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McDavid nets winner as Oilers defeat Panthers in OT

[January 19, 2017] EDMONTON, Alberta -- The winning goal was scored with just 2.6 seconds left in overtime. The play had to go to the NHL's video-review headquarters to confirm that the puck, by mere inches, had fully crossed the line.

Another night, another nailbiter for the Edmonton Oilers.

Connor McDavid's breakaway winner capped off his three-point night, and gave the Oilers a 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers.

Panthers netminder James Reimer reached back to snatch McDavid's backhanded effort, but replays showed that Reimer pulled his glove across the goal line.

"I thought it went in, just because he (Reimer) was already in his net, basically," said McDavid. "The refs did a good job and the guys back in Toronto doing the video did a good job to find a clear shot of it."

Reimer was still in denial after the game.

"I don't think any goalie will agree with that call. Obviously, he's a good player and I think 20,000 people thought it went in and I knew I had it in my glove. I didn't know if it crossed the line or not, but, when I saw the replay, I thought they might call it our way, but it was not the way the refs saw it, so you just go on with life. I'll take from it what I feel I can and just move on."

Panthers coach Tom Rowe's response was more measured in the face of irrefutable video evidence.

"Yeah the video is clear, they had a view of it in Toronto, they had a view of it right on the ice, so we're going to go with it," said Rowe. "(Referee) Francis (Charron) made the right call as tough as it is. Talking to (Rob) Tallas (Florida's goaltending coach) after the game, he said it was definitely in."

Three of the last four Oilers games have been decided in overtime or a shootout. The Oilers have won all of them. Sixteen of the team's last 22 games have each been decided by a single goal.

Oiler Zack Kassian, who scored the opening goal, says the streak of close games will help the team toughen up for the stretch drive and what just might be the team's first playoff appearance in a decade.

"We're confident. I think as we go on and, even in April, you're not going to get high-scoring games. They're all going to be tight games, 2-1 games, 3-2 games. We have to feel comfortable playing in them and, right now, we do. We just have to keep that going."

The Panthers unleashed five shots on goal in the first three minutes, signs of life from a team that totaled just 22 shots on goal in Tuesday night's loss to Calgary.

But the Oilers took the lead at 6:10 when McDavid stole the puck at the'boards, streaked down the right wing and then laid a pretty pass for Kassian to tap into a wide-open net. For McDavid, it was his 100th career point in just his 92nd career game, and he did it with thanks to the trademark burst of speed we've come to take for granted from arguably the NHL's most explosive skater.

McDavid didn't think the 100-point mark was all that special. And he said it's tough to celebrate the century mark when, in contrast, Florida Panther Jaromir Jagr earned his 1,896th career point in the game.

"I guess it's nice, but it's not much of a milestone," said McDavid. "I definitely hope to keep going... "It's tough to be excited about it when you see a guy like (Jagr) coming in, and you see all the numbers he's got."

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Oilers forward Jujhar Khaira (54) and Florida Panthers forward Greg McKegg (41) chase a loose puck during the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

The Oilers made it 2-0 at 13:04, just seconds after the Panthers took a penalty for having too many men on the ice. Mark Letestu tipped home a pass from McDavid.

The Panthers halved the lead at 17:13, with Vincent Trocheck ripping a shot over Oilers goalie Cam Talbot's shoulder. Trocheck scored both Panthers goals in the previous night's loss to the Flames.

Florida tied the game with just 1:25 left in the second. With Oiler Benoit Pouliot in the penalty box, Michael Sgarbossa banged home a rebound for his first NHL goal, in his 30th career game. It was no less than the Panthers deserved -- as the visitors dominated the second period, outshooting the home team 11-6.

The Panthers took the lead with just 5:15 left in the third, as Greg McKegg

batted in a puck that Jagr floated towards a crowded goalmouth area.

But, the lead was short-lived. Jordan Eberle broke a scoreless drought that dated back to Dec. 6 as he beat Panthers goalie James Reimer on a two-on-one chance. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins created the chance with a deft defense-splitting pass that sent Eberle off to the races.

In overtime, Nugent-Hopkins set up Eberle in front of the Panthers net with a

great pass, but Eberle slid his backhanded effort just wide.

Oilers left winger Jujhar Khaira, who scored his first NHL goal on Monday, left the game after the first period and did not return. Coach Todd McLellan said it was an upper-body injury.

NOTES: Panthers D Mark Pysyk enjoyed a homecoming. He played major junior hockey for the Edmonton Oil Kings and hails from the Edmonton suburb of Sherwood Park. This was his first NHL game in his hometown. ... Panthers C Derek MacKenzie skated in his 500th career NHL game. ... The Oilers scratched C Matt Hendricks, and D Matthew Benning was removed from the lineup right before game time and replaced by D Eric Gryba. ... The Panthers scratched C Seth Griffin, D Jakub Kindl, and C Denis Malgin. ... Tonight marked the first time that NHL leading scorer Connor McDavid faced Panthers RW Jaromir Jagr, the NHL's second- all-time top point-getter.

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