Connor McDavid showed once again why many consider him the best player on the planet.
The Oilers forward was involved in four of their five goals as Edmonton overcame a three goal third period deficit to beat the Winnipeg Jets in overtime.
The Jets had a 4-1 lead to open the third period but the Oilers scored four unanswered goals in a 5-4 overtime win on Tuesday at Bell MTS Place.
“4-3 we clearly tightened for a long time,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “And skating is such a big part of our game and we were the slower team in the third.”
McDavid finished the night with two goals and two assists. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a three assist night. Ty Rattie and Jesse Puljujarvi both had third period goals while Darnell Nurse scored the game winner in the 3-on-3 extra period.
“4-1 should be game over,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said.
“They got that first one real quick. All of a sudden there’s life on their bench. We’re on our heals a little bit. The momentum is all on their side, popped a powerplay goal so then we’re reeling. We just let the momentum get away from us and just couldn’t turn it around.”
Adam Lowry scored a pair of goals in the win, but afterwards he was more disappointed about being on the ice for the Oilers’ game tying goal.
“I just think we kinda shot ourselves in the foot,” Lowry said.
“We started trying to make plays at the blueline. We kind of fit into their transition game and we were on our heals in the third, so credit to them, they didn’t quit. They have a real dynamic top line and it showed tonight, but I think that was kinda more our doing.”
Mark Scheifele and Ben Chiarot had the other markers for Winnipeg.
Connor Hellebuyck allowed five goals on 35 shots while Oilers tender Cam Talbot finished with 29 saves.
The Oilers had a perfect night on the powerplay scoring on both their opportunities with the man advantage.
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The Jets came out flying and scored less than five minutes into the contest. Lowry skated out of the corner and tucked it around the goal pad of Talbot. Brandon Tanev had the only assist on Lowry’s second goal of the season.
Lowry struck again just a few minutes later for his second goal of the night. Mathieu Perreault fed him the puck in the slot. Lowry’s first shot was stopped but on his second attempt the puck just trickled across the goal line. Andrew Copp earned the other assist and the Jets went ahead by a pair.
The Oilers broke through with 7:11 left in the opening period. McDavid came busting in with a full head of steam and blew past Jacob Trouba before lifting the backhand over Hellebuyck for a powerplay goal.
The Jets restored the two goal lead just 22 seconds later. Nikolaj Ehlers left the puck for Chiarot at the blueline and he sent a rocket past Talbot for his first tally of the campaign. Dmitry Kulikov also picked up an assist and it was 3-1 for Winnipeg. The shots were 14-12 for the Jets in a thrilling opening period.
The Jets scored again early in period number two. Just 62 seconds into the middle frame, Talbot stopped Patrik Laine’s one-timer on the man advantage but Scheifele was right there to deposit the rebound. Laine and Josh Morrissey had the assists as the Jets took a three goal lead. That was the only goal of the period in which the Oilers outshot Winnipeg 12-11.
The Oilers narrowed the gap just 18 seconds into the final period. McDavid came cruising into the Jets zone, fanned on the shot, but Rattie quickly fired the puck past Hellebuyck. Oscar Klefbom had the other assist and it was a two-goal game.
A little over two minutes later the Oilers inched even closer on the powerplay. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins hit the goal post and McDavid sent in the loose puck for his second goal of the game and suddenly it was 4-3.
Then with just under seven minutes left in regulation, McDavid threaded a perfect pass to Nugent-Hopkins at the side of the goal. He threw the puck in front and Puljujarvi re-directed the puck over Hellebuyck and it was a brand new game all tied at four apiece.
Nurse ended the game just 1:25 in the overtime period. After a nifty toe drag at the blueline he fired it in blocker side on Hellebuyck for the game winning goal.
RELATED: Winnipeg Jets’ Dustin Byfuglien out with upper-body injury
Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien missed a second straight game with an upper-body injury. Kristian Vesalainen and Nic Petan were also scratched.
The Jets continue their homestand on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks.
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