Oilers snap seven-game skid against Wild with 5-2 victory

Edmonton Oilers players celebrate a goal against the Minnesota Wild during first period NHL action in Edmonton on Friday, December 9, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson)

The Edmonton Oilers finally found some success against the Minnesota Wild on Friday night.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and two assists as the Oilers snapped a seven-game losing skid against Minnesota, defeating the Wild 5-2.

“Each night is a new game, but at the same time they’ve kind of had our number in recent games. We wanted to put our best foot forward,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “We needed a good start, they’re a good starting team. We did that and got better as the game went on.

“Overall, it was one of our best 60-minute performances.”

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each recorded a goal and an assist. Derek Ryan and Kailer Yamamoto also scored for the Oilers (16-12-0), who have won six of their last eight.

Stuart Skinner made a stellar 42 saves.

“When you’re getting contributions throughout the lineup it’s awesome,” said Oilers forward Zach Hyman, who had one assist.

“It provided momentum for the team. You can get off to a quicker start. It gives confidence to everybody in the lineup. A lot of guys are playing more now than they did at the beginning of the year and they’re contributing.”

Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello replied for the Wild (13-11-2), who have lost two in a row.

“We got enough pucks to the net but not enough quality,” said Wild head coach Dean Evason. “I honestly don’t remember their goalie making too many outstanding saves, we were hitting him with a lot of pucks. Our willingness to get pucks there, it just wasn’t quality when we needed to score.”

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 33-of-37 shots for Minnesota.

“We need points,” Fleury said. “It is going to be a tight race right up to the end of the season. There is not a lot of difference between the teams, everybody is good and can win games. We can’t lose games in a row.”

Edmonton got a rare opening goal 2:45 into the first period as Devin Shore made a pass from behind the net to Ryan, who battled to send his own rebound in for his second goal in as many games.

Just over six minutes later, McDavid extended his goal streak to seven games. Nugent-Hopkins sent the puck across to McDavid and he blasted home his 25th of the season.

McDavid currently leads the league in goals, assists (29) and points (54).

Minnesota briefly looked to have tied the game just over a minute later when a puck hit the post and landed behind Skinner. He fell back and held it between his arm and pad, but the officials ruled that it crossed the line after a video review.

However, a second review determined that the Wild had committed interference during their attempts to poke Skinner and the puck into the net and it was called back.

Minnesota eventually got on the board at 11:24 of the opening frame.

Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse sent a puck behind his own net that was intercepted by Eriksson Ek, who was able to come out in front unhindered, make a move on Skinner and score his 10th of the campaign.

It was the fourth straight game against Edmonton that Eriksson Ek recorded a goal.

The Wild levelled the score 6:22 into the second period as Zuccarello picked the top corner just as a two-man advantage expired for his ninth of the year. Kirill Kaprizov picked up an assist on the goal, extending his point streak to 14 games.

Edmonton regained the lead with seven minutes to play in the middle frame as Yamamoto tipped a Nurse shot past Fleury for his first of the season.

The Oilers made it 4-2 on the power play 3:43 into the third as Nugent-Hopkins got it across to Draisaitl who had a wide-open net to deposit his 19th goal of the season. It was also Draisaitl’s 12th power-play marker of the campaign.

Nugent-Hopkins scored his 14th into an empty net with nine seconds remaining.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2022