Connor McDavid’s third-period goal broke a tie and sparked the host Edmonton Oilers to a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Friday.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Dominik Kahun also scored for the Oilers in an entertaining Battle of Alberta clash, while goaltender Mike Smith made 24 saves. Edmonton is on a 5-1-1 run and won five of the seven clashes with Calgary this season. In those seven games, McDavid has collected seven goals and 15 points. Leon Draisaitl added a couple of assists.
Michael Stone and Matthew Tkachuk scored for the Flames, who received a 22-save performance from goalie Jacob Markstrom. Calgary has lost six of seven games.
With the score tied 2-2, McDavid’s power-play goal gave Edmonton its first lead. The puck came to McDavid right off the face-off and he fired a wrist shot from the right circle that Markstrom could only get a piece of before it trickled over the line at 7:01 of the final frame for his 22nd goal of the season.
The Oilers had the early momentum to the tune of a 9-1 edge in shots, but Stone opened the scoring for the visiting Flames with his first goal of the season. Upon getting the puck at the point, Stone unloaded a rocket from the high slot that found the mark with Milan Lucic setting the screen in front of the net at 12:23. It’s Stone’s first goal since Jan. 5, 2020.
Nugent-Hopkins replied with an early second-period power-play goal. Amidst a flurry, Nugent-Hopkins pounced on a loose puck for the tally 79 seconds into the frame.
Tkachuk restored the Calgary lead with a breakaway goal. Upon coming out of the penalty box, Tkachuk was sprung by Sean Monahan’s pass and covered a backhand deke at 5:25.
However, Kahun pulled the Oilers even with a tap-in tally just past the midway point. Kailer Yamamoto opted to pass when everyone figured he’d shoot and the result was an easy goal for Kahun at the 11:29 mark of the period.
On top of the loss, the Flames found out shortly before puck drop that key checking center Mikael Backlund would miss the game due to injury.
–Field Level Media