Blue
Jackets defeat Oilers for seventh straight victory
Send a link to a friend
[December 14, 2016]
EDMONTON, Alberta -- The red-hot
Columbus Blue Jackets scored three straight goals, two of them in
the third period, to post a rare 3-1 road victory over the Edmonton
Oilers on Tuesday for their seventh straight victory
The Blue Jackets usually struggle in Edmonton, winning only six of
their previous 26 visits, but were too much for the Oilers and are
off to the best start in franchise history (18-5-4).
Cam Atkinson and Matt Calvert scored 1:36 apart midway through the
third period to blow open a 1-1 game. Sam Gagner also scored for
Columbus.
Tyler Pitlick scored for the Oilers (15-12-5), who are 3-4-4 in
their last 11.
Pitlick's seventh of the season gave Edmonton a 1-0 lead 10:06 into
the first period, and the Oilers thought they had a second when a
shot off Zack Kassian's leg went past Sergei Bobrovsky (33 saves) a
few minutes later, but the goal was called back because of
goaltender interference.
Edmonton lost its timeout and coach's challenge trying to get the
call overturned, which would come back to haunt the Oilers in the
second.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Dec/14/images/ads/current/flossies_sda_CHRISTMAS_2016.png)
Ex-Oiler Gagner used his skate to redirect a puck past Cam Talbot at
7:59 of the second. It was questionable whether he made a kicking
motion, but Edmonton was powerless to launch an appeal. The
power-play goal tied it 1-1.
The NHL's No.1 power play struck again in the third when Atkinson
scored on the man advantage at 7:10. Calvert scored at 8:46 to put
it out of reach.
The Oilers, playing their 10th game in 17 days, had nothing left in
the third, and didn't register a shot in the first 13 minutes of the
period.
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/121416pics/sports67.jpg)
Oilers forward Tyler
Pitlick (15) scores a first period goal against Columbus Blue
Jackets goaltender Sergi Bobrovsky (72) at Rogers Place. Mandatory
Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Dec/14/images/ads/current/North_Green_Golf_lda_Xmas_2016.png)
Edmonton received a four-minute power play late in the first period
and into the second when Jack Johnson was sent off for high sticking
Connor McDavid, but replays revealed it was teammate Milan Lucic who
struck the Oilers captain the face.
NOTES: Jackets LW Nick Foligno returned to the lineup after missing
two games with a stomach disorder. ... The Oilers, who've played 23
games in the last 43 days, already played five more games than
Columbus this season. ... Edmonton D Brandon Davidson made his
return after missing the last 30 games with a shoulder injury. His
arrival comes a day after the Oilers announced that D Darnell Nurse
will miss three months after surgery to repair bone and ligament
damage in his ankle. ... Columbus RW Sam Gagner, who spent the end
of last season in the minors after clearing waivers, is on pace for
the best season of his career with 21 points in his first 26 games.
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Dec/14/images/ads/current/ldn_more_exposure_bch.png) |