Penguins easily extend string of success vs. Oilers

[December 21, 2019]  Five Pittsburgh players scored, and goaltender Tristan Jarry made 26 saves as the visiting Penguins continued their mastery of the Edmonton Oilers with a 5-2 victory Friday night.

Chad Ruhwedel, Joseph Blandisi, Jared McCann, Kris Letang and Brandon Tanev scored for Pittsburgh, which extended its point streak against the Oilers to 19 games (15-0-4), a franchise record and the longest active stretch in the NHL.

The Penguins earned their fourth consecutive victory overall and their 10th win in 13 games.

Zack Kassian and Riley Sheahan scored for Edmonton, which dropped to 1-5-1 in its past seven games. Goalie Mike Smith, making his first start since allowing six goals in a loss to Minnesota on Dec. 12, stopped 21 of 25 shots.

Edmonton's Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the league's top two scorers, were held pointless. McDavid put the puck in the net with 3:37 remaining, but it was waved off immediately by a referee for goaltender interference.

The Penguins took a 2-0 lead in the first period.

Ruhwedel opened the scoring at 7:56 as his wrist shot from the right point snuck through traffic and Smith's pads.

Blandisi scored at 12:56 on a breakaway just after exiting the penalty box. He took a flip pass from Zach Aston-Reese and slipped a backhander between Smith's legs.

Kassian pulled the Oilers within 2-1 at 6:41 of the second, tipping Darnell Nurse's shot from the point past Jarry.

Penguins defensemen Kris Letang (58) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the third period against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

McCann restored the Penguins' two-goal advantage at 15:38 of the middle period, stealing the puck at his own blue line and skating the length of the ice before scoring on a backhander.

Sheahan scored a short-handed goal at 19:37 of the second. He snapped a wrist shot past Jarry from the top of the slot on an odd-man rush, making it a one-goal game heading into the third period.

Letang scored a power-play goal just 38 seconds into the third on a slap shot from the top of the left faceoff circle, and Tanev added an empty-netter at 17:41.

--Field Level Media

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