EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Evander Kane scored twice, Connor McDavid had a goal and a pair of assists, and the Edmonton Oilers used a four-goal third period to top the New Jersey Devils 6-3 on Saturday for their fifth straight victory.
Leon Draisaitl, Tyson Barrie and Zach Hyman also scored for the Oilers, who have the NHL’s longest active winning streak.
“A couple wins in a row can really change the mindset and get the belief a little higher,” said Kane, who has 12 goals and 20 points in 23 games since signing with the Oilers. “We got healthy and started playing a lot tighter as a unit of five and that’s really helped our game and led to success
“I see great potential in this team, that’s why I came here. I think you’re starting to see what it can look like.”
Jesper Bratt had two goals and an assist and Nico Hischier also scored for the Devils, who have lost three in a row and four of their last five.
“It’s frustrating, but if you look at the whole game, I think we did a couple of things pretty well,” Hischier said. “I wouldn’t say it’s a terrible game, but it’s just frustrating at the end coming out of here short.”
The Devils tied it at 2 just 26 seconds into the third period as Bratt redirected a puck caroming off the backboards off Mikko Koskinen for his second of the game.
New Jersey took a 3-2 lead a few minutes later when a big rebound came out to Hischier, who was left alone in front to slide a backhander into the net before Koskinen could get across.
But Edmonton soon took control.
The Oilers got a bad-angle goal to it nine minutes into the third as Barrie somehow slipped a shot over Jon Gilles’ shoulder.
Edmonton then restored its lead eight minutes into the third on the power play as Kane found a loose puck in the slot and guided it in for his second of the game.
The Oilers gave themselves some breathing room 49 seconds later as McDavid sent a pass in front that went off Hyman’s skate and into the net.
McDavid added an empty-netter to extend his goal-scoring streak to five games, giving him 90 points on the season.
“It got away on us a little bit for a couple of minutes in the third, but good teams find ways to win,” Draisaitl said. “At the end of the day, it is two big points for us.
“It has been a bit stretch for us, important games. We had some good teams in here.”
Edmonton started the scoring just 1:11 into the first period. It appeared Gilles thought he had the puck, only to have Jesse Puljujarvi scoop it up behind the net and send it in front to Draisaitl, who put his 41st of the season into a wide-open net.
The Oilers came in with a 20-0 record when scoring first this season, the second-best mark in league history after the 1944-1945 Montreal Canadiens, who went 22-0.
The Devils tied it five minutes into the opening period as Hischier sent Bratt in on a breakaway and he beat Koskinen for his 20th goal.
Edmonton got something of a surprise goal with 2:12 remaining in the second period when it appeared Gilles had made a pad save on a wraparound attempt by Kane. The play carried on for about 30 seconds before a horn sounded indicating that a review was needed — one that concluded that the puck had crossed the line.
Koskinen finished with 25 saves and improved to 11-1-2 in his last 14 starts. Gillies stopped 34 shots.
As we continue to grow our game and become even tighter as a team in the way we play,” Kane said, “I think we’re going to be a tough team to beat.”
UP NEXT
Devils: Host the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
Oilers: At Colorado on Monday night.
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