McDavid's first hat trick halts Oilers' 5-game skid
DALLAS -- Connor McDavid registered his first career NHL hat trick to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-2 victory against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on Saturday.
McDavid scored his first goals in 11 games as the Oilers snapped a five-game losing streak.
McDavid opened the scoring at 2:57 of the first period. He was trying to make a centering pass on the play when it went off Stars defenseman John Klingberg's stick and past goalie Kari Lehtonen.
Playing in their first game this season, Matt Hendricks and Drake Caggiula helped Edmonton take a 2-0 lead when Tyler Pitlick scored at 13:13 of the first period. Caggiula and Pitlick skated in on 2-on-1 and converted when Stars defenseman Patrik Nemeth left his feet and didn't take away the pass.
It was Caggiula's first career point in his NHL debut.
Oscar Klefbom scored his second goal of the season at 5:21 of the second period on another shot that bounced off a Stars defenseman. This time, Klefbom's point shot kicked off Nemeth's skate and into the net for a 3-0 lead.
McDavid scored his second goal at 6:17 of the period on a rebound to give Edmonton a 4-0 lead. Jesse Puljujarvi and Matthew Benning had assists on the goal.
Dallas countered later in the second period and scored twice when Zack Kassian was given a double-minor for holding and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Patrick Eaves scored on the power play at 15:37 of the second period to cut Edmonton's lead to 4-1. The unassisted goal extended Eaves' career-best five-game goal streak.
Jamie Benn then scored at 16:47 of the second period when he tipped Klingberg's point shot past Cam Talbot to make it 4-2.
McDavid completed the hat trick at 6:51 of the third period when he scored on a rebound to make it 5-2.