McDavid's 4-goal game carries Oilers past Lightning

[February 06, 2018]  Connor McDavid scored four goals and collected five points to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 6-2 thumping of the NHL-leading Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night in Edmonton, Alberta.

While Cam Talbot made 32 saves for the Oilers, who are on a 5-1-1 run while keeping their flickering playoff hopes alive, McDavid was at his dominating best at Rogers Place.

The Oilers captain opened the scoring with a power-play goal -- his team's first in nine games -- less than two minutes into the affair when he deflected Ryan Strome's shot to beat Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Alex Killorn drew the Lightning even before the midway point of the opening frame, but the Oilers broke open the game.

Leon Draisaitl put the hosts ahead to stay with another man-advantage marker late in the opening frame, and McDavid netted his second of the game with a highlight-reel goal early in the second period. Iiro Pakarinen's first goal of the season pushed the lead to 4-1.

McDavid completed the hat trick on a third-period breakaway and scored his fourth during a scramble, giving him six goals and nine points in the past two games. He scored only four goals in 23 games during December and January.

Going into the night's action, McDavid was tied for 13th in the league's scoring race. His performance moved him into a tie for third, five points back of Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov.

 

Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save as Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers forward Patrick Maroon (19) and Tampa Bay Lightning defensemen Andrej Sustr (62) battle behind him during the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Draisaitl also collected two assists in a three-point game. Strome added two helpers to give him five assists in a three-game stretch.

Tampa Bay rookie Yanni Gourde collected his 19th goal of the season in a two-point outing.

Vasilevskiy, who stopped 22 of 26 shots in two periods, gave way to Louis Domingue for the third period. Domingue made seven saves for the Lightning, who completed a 5-3-0 road trip.

Kucherov, he was held off the scoresheet and now has gone 11 games without a goal.

--Field Level Media

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