EDMONTON — Connor McDavid scored the shootout winner and added a goal in regulation as the Edmonton Oilers continued their efforts to dig their way out of a recent slump with a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night.
Evan Bouchard also scored for the Oilers (21-16-2) who have now won three straight after going 2-11-2 in their previous 15 games. Edmonton goalie Mikko Koskinen stopped all three Nashville shootout attempts.
Filip Forsberg, Matt Duchene scored for the Predators (27-14-4), who lost for the first time in four games.
The Oilers tied an unfortunate franchise record by allowing the game’s first goal for the 11th straight game when Forsberg scored his 200th career goal high to the stick side past Koskinen five minutes into the opening period. It was also the 26th time in the last 30 games Edmonton has allowed the first goal of the game.
Edmonton got that back with 32 seconds to play in the first as McDavid blazed up ice and cut past defender Matt Benning before putting his 21st of the season through the legs of Nashville goalie Juuse Saros.
The Predators went ahead 2-1 seven-and-a-half minutes into the second when Duchene elected to shoot on a two-on-one, notching his 21st high to the glove side past Koskinen.
The Oilers pulled even again with five minutes to play in the middle frame as a long point shot from Bouchard hit a defender and caromed into the net.
There was no scoring in the third, with Edmonton outshooting the Preds 43-26 through regulation time.
Overtime saw Darnell Nurse hitting a post for the Oilers.
The Oilers begin a three-game road trip in Montreal on Saturday. The Predators are off until Tuesday, when they will host to the Vancouver Canucks.
Notes: The Oilers, who signed forward Evander Kane to a one-year deal earlier in the day, have also been getting some of their top players back in the lineup. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins returned from injury Tuesday, and Zach Hyman returned from COVID protocol Thursday… Still out of the lineup for Edmonton were Mike Smith (thumb) and Tyson Barrie (upper body)… Missing for Nashville were Dante Fabbro (upper body) and Eeli Tolvanen (COVID-19 protocol)… Predators 24-year-old forward Tanner Jeannot came into the game leading the NHL in rookie scoring with 13 goals and his team in hits with 141.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 27, 2022.
The Canadian Press