Edmonton 4, Minnesota 1
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, February 7, 2019
Where: Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Referees:
T.J. Luxmore, Ian Walsh
Linesmen:
Matt MacPherson, Bryan Pancich
Attendance:
18904
By Field Level Media
Cam Talbot made 35 saves as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory against the host Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
Darnell Nurse, Ty Rattie, Leon Draisaitl and Zack Kassian scored for the Oilers, whose skid matched their season-worst. Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had two assists.
The Oilers finally clamped down defensively after surrendering three or more goals in each game during their losing streak.
Joel Eriksson Ek, recalled from Iowa of the American Hockey League on Wednesday, scored the lone goal for the Wild, who dropped to 0-2-2 since the All-Star break. Goaltender Devan Dubnyk stopped 19 of 22 shots.
The Wild were playing their first game since it was announced captain Mikko Koivu would miss the rest of the season. Koivu suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his knee in a 5-4 shootout loss Tuesday at Buffalo.
Nurse gave the Oilers the lead just 2:15 into the first period on the game's first shot. McDavid took a pass from Kassian and drove down the left wing before pulling up and feeding the puck back to Nurse at the left point. Nurse's rising slap shot beat Dubnyk high to the glove side.
Rattie doubled the advantage at 4:32 of the second. The Oilers forced a turnover at their own blue line, sending Nugent-Hopkins on a two-on-one break down the left wing. Nugent-Hopkins waited until he reached the faceoff circle in the offensive end and flipped a pass to Rattie at the top of the slot, and he tipped the puck into the net.
Eriksson Ek pulled the Wild within 2-1 at 2:50 of the third period. Jason Zucker gained control of the puck behind the Edmonton net and fed Eriksson Ek at the top of the slot, and his one-timer left Talbot with no chance.
The Oilers restored their two-goal advantage when Draisaitl scored at 5:35 of the third, and Kassian added an empty-netter at 18:40.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
| Edmonton |
|
Minnesota |
|
Zack Kassian 2 |
Points |
Joel Eriksson Ek 1 |
|
Zack Kassian 1 |
Goals |
Joel Eriksson Ek 1 |
|
Connor McDavid 2 |
Assists |
Luke Kunin 1 |
|
Leon Draisaitl 1 |
Power Play Goals |
N/A |
|
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
|
Cam Talbot .972 |
Save Percentage |
Devan Dubnyk .864 |
|
Cam Talbot 35 |
Saves |
Devan Dubnyk 19 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
| Edmonton
|
23 |
4 |
1-3 |
2-2 |
4 |
29 |
| Minnesota
|
36 |
1 |
0-2 |
2-3 |
6 |
37 |
Upcoming Games
-
Minnesota will play their next game on the road against New Jersey. The Wild have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .464 after a loss.
-
Edmonton will play their next game at home against San Jose. The Oilers have a W/L % of .458 after a win and .433 after a loss.
For more information, contact us