Edmonton Oilers' Darnell Nurse (25) defends against Winnipeg Jets' Morgan Barron (36) during first period NHL action in Winnipeg on Thursday, November 30, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
WINNIPEG – Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play with 2:13 remaining in the third period to break a tie and help extend the Edmonton Oilers’ win streak to four games with a 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse had tied the game 1-1 with 6:49 left in the third period with a straight-on shot from just inside the blue line that hit goalie Connor Hellebuyck’s glove and bounced into the net.
Edmonton forward Ryan McLeod’s first goal of the season went into an empty net with 20 seconds left.
Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for Edmonton (9-12-1).
Cole Perfetti scored a first-period power-play goal for Winnipeg in front of a season-high crowd of 13,611 fans at Canada Life Centre.
Hellebuyck stopped 36-of-38 shots for Winnipeg (12-8-2), which is now riding its first three-game losing streak of the season.
The Oilers had the game’s first power play midway in the first period, but Hellebuyck stopped a close-in shot by Connor McDavid.
A few minutes later, Skinner whipped out a glove to snag a shot by Mark Scheifele. Nikolaj Ehlers then blasted the puck and it rang off a post.
Winnipeg got its first man advantage late in the period and Perfetti redirected a shot by Scheifele into the net at 18:27. It was his eighth goal in 22 games this season, which ties his career high for goals from last season’s 51 games.
Shots on goal favoured Edmonton 12-8.
The Jets had their second power play with six minutes remaining in the middle period. They got three shots on goal, but the best chance was an open side of the net and Perfetti couldn’t get his stick on the puck.
With three minutes left, McDavid was called for interference. Skinner got a piece of Winnipeg’s only shot with his pad.
The Oilers led 23-17 on shots after the second frame.
A third-period highlight for fans was Jets captain Adam Lowry checking McDavid hard into the boards.
Hellebuyck shook his head in anger after Nurse registered his fourth goal of the season at 13:11.
BACK IN ACTION
Jets forward Gabe Vilardi returned after missing 18 games with a sprained MCL he suffered on Oct. 17 in Winnipeg’s third game of the season.
Vilardi had been on Winnipeg’s first line with Kyle Connor and Scheifele before his injury, but was eased in against the Oilers on the fourth line with Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Morgan Barron moved to centre. He also played some minutes on the first power-play unit.
STREAKS BUILD
Edmonton defenceman Evan Bouchard stretched his point streak to eight games with an assist on Draisaitl’s goal. He now has two goals and eight assists in that span.
McDavid had the primary helper on the goal, extending his point streak to six games with four goals and 12 assists.
UP NEXT
Jets: Host the Chicago Blackhawks Saturday afternoon.
Oilers: Host the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 6.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2023.
