Oilers edge Blackhawks for 8th straight win

Field Level Media|published: Wed Jan 10 2024 04:39
Jan 9, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) moves the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at the United Center. credits: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl scored and Stuart Skinner made 25 saves to lift the streaking Edmonton Oilers to a 2-1 road victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.

Edmonton matched a season high with its eighth consecutive victory. Six wins during the Oilers' current tear have come away from Rogers Place.

McDavid stretched his team points lead to 55 with the go-ahead goal at 1:32 of the second period. Gathering a long outlet pass from Mattias Ekholm, McDavid moved in from the right point to beat Chicago goaltender Petr Mrazek on a breakaway.

Chicago outshot Edmonton 26-15, as the Oilers established a season low by eight shots. Making his Blackhawks debut after arriving in a trade with Pittsburgh over the weekend, Rem Pitlick nearly netted the equalizer with 15:04 to go, but his shot went off the left post.

Officials waved off two would-be goals from Edmonton's Zach Hyman.

Chicago has lost 12 of 15 and was thwarted in its bid for its first three-game home winning streak of the season. The Blackhawks outshot the Oilers 12-3 in the third period but were unable to solve Skinner, who turned aside all five shots he faced over three Chicago power plays.

Jason Dickinson capped a frenzied sequence to open the scoring at 5:52 of the first period. Moments after Mrazek made a pad save to stop a rushing McDavid, Dickinson forced a turnover near center ice, darted toward the slot and toe-dragged a wrist shot past Skinner.

The lead was short-lived for the Blackhawks, who also scored first in an eventual 4-1 loss in Edmonton on Dec. 12. Ryan McLeod skated over the blue line and dished to Draisaitl, who had breezed past the Blackhawks' defense and wristed a shot into the net just 2:13 after Dickinson's tally.

Draisaitl has scored in eight successive games vs. Chicago.

Dickinson has points in three straight games.

—Field Level Media

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