Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Troy Stecher scored 20 seconds aside within the second interval because the Edmonton Oilers shut down the 2024 calendar 12 months with a 4-1 victory over the visiting Utah Hockey Membership on Tuesday evening.
With the sport tied at 1, Nugent-Hopkins notched the go-ahead purpose on the 4:53 mark on an odd-man break earlier than Stecher created a two-goal margin shortly thereafter.
Mattias Ekholm had a purpose and an help and Leon Draisaitl additionally scored because the Oilers moved to 9-1-0 of their previous 10 video games at dwelling. Connor McDavid and Connor Brown had two assists apiece for Edmonton. Goaltender Stuart Skinner had 26 saves for his 14th win of the season.
For Utah, Jack McBain scored whereas goalie Jaxson Stauber made 34 saves because the membership misplaced its fifth straight sport (0-4-1). Clayton Keller, who has a team-high 37 factors on the season, was a late scratch on account of an sickness.
The Oilers bought on the board at 4:26 of the primary interval when defenseman Ekholm stepped up into the left circle and ripped dwelling a slap shot.
Nonetheless, Utah’s main goal-scorer, Dylan Guenther, performed the position of giver 1:34 later, dishing the puck from the half-boards into the slot to a charging McBain, who slickly beat Skinner for the equalizer.
In a fast-paced first interval, Edmonton fired 15 photographs on Stauber, however the 25-year-old goalie turned away 14 of them.
The house facet broke the sport open within the second interval with a pair of fast targets.
Nugent-Hopkins, who had the game-winning purpose in additional time towards the Utah Hockey Membership on Nov. 29 in Salt Lake Metropolis, pressured a turnover and completed a breakaway off a cross from McDavid. Stecher then made it 3-1 earlier than Nugent-Hopkins’ tally had even been introduced.
Within the third, Utah had an opportunity to chop into the deficit on its second energy play of the sport, nevertheless it got here up empty.
Draisaitl’s league-leading twenty seventh purpose of the season went into an empty internet at 18:58 of the third to complete off the win.
–Subject Degree Media