Jujhar Khaira’s first career goal was the winner as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 on Monday for their third straight victory.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl also scored for the Oilers (24-15-7), who have won five of their last seven outings.
READ MORE: Edmonton Oilers beat Calgary Flames 2-1 in shootout, 3rd Battle of Alberta win of the season
Radim Vrbata responded for the Coyotes (13-24-6) who have lost 11 of their last 13 games.
Edmonton took an early lead 3:34 into the first period as Jordan Eberle dropped it to Nugent-Hopkins on an odd-man rush and he sent his ninth of the season past Arizona goalie Mike Smith.
Eberle, who hadn’t scored in 17 games coming into the contest, had two glorious opportunities in the first half of the second period, but hit a post on one and was stoned by Smith on a breakaway on the other.
Khaira made it 2-0 for the Oilers with eight minutes left in the second period. Mark Letestu fed Kharia a pass, who then chipped it over Smith for his first NHL goal.
READ MORE: Edmonton Oilers recall Khaira, Brossoit from farm team
Connor McDavid retook sole possession of the NHL scoring lead with a pass to Draisaitl a few minutes later, who danced around Coyotes defender Lawson Crouse before going up high for his 17th of the season.
Arizona got one back on the power play with two minutes left in the second as Vrbata was left alone in front and buried his 10th of the season on Oilers goalie Cam Talbot.
There was no scoring in the third period.
Both teams return to action on Wednesday, as the Coyotes travel to Winnipeg and the Oilers play the fifth game of a six-game homestand against the Florida Panthers.
Notes: It was the fourth of five meeting between Edmonton and Arizona this season, with the Coyotes winning the first two before the Oilers came away with a 3-2 victory on Dec. 21, their first regulation time win over Arizona in 26 attempts… Center Alexander Burmistrov played his first game with Arizona since being claimed off of waivers from the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 1… Defenceman Adam Larsson returned to the Edmonton lineup after missing one game with a lower body injury… The Oilers have seven players with more than 100 shots this season, while the Coyotes only have Vrbata in that category.
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