Evander Kane’s hat trick leads Oilers over Ducks

Evander Kane’s second hat trick of the season lifted the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks Friday night.

“It’s nice coming out of the break, getting on the board early and getting ready for the second half of the season,” Kane said after the game.

Calvin Pickard held the Oilers in the game in the first period. He stopped Ryan Strome on a breakaway then denied Jakob Silfverberg from in tight less than a minute later. The Ducks would break through on a power play late in the first when Cam Fowler threaded a long wrister past past a screened Pickard.

The Ducks weren’t happy when the Oilers got on the board nine minutes into the second. Corey Perry whacked John Gibson’s stick out of his hands before the net. With Gibson pleading for a penalty, Kane beat him with a wrister from the right wing to make it 1-1. Strome restored the Ducks lead 29 seconds later. Kane took a pass from Leon Draisaitl and beat Gibson along the ice to even it 2-2.

“I think what we expected was how well they would be in the offensive zone,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said about the new line combination. “Controlling pucks, not being able to be knocked off, finding each other in the slot, and just being able to possess the puck down there and make some plays.”

“I thought we created some looks as a line and cashed in, so hopefully we can keep it up and continue to grow,” Draisaitl said.

Lukas Dostal replaced Gibson (lower body injury) to start the third.

Strome sniped one on the power play 3:20 into the third. Dostal’s first shot was a tough one, with Zach Hyman going to the backhand while all alone in front. Dostal held strong with his left pad to make the save.

The Oilers stuck with it and cashed in with two goals 1:28 apart. McDavid sped into the Ducks zone and fed Zach Hyman in front for his 31st. On a power play, McDavid zipped a pass to Leon Draisaitl, who one-timed home his 24th. Kane put it away with an empty netter.

Pickard made 24 saves to record his fifth straight win. McDavid had three assists. Evan Bouchard had an assist to set a new career high with 44 points.

The Oilers, 30-16-1, will visit the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday (630 CHED, Face-off Show 6:30 p.m., game at 8 p.m.).