Ottawa Senators goalie Anton Forsberg (31) makes the save on Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) as Jakob Chychrun (6) defends during second period NHL action in Edmonton on Saturday Jan. 6, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
EDMONTON – Zach Hyman recorded his third hat trick of the season as the Edmonton Oilers won their seventh consecutive game with a 3-1 decision over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Evan Bouchard picked up three assists for the Oilers (20-15-1) who moved into eighth place in the Western Conference and a playoff position, overcoming their horrific 5-12-1 start by going 15-3-0 in their last 18 outings.
Parker Kelly scored for the Senators (14-21-0), who have lost three straight and four of their last five.
Edmonton outshot Ottawa 15-8 in the scoreless first period, highlighted by the Oilers ability to kill a double minor penalty to Evander Kane assessed for high-sticking Claude Giroux.
Both goalies had key saves in the early stages of the second period as Oilers starter Stuart Skinner stopped Brady Tkachuk and Sens goalie Anton Forsberg made a pair of nice saves on Connor McDavid.
The Oilers broke the deadlock with 1:52 remaining in the middle frame with a big power-play goal. Senators’ penalty killer Jake Sanderson had a chance to clear the zone and failed to do so, eventually leading to Evan Bouchard sending a long shot through traffic that was tipped past Forsberg by Hyman.
Edmonton made it 2-0 just 2:36 into the third period as Forsberg got a piece of a wrist shot from the top of the circle by Hyman, only to have it trickle behind him into the net.
Ottawa ended Skinner’s shutout bid with just 4:58 to play as Kelly poked in his fourth of the season during a mad scramble in front of the Oilers net. The goal was originally waved off due to goaltender interference, but a video review overturned that decision.
Edmonton regained a two-goal safety net with just under three minutes to play as McDavid found Hyman at the side of the net for the easy redirection, giving him seven goals in his last six games and 25 on the season. It was Hyman’s fourth career hat trick.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch became the first coach in NHL history to have two seven-game winning streaks in his first 25 games in the position.
NOTES
It was the first of two meetings between the teams, with the next matchup taking place in Ottawa on March 24. “¦ The Senators were without the services of Rourke Chartier (upper body) and Zack MacEwen (undisclosed). “¦ Oilers forward Sam Gagner was eligible to return from injury but was a healthy scratch with Edmonton reluctant to fiddle with a winning lineup. “¦ Oilers forward Connor Brown has not scored since he was still a member of the Senators in March of 2022, unable to find the back of the net in 29 games with Edmonton this year after missing almost all of last season with an injury. “¦ It was Edmonton defenceman Brett Kulak’s 30th birthday. “¦ The Oilers came into the game with an 11-1-1 record in their previous 13 games against the Sens.
UP NEXT
Senators: Play the fourth game of a five-game road trip against the Flames on Tuesday in Calgary.
Oilers: Begin a three-game trip in Chicago on Tuesday against the Blackhawks.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2024.
