Evan Bouchard logged two goals and assist and Zach Hyman had a goal and assist to back a 29-save effort from Connor Ingram as the visiting Edmonton Oilers defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 on Monday.
Leon Draisaitl also scored to help the Oilers win for the third time in four games (3-0-1). Captain Connor McDavid earned two assists to extend his point streak to 19 games, extending the best run of his career in a single season.
Chicago lost for the second time in three games on the heels of four straight victories. Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Blackhawks, who were without top scorer Connor Bedard due to illness.
Hyman opened the scoring at 14:41 of the first period, tipping the puck past Chicago goaltender Spencer Knight (33 saves) after Bouchard banked it off defenseman Alex Vlasic’s skate.
Knight returned from a two-game absence caused by a stomach flu that also sidelined multiple teammates, including backup netminder Arvid Soderblom, who also was back in uniform.
Edmonton tested Knight early and throughout the game, outshooting Chicago 37-30. Knight turned in a sprawling glove save on Kasperi Kapanen in the first period, robbing him on a chance alone in the slot.
Bouchard made it 2-0 just 16 seconds into the second period, scoring from below the goal line on a shot that ricocheted off Knight and in.
Bertuzzi brought the Blackhawks within one with his club-leading 24th goal with 5:14 to play, scoring on a rebound of a Wyatt Kaiser shot.
Moments later, Chicago’s Artyom Levshunov helped save a goal before the Blackhawks got out in transition to produce a sequence of strong chances against Ingram.
The Oilers withstood the charge before Bouchard tallied an empty-net goal with 53 seconds left. Eight seconds later, Draisaitl beat Knight after a Chicago turnover.
Draisaitl has registered a point in 20 straight games against the Blackhawks.
Levshunov, a defenseman, skated a 5:33 shift during the second period, falling 29 seconds shy of matching the league record.
Chicago forward Teuvo Teravainen missed the final two periods with an undisclosed injury.
McDavid leads the NHL with 50 assists.
The Oilers clinched the three-game season series with the Blackhawks after prevailing 3-2 at home in a shootout on Nov. 1. The teams will meet again in Edmonton on April 2.
–Field Level Media
