The Edmonton Oilers didn’t let getting shut out in Sunday’s loss in Toronto discourage them in Ohio on Tuesday night.
Playing the final game of a three-game road trip, the Oilers continued their strong offensive play and pounded the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-2.
“I think we’ve had a similar energy for a dozen games or so,” Oilers forward Mark Letestu said after the game. “We knew we had to go get that goalie early. When he feels the puck early and settles in, he’s real tough to beat, so it’s good to get off on a good start.”
The Oilers scored the only goal in the first period. Letestu held a puck in at the blue line and passed it to Anton Slepyshev. Slepyshev gave it back to Letestu, who found Zack Kassian wide open in front. Kassian one-timed home his third of the season.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins fired in a power play goal in the second period, converting a pass from Mike Cammalleri. The Oilers poured it on late in the period, scoring three times in 3:18. Matt Benning slipped a shot through Sergei Bobrovsky’s legs to make it 3-0. Connor McDavid set up Milan Lucic for a power play marker with 50.3 seconds left. Finally, Letestu chased down a loose puck for a breakaway while shorthanded with the period expiring. His wrist shot hit the mark with just 0.3 seconds to go. It was Letestu’s second shorthanded goal of the season.
“It’s coming together more for us offensively. The power play woke up on this trip,” Oilers head coach Todd McLellan said. “Lines seem to be clicking a little bit more, we’re prepared to shoot and grind it out… maybe it’s our time right now.
“You go through dry spells and sometimes you score a lot, and right now we’re finding the net.”
Bobrovsky, who allowed five goals on 26 shots, was replaced by Joonas Korpisalo to start the third. Jesse Puljujarvi and McDavid added two more for the Oilers.
Oliver Bjorkstrand and Jack Johnson scored third period goals for the Blue Jackets.
Laurent Brossoit earned an assist on Benning’s goal for his first NHL point. McDavid had a goal and three assists.
The Oilers, who have won six of their last 10, improve to 13-16-2 on the season. They’ll host Nashville on Thursday.
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