Penguins power past struggling Oilers
EDMONTON, Alberta -- The Edmonton Oilers entered Wednesday's game with the second-worst penalty-killing record in the NHL. They are also the NHL's lowest-scoring team.
Everything went to script in a 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. The Oilers (3-7-1) gave up two power-play goals, and scored two goals or less for the eighth time in 11 games.
Evgeni Malkin scored the winner, at 12:23 of the third period, on the man advantage. And Penguins goalie Matt Murray made an outstanding save on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with 13 seconds left in regulation. Murray made 35 saves.
The Penguins (8-5-1) earned at least a point in a game against the Oilers for the 15th straight time.
The Penguins broke through just 56 seconds into the second, with Patric Hornqvist deflecting a point shot from Kris Letang past Oilers goalie Cam Talbot (27 saves). The goal came on the Penguins' first power-play chance of the game.
But, on a power play of their own, the Oilers tied it at 6:36. Patrick Maroon's backhand pass from behind the net went into the slot, and Nugent-Hopkins pounded it past Murray. It was Nugent Hopkins' 100th career NHL goal.
Then, it was time for some Connor McDavid magic. The NHL's reigning Most Valuable Player cut across the slot, danced around Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta, then placed a backhanded pass back in the direction from which he came. Leon Draisaitl was wide open to put the against-the-grain pass into the net.
But Zack Kassian and Darnell Nurse took penalties just 18 seconds apart, giving the Penguins a lengthy two-man advantage.
Talbot, though, stole the show, stopping three Malkin blasts to highlight a penalty kill. And, after Talbot's final save on Malkin, the Oilers were able to clear the rebound to Kassian coming out of the box, putting him on a breakaway. Murray did the splits to deny Kassian and end a breathtaking sequence.
That was the Oilers' only penalty-killing highlight of the night.
The Penguins tied it with just 22 seconds left in the second. On a two-on-one, Sidney Crosby's pass was put home by Conor Sheary; the goal came right after the Oilers couldn't convert a three-on-one break.
NOTES: Pens D Justin Schultz and D Matt Hunwick are both out with concussions; the team hopes they will be available later in the road trip. .... The Penguins also scratched LW Carl Hagelin and D Zach Trotman. ... The Oilers scratched LW Jujhar Khaira, LW Jussi Jokinen and D Eric Gryba. ... G Cam Talbot was named the Oilers Molson Cup winner for October; the winner is selected based on three-star selections during the month. ... Talbot remains frozen at 99 career NHL wins.