CALGARY — Zach Hyman scored two goals, and Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists to help the Edmonton Oilers rally for a 3-2 win against the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday.
Stuart Skinner made 40 saves for the Oilers (6-3-0), who have won four in a row.
Mikael Backlund and Brett Ritchie scored, and Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves for the Flames (5-2-0), who had won two in a row.
“It just wasn’t good enough from the whole team,” Backlund said. “We can play better than that. We can play better than that. We know that we were sloppy.”
McDavid tied it 2-2 at 9:02 of the third period when he beat Markstrom short side with a sharp-angled shot after collecting a rim around the boards.
“I saw him chase the rim. Got by him,” said McDavid, who has eight points (four goals, four assists) during a three-game point streak. “I think maybe he even took the long way around. I don’t think I even had a shot on net yet, so I figured it was a good chance to get one on, and luckily it went in.”
Video: EDM@CGY: McDavid scores in 3rd period
Hyman’s second goal put Edmonton ahead 3-2 at 12:24 when McDavid’s centering pass deflected off his skate following a turnover in Calgary’s end.
“You don’t like being behind, but I think we’re one of the teams out there that can come from behind,” Hyman said. “We have enough skill in our ability to score goals. We’re confident in that. We’re not deterred by a deficit. We don’t like to be down, but when we’re down we have a lot of belief in the locker room that we can get back to even and win the game.”
McDavid agreed.
“It’d be nice to play with the lead,” McDavid said. “We haven’t done that most of the season, but I like the resiliency. I like the stick-with-it kind of mindset that we’ve had. We could’ve folded our hands a few nights here on this road trip , but we stuck with it and found a way to get three big wins on the road.”
Video: EDM@CGY: Backlund scores shorthanded goal in 2nd
Backlund put the Flames up 1-0 at 4:49 of the second when he scored short-handed after streaking down the wing on a partial breakaway.
“[Backlund] obviously made a nice shot, nice goal,” Skinner said. “It was huge, we were able to get one right away.”
Hyman then scored on the power play to tie it 1-1 at 5:02 when his centering pass to Leon Draisaitl was knocked in by Noah Hanifin.
Hyman’s goal came six seconds later Elias Lindholm failed to convert on a Backlund setup.
“I came down with a lot of speed, I saw ‘Lindy’ driving to the far post,” Backlund said. “I felt like I had a goalie and I was just trying to find him for a tap in and it hit his skate and he just couldn’t get it in.”
Ritchie gave Calgary a 2-1 lead at 16:06 when he converted on a no-look centering pass from below the goal line. Milan Lucic.
“I think a few bad bounces,” Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau said. “We were up 2-1 and they scored two quick goals. But I thought overall we’re a good team. I think we know what we can do. That’s all it is. They’re good offensively, but I think if we play in their zone that’s how we’re going to beat them.”
Video: EDM@CGY: Hyman scores in 3rd period
NOTES: Oilers rookie forward Dylan Holloway recorded his first NHL point, an assist on McDavid’s goal. He wasn’t on the ice when the goal went in. …Calgary center Nazem Kadri had his six-game point streak end (four goals, five assists). … McDavid recorded his 10th three-point game in the Battle of Alberta, tying Jari Kurri for second-most by an Oilers player. Wayne Gretzky leads with 25. … Hyman has seven points (five goals, two assists) in a four-game point streak.
.