The Edmonton Oilers tightened the Pacific Division race with a standout performance from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, edging closer to the Vegas Golden Knights with just over two weeks left in the season.
Nugent-Hopkins matched his career high with five points, and Edmonton’s top-ranked power play scored three goals, propelling the Oilers to a 7-4 victory over the Golden Knights on Tuesday night.
The Oilers now have 95 points, trailing first-place Vegas by three. The Los Angeles Kings, who lost 2-1 to Calgary, remain in second place with 96 points. Edmonton will host the Kings on Thursday.
“Obviously, we know who we’re playing,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “We know where they’re at in the standings. We know where we’re at, and we’re still pushing for home ice. I think that will make a difference come playoff time.”
With the NHL’s two leading scorers (Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl) and an eight-game point streak, the Oilers are shaping to be a formidable playoff contender.
“I don’t think we’re anywhere near our potential just yet,” coach Jay Woodcroft said. “I think we’re working towards that. … We’re building towards peaking at the right time, which is in about three weeks.”
The Oilers halted a four-game winning streak by the Golden Knights, who had won eight of their last nine. They also prevented Vegas from clinching a playoff spot.
Nugent-Hopkins contributed a goal and four assists, his second five-point game, with his first on Nov. 19, 2011, against Chicago. He is now four points shy of 100 this season, surpassing his previous career high of 69 points from the 2018-19 season.
“He doesn’t get nearly enough recognition that he deserves,” Draisaitl said. “The things he does are so subtle, and most people don’t realize what he does out there. Just a phenomenal hockey player.”
Nugent-Hopkins was one of three Oilers with multiple points, alongside McDavid (three assists) and Draisaitl (goal and assist). McDavid leads the NHL with 143 points and 83 assists.
Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse, Evander Kane, Zach Hyman, and Brett Kulak also scored for Edmonton, whose power play went 3 for 3 in just 2:55 of total time. Stuart Skinner made 19 saves.
Jonathan Marchessault scored twice for Vegas, with William Karlsson and Michael Amadio each adding a goal. Alex Pietrangelo provided two assists.
The first 10 minutes saw five combined goals, with Nugent-Hopkins contributing three points and taking a puck to the face. Edmonton capitalized on both power-play opportunities, and the Knights netted a short-handed goal.
Edmonton broke a 3-all tie in the second period with three goals in the final 13:59, dominating with 34 shots on goal through two periods compared to Vegas’ 12.
For the third period, Laurent Brossoit replaced Jonathan Quick in the Knights’ net.
“We allowed their high-end players to make plays in front of him,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I’m not putting it on Jonathan. This was more about, ‘It’s not your night and we’re not playing well in front of you.’”
Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore did not play in the third period due to an undisclosed injury.
GOING STREAKING
The Oilers extended several impressive streaks: Draisaitl and Hyman each scored in their third consecutive game, with Draisaitl’s point streak reaching 10 games (six goals, 14 assists). McDavid (six goals, 13 assists) and Nugent-Hopkins (five goals, 13 assists) both extended their streaks to nine games and Nurse (three goals, three assists) to six games.
Vegas also maintained some notable streaks: Marchessault scored in his third straight game, and Phil Kessel has a five-game point streak (two goals, four assists).
UP NEXT
- Oilers: Host Los Angeles on Thursday in a crucial battle for Pacific Division playoff positioning.
- Golden Knights: Travel to San Jose on Thursday to face the last-place Sharks in the Pacific Division.