Oilers top Blackhawks in OT, snap losing streak
CHICAGO -- Mark Letestu scored a power-play goal with 16 seconds left in overtime and Cam Talbot made 30 saves as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night at United Center.
With Patrick Kane off for hooking, Letestu drilled a shot from the left circle past Anton Forsberg for his second goal of the season, lifting the Oilers (2-4-0) in the opener of a three-game road trip.
Kane scored a goal and Forsberg made 40 saves for Chicago (4-2-2), which dropped two straight and three of four.
Kane gave Chicago a 1-0 lead 7:33 into the contest when he took a pass from Jan Rutta and shoveled a shot past Talbot for his third goal of the season.
Patrick Maroon tied the score for Edmonton with 2:42 to play in the opening frame, but it was the pass from Connor McDavid that was more impressive. Last season's Hart Trophy winner fooled Duncan Keith with a spin-o-rama move that evoked Blackhawks legend Denis Savard before slipping a pass to Maroon, who flicked it past an out-of-position Forsberg.
McDavid, who also won the Art Ross Trophy in 2016-17, has assists in four straight games.
Edmonton was called for three penalties in the opening 4:59 of the second period, but Talbot stood his ground, including for 56 seconds of a 5-on-3 situation.
Meanwhile, Forsberg -- who was 1-8-1 with a 3.99 goals-against average in his career coming into the game -- was just as impressive in his first home start for Chicago.
Midway through the first period, he sticked aside a drive from rookie Kailer Yamamoto, and he gloved a Yohann Auvitu's shot from the right point with just under three minutes to play in the second.
Forsberg then made several big stops early in the third. First, he gloved Jussi Jokinen's backhander from the left boards and followed seconds later by corralling Auvitu's drive from the slot. About 90 seconds later and with Chicago on the power play, Forsberg made a pad stop of Letestu's slap shot from the slot.
With just over seven minutes left in regulation, Talbot had trouble handling a blast from Jonathan Toews in front, but the puck trickled past the left post.
Talbot turned away a hard wrister from Nick Hayden with just over a minute left in regulation.
Chicago had its chances in overtime. Toews was denied twice in the opening minute by Talbot, and Brandon Saad -- who leads the NHL with four game-winning goals -- rang a shot off the post with 3:34 left.
NOTES: Edmonton C Leon Draisaitl (eye/concussion) and LW Drake Caggiula (undisclosed) remain on injured reserve. ... LW Jujhar Khaira and D Matt Benning were scratches for the Oilers, while D Michal Kempny, D Cody Franson and C Tommy Wingels sat out for the Blackhawks. ... Edmonton C Connor McDavid and Chicago RW Alex DeBrincat were teammates in juniors with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League. ... Oilers C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins needs three goals for 100 in his career. ... The Oilers continue their three-game road trip on Saturday night versus the Philadelphia Flyers. Chicago begins a two-game swing against the Arizona Coyotes later that night.