Anaheim Ducks' Frank Vatrano (77) is stopped by Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) during first period NHL action in Edmonton on Sunday November 26, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
EDMONTON – Connor McDavid had a goal and four assists for nine points in his last two games as the Edmonton Oilers thrashed the Anaheim Ducks 8-2 on Sunday.
Zach Hyman had two goals and an assist and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evander Kane, James Hamblin, Leon Draisaitl and Mattias Ekholm also scored for the Oilers (7-12-1) who have won two straight.
Edmonton starter Stuart Skinner stopped 21 shots for the victory.
Max Jones responded with a pair of goals for the Ducks (9-12-0) who have lost six in a row.
Anaheim starter Lukas Dostal was replaced by John Gibson in the second period after Edmonton scored six goals on 16 shots. Gibson stopped eight of 10 shots.
Three goals were scored on the game’s first five shots on net and the Oilers led 4-2 after the opening period.
The Ducks struck just three-and-a-half minutes into the contest when Brett Leason made a hard pass through traffic to Jones, who beat Skinner.
Edmonton responded just over a minute later on its first shot of the game. Connor Brown sent a backhand pass across to Kane to score his 10th of the season.
Brown’s point was his first in his 14th game as an Oiler after signing as a free agent over the summer.
But the Ducks quickly regained the lead at 6:10 of the first period. Jones in the slot spun and shot while falling down for his second of the game and third of the season.
The Oilers drew even midway through a frantic first period. McDavid elected to shoot on a three-on-one. He put the puck off the far post and in for his seventh this season.
Edmonton led 3-2 at 12:37 when Nugent-Hopkins took Darnell Nurse’s stretch pass in on a breakaway to beat Dostal low blocker side.
With two minutes remaining in the period, McDavid dished to Hyman at the bottom of the circle for a one-timer and Hyman’s 11th of the season.
Hamblin put his own rebound by Dostal five minutes into the second period for Hamblin’s second career NHL goal.
Hyman scored his second of the game at 7:20 with a breakaway backhand, which ended Dostal’s night and brought Gibson in.
McDavid’s assist on Hyman’s goal was his fourth point. He picked up a fifth at 7:11 of the third period when he set up Draisaitl for a one-timer.
Ekholm added a power-play goal with four minutes to play with a cannon of a shot. Nurse’s assist was his third of the game.
NOTES: The Oilers started a stretch of eight of nine games at home . . . Both teams were free of short-term injuries. The Ducks have defenceman Jamie Drysdale and forward Trevor Zegras on Injured Reserve, while the Oilers have forward Dylan Holloway out long-term as well”¦ Anaheim opted to healthy scratch 2023 second-overall pick Leo Carlsson”¦ The Ducks came into the game outscored a combined 22-9 in five previous games.
UP NEXT
The Ducks conclude a two-game road trip Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. The Oilers host the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2023.
