Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored with 1:56 left in the third period to give the Edmonton Oilers a 4-3 pre-season win over the Winnipeg Jets Saturday night at Rogers Place.
After the Oilers came up empty on an early power play, Kyle Connor scored on the Jets’ first shot of the game just before the game’s four-minute mark.
“(Koskinen) was excellent. We were red rotten in front of him,” Oilers head coach Dave Tippett said post-game.
LISTEN BELOW: Dave Tippett
The Oilers had another man advantage late in the frame and tied it up when Jesse Puljujarvi deflected a shot from Leon Draisaitl.
The Oilers scored two goals 1:40 apart in the second period.
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Brendan Perlini’s point shot was tipped past Eric Comrie by Devin Shore. Then Puljujarvi pounded a slapshot past Comrie to make it 3-1.
“He shoots the puck and he goes to the net,” Tippett said. “When you’re in front of the net, you’re going to find some goals like that. That’s what he did tonight.”
Mark Scheifele was left alone in front and pulled the Jets within a goal with 8:24 to go in the third.
Less than two minutes later, Josh Morrissey came in unchecked from the point and knifed a pass from Evgeny Svechnikov behind Mikko Koskinen.
“I think, overall, my game was pretty good. I felt comfortable and I was having fun, so that’s the most important thing,” Koskinen said.
LISTEN BELOW: Mikko Koskinen
Nugent-Hopkins bagged the winner after taking a cross-ice backhand pass from Draisaitl.
“You’ve got to work to a spot, because even if he’s not looking, he knows that you’re there,” Nugent-Hopkins said of Draisaitl.
“There’s only a couple guys in the league that can strip a guy and make that pass without really looking, so you’ve got to know while playing with him that he’s going to be able to do that.”
LISTEN BELOW: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Koskinen made 31 saves.
“I thought tonight, especially in the first period, he really kept us in it,” Nugent-Hopkins said of his goaltender.
The Oilers, 3-1-1 in the pre-season, will host the Calgary Flames Monday night.
With files from 630 CHED’s Brenden Escott
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