Zach Hyman posted his third hat trick of the season as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Ottawa Senators 3-1 Saturday night at Rogers Place.
“I play with some pretty good players that make plays every single game,” Hyman said when asked about his surge in goal-scoring this season.
The Oilers have won seven straight.
“It was only a matter of time before they started winning hockey games, no matter what message I sent or whoever it was,” Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said post-game. “Hopefully we’ve got many more seven-game winning streaks.”
The Senators went on a four-minute power play halfway through the first when Evander Kane was nabbed for high sticking Claude Giroux. The Oilers were able to kill it off without much threat from the Sens.
Stuart Skinner and Anton Forsberg continued to match each other save-for-save until the Oilers went on the power play late in the second. Evan Bouchard held in a clearing attempt, then guided a long wrist towards Forsberg. Hyman tipped it for his 23rd of the season.
Hyman notched another one early in the third when his wrister tore through Forsberg and trickled over the line.
“He does so many things and it’s nice to see him getting the goals. He’s working hard for them–and he’s playing with some good players–but he does so many little things that we appreciate,” Knoblauch said about Hyman.
“He’s all over the ice–does it defensively, works down low, puts his body on the line beside the net and he’s getting rewarded for it,” Bouchard said about Hyman. “Everybody in the room is happy to see it.”
With 4:58 left, Senator captain Brady Tkachuk drove the net creating a loose puck for Parker Kelly to flip past Skinner. The goal was originally waved off because of goalie interference, but the Senators challenged the call and earned the goal after video review.
“I’d have to look back at it to really understand,” Skinner said. “It is what it is. It’s a tight game, so just being able to get two points is the most important. Obviously, it’s nice to get shutouts, but I’m not really here to do that–I’m just trying to win the game.”
The Senators comeback attempt was stymied when Artem Zub took a penalty with 3:33 left. Hyman deflected in a pass from McDavid to make it 3-1 and complete the fourth hat trick of his NHL career.
Skinner earned the win with 29 saves. Forsberg made 43 stops.
The Oilers, 20-15-1, will visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday (630 CHED, Face-off Show at 5 p.m., game at 6:30 p.m.).
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