeni Malkin’s club-record run from 2008-09.
All but three of Guentzel’s goals this season have come on the road.
Yet, the contest wasn’t 1-1 for long. Hyman and McDavid, who has recorded four or more points in a contest 21 times in his career, again hooked up, off a two-on-one with 3:44 to go in the first.
Pittsburgh, though, equalized one minute into the second period. This time it came off a three-on-two, capped by Blueger after a nifty Evan Rodrigues pass.
–Field Level Media