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McDavid scores winner as part of three-point night, Oilers beat Canadiens

McDavid scores winner as part of three-point night, Oilers beat Canadiens
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Edmonton 4 Montreal 1

EDMONTON — Connor McDavid scored the winner late in the third period as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in a physical affair Monday.

Jesse Puljujarvi, with a goal and an assist, Ethan Bear and Devin Shore also scored for Edmonton (27-15-2), while Mike Smith made 22 saves. McDavid also had two assists for a three-point night for the Oilers, who trailed 1-0 with less than 10 minutes to play in regulation.

Eric Staal replied for Montreal (19-15-9), which got 25 saves from Jake Allen after he replaced Carey Price to start the second period. Price, who stopped seven shots in the opening 20 minutes, didn’t come out after the intermission.

The Oilers stretched their home winning streak to eight games, and improved to 2-3-1 against Montreal in 2021.

The Canadiens, meanwhile, fell to 2-6-0 over their last eight games without injured winger Brendan Gallagher (broken thumb).

The Oilers moved to within one point of the Winnipeg Jets for second place in the North Division with a game in hand.

Coming off Saturday’s 4-0 home loss to the Ottawa Senators, the Canadiens opened a five-game road trip that will see them back at Rogers Place on Wednesday before three crucial outings in Calgary against the Flames, who are chasing Montreal for the division’s fourth and final playoff spot.

Edmonton tied the game 1-1 at 10:49 of the third on a Bear one-timer off a McDavid feed after some great pressure in the offensive zone for his first goal of the season.

Denied of his 24th goal of the campaign in the first on a sequence that was overturned after replay, McDavid pushed his team ahead with 4:49 left in the third when he collected the puck at Edmonton’s blue-line, split Montreal’s defence and fired shortside on Allen.

Puljujarvi made it 3-1 with 2:23 left on a breakaway before Shore iced it into an empty net.

Montreal opened the scoring at 6:46 of the second when Corey Perry threw a pass in front that hit Staal’s right skate and past Smith for his fifth, and second since being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in late March.