Connor McDavid will look to extend his career-best goal-scoring streak to eight games when the Edmonton Oilers visit the Minnesota Wild on Monday at Saint Paul, Minn.
McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist in the Oilers’ 5-2 win over the visiting Wild on Friday.
Ryan-Nugent Hopkins added a goal and two assists as the Oilers won for the sixth time in their past eight games. Derek Ryan and Kailer Yamamoto also scored for Edmonton, who received 42 saves from Stuart Skinner (9-6-0, 2.81 goals-against average).
“When you’re getting contributions throughout the lineup, it’s awesome,” Oilers forward Zach Hyman said. “It provides momentum for the team. You get off to the quicker start, I think it just gives confidence to everybody through the lineup. And a lot of guys are playing not more than they had at the beginning of the year, and I think it’s really important for a team effort.”
McDavid has recorded 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) of his NHL-leading 54 during his eight-game point streak. McDavid is the first member of the Oilers to ride a seven-game goal streak since Jimmy Carson (1988-89).
“I thought tonight everyone was going and we played a pretty solid 60 minutes,” said Nugent-Hopkins, who has 14 goals in 28 games after scoring 11 in 63 games last season. “(Skinner) made some big saves and was solid for us, but overall I thought it was one of our best 60-minute performances.”
Minnesota ended a two-game losing streak when Filip Gustavsson (5-4-1, 2.47 goals-against average) made 35 saves for his first NHL shutout in his 32nd start during a 3-0 win over the host Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
“You set a few small goals along the way,” the 24-year-old Gustavsson said. First, I wanted to play an AHL game, then I wanted to win an AHL game, then a shutout. Then I got a chance to play in the NHL, I wanted to win in the NHL and now I got a shutout. Now, we have got to look at the next step.”
However, Kirill Kaprizov failed to extend his consecutive points streak to a team-record 15th straight game after recording an assist against the Oilers last Friday — before being kept off the score sheet against the Canucks.
Kaprizov has 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in the past 15 games, which have boosted his season totals to 17 goals — tied for seventh-most in the league heading into NHL play on Sunday — and 17 assists.
Matt Boldy, Connor Dewar and Sam Steel each scored for the Wild. Mats Zuccarello had two assists, giving him six assists and two goals during his six-game points streak.
The Wild posted their second shutout of the season after allowing 15 goals during their previous three games combined. Minnesota had allowed at least three goals in seven straight games until blanking the Canucks.
“We talked today about how many goals we’ve given up,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason said. “It obviously starts with your goaltender. (Gustavsson) played great and then our defense was really good about clearing those pucks, and we blocked a lot of shots too.”
–Field Level Media
