Stuart Skinner made 30 saves Tuesday night and the Edmonton Oilers earned a 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers, who were shut out in a third straight home game.
New York’s 180-minute scoreless streak on home ice to start the season is the second-longest in league history and the longest by an active franchise, according to NHL Stats. The longest home scoreless streak to begin a season was 187:19 by the defunct Pittsburgh Pirates in 1928-29.
Skinner made four saves during a New York power play midway through the third period. He made a chest save on a long attempt from defenseman Adam Fox and three point-blank stops on Artemi Panarin during a high-sticking penalty to Brett Kulak.
Skinner preserved Edmonton’s 1-0 lead by making a glove save on Sam Carrick’s try from close range with about 2 1/2 minutes remaining.
Skinner made 24 of his saves in the final 40 minutes, posted his eighth career shutout and joined Nikolai Khabibulin as the only Edmonton goalies to register shutouts against the Rangers. Khabibulin notched a shutout at home against the Rangers on Oct. 22, 2011.
Trent Frederic scored on a breakaway midway through the second period as the Oilers improved to 2-0-1 in their first three games after starting slowly in recent seasons. Adam Henrique added an empty-net tally with 1:08 left.
Connor McDavid recorded an assist on Henrique’s empty-netter.
New York’s Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves.
The Oilers went ahead when Rangers defenseman Urho Vaakanainen’s dump-in attempt went off a linesman, who was sitting on the boards in front of the New York bench. The loose puck caromed to Kasperi Kapanen, who hit Frederic with a lead pass. The center finished off a breakaway by eluding Vaakanainen and lifting a shot over Shesterkin’s right shoulder from close range.
About 4 1/2 minutes after Frederic scored, Sam Carrick had a shot that hit the upper part of the crossbar and stayed in front of the goal line.
–Field Level Media
