The Edmonton Oilers have started 5-0 for the fourth time in team history thanks to a 5-3 road win over the Vegas Golden Knights Friday night.
Nicolas Roy gave the Golden Knights the lead on a deflection before the game was four minutes old. Zach Hyman came back with a power play goal for the Oilers. During a scramble in the crease, the puck nudged off Hyman’s skate and over the line. Vegas had a two-man advantage for 1:38 late in the first, but the Oilers killed it off.
“He works so hard it’s contagious,” Zack Kassian said of teammate Zach Hyman. “He just works hard, works smart. His nose is always over the puck. He competes. He’s going to help us out tremendously.”
Listen Below: Zack Kassian:
The Golden Knights had another tip-in goal to start the second, coming off the stick of Nolan Patrick. The Oilers responded with two goals in 1:12. Hyman blasted home a pass from Connor McDavid, then Leon Draisaitl fired in a feed from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
“(Vegas) had a purpose to come out strong with us playing last night,” Head Coach Dave Tippett said. “They put a lot of pressure on us. We turned some pucks over to accentuate that pressure a little bit. A powerplay got us a big goal to get us even, get our feet under us.” said Head Coach Dave Tippett.
Listen Below: Dave Tippett
Nicolas Hague blazed a point shot past Mikko Koskinen two minutes into the third to even it up. The Oilers came right back with Zack Kassian sliding a backhand on a breakaway under Robin Lehner. Duncan Keith assisted on the play for his first point with the Oilers. Draisaitl added an empty netter late in the third.
Koskinen made 36 saves to run his record to 3-0.
“We knew they were going to start hard and put the pressure on us,” Mikko Koskinen said. “We couldn’t manage that like we wanted. We responded well, and that’s all that matters.”
LISTEN BELOW: Mikko Koskinen
The Oilers next game is Wednesday when they host the Philadelphia Flyers.