Jesse Puljujari scored twice as the Edmonton Oilers downed the Ottawa Senators 4-2 Tuesday night at Rogers Place.
The Oilers have won three straight games to even their record at 6-6.
“He’s come in and it’s been seamless,” Oilers head coach Dave Tippett said of Puljujarvi after the game. “He’s a big guy, likes to have fun — he’s smiling all the time.
“He’s fit in very well in the dressing room. I’ve just seen a good player come in that’s enjoying playing and enjoying his teammates.”
Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse opened the scoring halfway through the first when his point shot deflected off the Senators’ Austin Watson and beat Ottawa netminder Marcus Hogberg.
Puljujarvi posted his first of the season, driving to the net and tucking his own rebound behind Hogberg. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl deposited a wrister from the right-wing 1:44 later to make it 3-0.
Puljujarvi tipped in an Evan Bouchard shot five-and-a-half minutes into the second. It was Bouchard’s first NHL assist.
“He’s such a good kid,” Tippett said. “It’s great to see him get on the board. He’s one of our top guys being around not just chances himself, but helping create chances for other people, so (I) like to see him get rewarded for that work.”
“I think I started to work on it back in junior in London,” Bouchard said of his wrist shot from the point, which was on full display on Tuesday night. “They would take me out before practice to work on it, so I think that’s where it really started to excel for me.”
Ottawa rookie Tim Stutzle scored the only goal of the third with 29 seconds left.
Oilers goaltender Mikko Koskinen made 23 saves for the win in goal. Draisaitl and Oilers captain Connor McDavid both extended their point streaks to eight games.
The Oilers will play in Calgary on Saturday.
–With files from 630 CHED’s Brenden Escott