Oilers outlast Flames to grab 3-1 series lead
EDMONTON — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored his second aim of the night time with 3:27 left in regulation because the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Calgary Flames 5-3 on Tuesday to take a 3-1 lead within the groups’ second-round playoff collection.
Evander Kane, along with his NHL-best eleventh and twelfth of the post-season, and Zach Hyman had the opposite objectives for Edmonton, which received 29 saves from Mike Smith. Leon Draisaitl added two assists.
Connor McDavid additionally had two assists to present him a league-topping 25 factors in 11 playoff outings this spring for the Oilers, who stored their foot on the fuel with a 3rd straight victory over their provincial rival.
Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund and Rasmus Andersson, on a short-handed aim from his personal finish within the third interval to tie proceedings 3-3, replied for Calgary, which can look to stave off elimination within the first post-season Battle of Alberta in 31 years Thursday at residence in Sport 5.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 21 pictures.
After trailing 3-0 after the primary interval and 3-2 via 40 minutes, Calgary improbably knotted issues within the third on an Edmonton energy play when Andersson fired a 150-foot clearing try from his personal finish that by some means fooled Smith at 10:56 and surprised Rogers Place.
However with the Oilers wobbling, Nugent-Hopkins shovelled residence his fourth of the playoffs from Markstrom’s doorstep to ship the nervous crowd right into a frenzy.
Andersson then took a four-minute penalty for high-sticking with 2:40 left to successfully kill off the sport earlier than Kane iced it into an empty web.
Edmonton additionally held a 2-1 collection lead within the first spherical in opposition to the Los Angeles Kings solely to play what the Oilers described as their worst efficiency of the month in a 4-0 loss.
They will not be thrilled with this Sport 4 both, however received the victory for a stranglehold on the collection.
Markstrom, who had allowed 14 objectives within the collection earlier than getting pulled after two durations with Calgary trailing Sunday’s Sport 3 by a 4-0 rating line, performed the puck behind his personal web on the primary shift, however put it proper on Nugent-Hopkins’ stick for him to bury his third inside a deafening area.
The aim was the third-fastest in Oilers’ playoff historical past, simply in need of McDavid (19 seconds in 2020) and Fernando Pisani (16 seconds in 2006).
One in all three finalists for the Vézina Trophy because the NHL’s high netminder, Markstrom recovered to disclaim Darnell Nurse on an opportunity a pair minutes later earlier than Smith was at full stretch on a Johnny Gaudreau one-time probability.
Calgary winger Tyler Toffoli then took a tripping penalty and the Oilers made the guests pay when Hyman outmuscled a hobbled Chris Tanev — again within the lineup for the primary time since Sport 6 of the opening spherical regardless of a suspected upper-body damage — in tight to bury his fifth aim of the collection and seventh of the playoffs at 9:53.
The Flames, who topped the Pacific Division within the common season, pushed again with a few first rate shifts, however Kane, who was coming off a pure hat trick in Sport 3, made it 3-0 with 66 seconds remaining within the interval on a shot that nicked off blue-liner Nikita Zadorov.
Calgary lastly confirmed some life on slick energy play within the second with Kane off for slashing, and Lindholm finally picked the highest nook for his fifth at 9:04 after the Oilers twice didn’t clear the defensive zone.
Backlund received the Flames inside one at 3-2 simply 36 seconds later when he stepped previous Duncan Keith and fired his fourth previous Smith.
Smith made a very good cease on a Lindholm power-play probability early within the third earlier than the house facet received its second man-advantage with 11 minutes left in regulation.
Markstrom stored his group inside putting distance with a terrific pad cease on Draisaitl, who was trying to turn into the primary participant in NHL historical past to register file three-plus factors in 4 straight playoff video games, with a terrific pad cease earlier than Andersson’s surprising equalizer from effectively inside his personal blue line.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Could 24, 2022.
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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
