Hyman hat trick lifts surging Oilers past Senators 3-1

Edmonton Oilers' Zach Hyman (18) celebrates a goal against the Ottawa Senators during third period NHL action in Edmonton on Saturday Jan. 6, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson JASON FRANSON

Zach Hyman is well on pace for another career year with the Edmonton Oilers.

Hyman recorded his third hat trick of the NHL season as the Oilers won their seventh consecutive game with a 3-1 decision over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

“I’m doing the same thing. (They’re) just going in a little bit more this year,” said Hyman, who has 25 goals in 35 games this season as he attempts to eclipse his career best total of 36 goals from last season.

“(There are) some pretty good players who make plays every single game, and I’m very fortunate to be playing with them.”

Evan Bouchard picked up three assists for the Oilers (20-15-1) who moved into eighth place in the Western Conference and a playoff position, overcoming their horrific 5-12-1 start by going 15-3-0 in their last 18 outings.

Bouchard said Hyman’s success is the result of hard work.

“You can’t really say too many good things about him,” he said. “He is all over the ice. He does it defensively, works down low, puts his body on the line beside the net, and he is getting rewarded for it. Everybody in the room is happy to see it.”

Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner made 29 saves to improve to 12-2 in his last 14 starts.

Parker Kelly scored for the Senators (14-21-0), who have lost three straight and four of their last five.

“I thought for the most part we were playing well and had a couple of unlucky breaks,” Kelly said. “We just have to find a way to keep playing a full 60, that’s kind of what we’re missing right now and it’s on all of us to be better.”

Sens goalie Anton Forsberg made 43 saves in the loss.

KEY SAVES

Edmonton outshot Ottawa 15-8 in the scoreless first period, highlighted by the Oilers ability to kill a double minor penalty to Evander Kane assessed for high-sticking Claude Giroux.

Both goalies had key saves in the early stages of the second period as Skinner stopped Brady Tkachuk and Forsberg made a pair of nice saves on Connor McDavid.

The Oilers broke the deadlock with 1:52 remaining in the middle frame with a big power-play goal. Senators’ penalty killer Jake Sanderson had a chance to clear the zone and failed to do so, eventually leading to Evan Bouchard sending a long shot through traffic that was tipped past Forsberg by Hyman, giving him goals in three consecutive games.

Edmonton made it 2-0 just 2:36 into the third period as Forsberg got a piece of a wrist shot from the top of the circle by Hyman, only to have it trickle behind him into the net.

Ottawa ended Skinner’s shutout bid with just 4:58 to play as Kelly poked in his fourth of the season during a mad scramble in front of the Oilers net. The goal was originally waved off due to goaltender interference, but a video review overturned that decision.

Edmonton regained a two-goal safety net with just under three minutes to play as McDavid found Hyman at the side of the net for the easy redirection, giving him seven goals in his last six games. It was Hyman’s fourth career hat trick.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch became the first coach in NHL history to have two seven-game winning streaks in his first 25 games in the position.

“I had no idea,” he said. “I'm happy the team's winning and playing well and it was only a matter of time before they started winning games, no matter what my message was. Hopefully we've got many more seven-game winning streaks.”

NOTES

It was the first of two meetings between the teams, with the next matchup taking place in Ottawa on March 24. … The Senators were without the services of Rourke Chartier (upper body) and Zack MacEwen (undisclosed). … Oilers forward Sam Gagner was eligible to return from injury but was a healthy scratch with Edmonton reluctant to fiddle with a winning lineup. … Oilers forward Connor Brown has not scored since he was still a member of the Senators in March of 2022, unable to find the back of the net in 29 games with Edmonton this year after missing almost all of last season with an injury. … It was Edmonton defenceman Brett Kulak’s 30th birthday. … The Oilers came into the game with an 11-1-1 record in their previous 13 games against the Sens.

UP NEXT

Senators: Play the fourth game of a five-game road trip against the Flames on Tuesday in Calgary.

Oilers: Begin a three-game trip in Chicago on Tuesday against the Blackhawks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2024.