The Edmonton Oilers will look to remain hot against the Flames when they visit Calgary for the second half of a home-and-home on Saturday.
Leon Draisaitl recorded a hat trick, and Connor McDavid added five assists as the Oilers cruised to a 5-1 victory over Calgary in Edmonton on Tuesday night.
The win improved the Oilers to 8-2-1 both overall and in their past 11 meetings with the Flames.
Draisaitl’s three goals snapped an eight-game goal-scoring drought. He did have 15 assists in that span.
“Of course, I was never really in a panic mode,” Draisaitl said. “I felt like the other parts of my games were there, and they were good, so I think it was just a matter of time for it to bounce in.”
Zach Hyman added a goal and two helpers while Evan Bouchard added two assists and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins potted the other goal for Edmonton.
Goaltender Connor Ingram made 18 saves to improve to 2-0-0 since being recalled on Dec. 19.
Ingram has a 2.00 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in the two starts.
McDavid, who enters Saturday’s action atop the league with 44 assists and 67 points, is riding an 11-game point streak (12 goals, 19 assists).
Edmonton, winners of six of their last eight, enter the post-holiday stretch in a tie for first in the Pacific Division and will play 14 of their next 21 on home ice prior to the Olympic break.
“A great opportunity for our group here,” said McDavid. “We’re home for most of January, and we don’t go east again. We’ve gotten a lot of tough trips out of the way.
“I like where our group can go. This is a big month for us coming up. We’ve got to take advantage of this schedule at home here and make a good push.”
Calgary travels to Edmonton, sitting seventh in the Pacific Division, and is 6-13-2 on the road this season.
MacKenzie Weegar had the lone goal for the Flames in the loss Tuesday night.
Dustin Wolf made 34 saves for the Flames, who are 6-4-0 in their last 10. Wolf is 11-14-2 with an .895 save percentage and a 3.00 GAA.
“I think we let their top guys have too much room out there,” said Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau. “We know they’re unbelievable players, but you can’t let them have it that easy. They have a really good power play, and we took too many penalties as well.”
Calgary edged Edmonton 4-3 in a shootout in the first meeting between the Pacific Division rivals on Oct. 8, the season opener for both clubs. The Flames rallied from a 3-0 deficit and took the extra point when Nazem Kadri scored in the shootout’s eighth round.
The Pacific Division rivals wrap up the season series on Feb. 4 in Calgary.
“They came out with a lot more intensity than us,” said Flames defenseman Kevin Bahl. “Our keeper was excellent, and we have lots to learn from there, and we have to be a lot better.
“If we could have shut down their power play, I think we could have given ourselves a good shot in that game.”
–Field Level Media
