McDavid injured in Oilers' win over Flyers

[November 04, 2015]  EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers suffered their most painful win in years Tuesday when a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers cost them rookie sensation Connor McDavid.

McDavid is out long term with an upper-body injury after slamming hard into the end boards late in the second period. He was going at full speed when he got tied up with Flyers Michael Del Zotto and Brandon Manning. He was unable to protect himself and left the game favoring his left shoulder or collarbone. He was later seen in a sling.

"I feel bad for him," said Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. "He's been playing so great, putting the work in. An unlucky play like that you just have to feel bad for him.

"You don't want to see anybody go in like that with a couple of guys riding him. It was definitely tough to see."

It sucked the life out of Rexall Place and took a lot of the shine of a comeback victory that upped their record to 5-8.

The Oilers will wait until McDavid sees a doctor to determine an exact diagnosis and recovery time, but the 2015 first pick overall isn't expected back anytime soon.

"It's never good when someone doesn't come back in a game and he's a guy who would be on the ice anytime he could, so that doesn't bode well," said left winger Taylor Hall.

"We'll see what the prognosis is, but you never want to see a guy out of the lineup, especially one just starting out his career. He was doing so well, he was becoming a leader in our locker room even though he's 18."

The Oilers, despite the terrible news, did come back from 2-1 down to post the win, though. Left wingers Matt Hendricks and Hall scored third-period goals at 6:13 and 7:40 to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead.

Nugent-Hopkins added an empty netter.

"We're going to find ways to win," said Oilers defenseman Eric Gryba. "He's a big part of this team but we'll find ways to make it work."

The Flyers, meanwhile, have problems of their own after losing for the fifth straight time.

"Any time you lose five in a row, you are pretty frustrated," said center Ryan White. "We are trying out there. Sometimes I think we are trying a little too hard. We just need to calm down and play.

"Right now we want it, but we just aren't doing the right things to make it happen. We need to step back and regroup and get back to the basics."

The Oilers spent the last two days addressing their slow starts -- they've been outscored 12-5 in the first period of their last five games, going 1-4 in that span -- and it seemed to pay dividends against the Flyers.

At least on the shot clock.

They pounded Philadelphia 19-2 in first-period shots but Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth kept it scoreless for 19:56.

Finally, with 3.2 seconds left in the first period, the Oilers finally broke through on a power-play goal from center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Despite spending the entire first period in their own end, the Flyers were still in it, and came to life in the second. Left winger Scott Laughton scored in the first minute and center Ryan White put them up 2-1 at 12:59. And just like that, despite being outshot 30-15 at the time, the Flyers were up 2-1.

By game's end the shots were 49-22 Edmonton.

"Neuvirth played a hell of a game, just awesome," said right winger Wayne Simmonds. "Our goalies have played great all year. It's up to us in front of them, the forwards and defensemen, we have to figure it out.

"He was standing on his head and giving us a chance to win and we just didn't show up and play our best hockey in the third."

And it cost them.

"We're just not a confident group right now," said White "We need to calm down and get back to playing hockey."

NOTES: Oilers C Connor McDavid was named NHL rookie of the month for October on the strength of five goals and seven assists in 12 games. In his first game in November, he suffered a long-term injury. ... Edmonton LW Taylor Hall is the NHL's third star of the week after posting two goals and seven points in three games. ... Oilers LW Matt Hendricks scored in his first game back after missing seven with an ankle injury. Veteran Oilers D Mark Fayne was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. ... Flyers offseason acquisition D Evgeny Medvedev had been playing with an upper-body injury since Oct. 27 but has sat out the last two games. ... Flyers C Sean Couturier is progressing well from his concussion and is expected back soon. He rejoined the team in Edmonton on Tuesday. ... C Vincent Lecavalier has only played four of Philadelphia's first 12 games.

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