Zach Hyman had a natural hat trick and Connor Brown ended a 72-game goalless drought as the Edmonton Oilers rolled to a 7-2 win over the Washington Capitals Wednesday night at Rogers Place.
Nic Dowd was slapped with a double minor for high sticking Darnell Nurse just 1:05 into the game. The Oilers scored late in the four-minute advantage when Leon Draisaitl pounded in a one-timer. The Oilers went on another power play soon after which resulted in Connor McDavid beating Darcy Kuemper with a wrister.
The Capitals scored on their first shot eight-and-a-half minutes into the game when Ivan Miroshnichenko put a sharp angle shot right off the post and in. Connor McMichael scored on the Caps second shot of the game, beating Stuart Skinner on the power play. The Oilers responded 29 seconds later with Zach Hyman muscling in his 44th of the season.
Late in the first, Skinner dove to his right for an improbable denial on a wide open Alex Ovechkin.
Hyman notched his 45th with 5:47 left in the second, taking a pass from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and popping a wrister inside the post. In the final minute of the second, Evan Bouchard drilled a power play point that went off Hyman on the way in to make it 5-2 Oilers. It was Hyman’s fifth hat trick of the season.
Warren Foegele made it 6-2 with 9:17 left in the third. Only 17 seconds later, Brown ended his scoreless drought when Evander Kane’s pass went in off his skate. It was Brown’s first goal since March 24, 2022. Adam Henrique had the second assist for his first point as an Oiler.
With three minutes left, Skinner shot out his glove hand to make another mindbending save on Ovechkin.
Skinner finished with 23 saves. Draisaitl had a goal and three assists.
Defenceman Mattias Ekholm missed the game with an illness. Troy Stecher played 13:33 in his Oilers debut.
The Oilers, 40-21-3, will host the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday (630 CHED, Face-off Show at 6:30 p.m., game at 8 p.m.).
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