Leon Draisaitl scored 22 seconds into overtime after Evan Bouchard tied it with five seconds remaining in the third period, helping the Edmonton Oilers rally for a 4-3 win against the Florida Panthers at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Monday.
Connor McDavid had the primary assist on each goal. Off a face-off, he passed to Bouchard for a one-timer to make it 3-3. In overtime, he set up Draisaitl for a tap-in on a 2-on-1.
“It’s a good way to stick with it,” Draisaitl said. “Not our A game, obviously. But you have to win games in this league playing your B game. So, take the two points, clean a couple things up and keep going. … It was a mature game. We didn’t force it.”
Video: FLA@EDM: Draisaitl nets return pass for OT winner
McDavid had a goal and two assists, Zach Hyman had three assists, and Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for the Oilers (12-10-0), who have won two straight since losing three of four. They won 4-3 against the New York Rangers on Saturday, scoring four goals in the third period capped by one from Draisaitl with 2:02 remaining.
“We had to find a way to muck through the slop of the game, so to speak,” Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft said. “In the end, that game that was just played was worth two points. We felt that if we could turn it up in a few areas, those two points could be ours.”
Matthew Tkachuk scored, and Spencer Knight made 36 saves for the Panthers (10-8-4), who have lost five of six.
“They’re two dynamic players. They’re a lot to handle,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said of McDavid and Draisaitl. “They got them the lead, tied the game and won the game for them. … Our goaltender was fantastic tonight. At 2-1 in the third, we found a way to get the lead back, and that’s a tough one when you lose it with five seconds on the clock.”
Video: FLA@EDM: Montour fires a shot from high slot for PPG
Brandon Montour gave the Panthers a 3-2 lead with 4:44 remaining in the third, scoring from the high slot off a pass Aaron Ekblad. Tkachuk initially set up the play by backhanding a pass out of midair to Ekblad. The goal was upheld following an Oilers challenge, determining the puck was below Tkachuk’s shoulder on the pass.
Tkachuk put Florida ahead 1-0 at 3:49 of the first period. He chipped in his own rebound after a pass from Nick Cousins Edmonton defenseman went off the skate Darnell Nurse in the slot.
Hyman seemed to tie it at 6:59 of the second period, when a rebound off his own backhand hit his back skate. The goal was disallowed following a video review when it was ruled Hyman had kicked the puck.
McDavid scored on a breakaway, tying it 1-1 on a power play at 10:35. He took a stretch pass from Hyman before going to his backhand for his 17th goal this season, ending a three-game drought.
“It was kind of a weird one from our group,” McDavid said. “I thought we were kind of lethargic. We seemed to kind of hang in there. We always talk about winning with your B and C game. I thought, for a large part of the night, we didn’t have our game.”
Video: FLA@EDM: McDavid buries it on a breakaway for a PPG
Tyson Barry gave the Oilers a 2-1 lead at 5:18 of the third, tapping in a shot from Brett Kulak that deflected off Hyman in front.
“Obviously, they have a pretty good team with some very dangerous players,” Ekblad said. “We felt it from everywhere tonight.”
Anton Lundell scored for a third straight game to tie it 2-2 at 10:58, tapping in a pass from Sam Reinhart. It was Florida’s third shot of the period.
“It was two good teams. So close,” Lundell said. “I think, overall, it was a good effort and a good game for us.”
NOTES: Bouchard tied Nail Yakupov for the fifth-latest tying goal in Oilers history. Yakupov scored with five seconds left in the third period of a 2-1 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 24, 2013. They trail Chris Pronger (59:59 on Jan. 29, 2006), Ales Hemsky (59:58 on Jan. 4, 2007), Brad Isbister (59:58 on Dec. 18, 2003) and Doug Weight. (59:58 on Nov. 20, 1995). … Ekblad’s assist on Montour’s goal was his 300th NHL point. The defenseman has 101 goals and 199 assists in 565 games. … Panthers center Alexander Barkov did not play with an undisclosed illness. He will miss at least the next game at the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. … Oilers forward James Hamblin did not have a shot on goal in 9:56 of ice time in his NHL debut. … Edmonton forwards Warren Foegele and Ryan McLeod each did not play with an undisclosed injury. McLeod was placed on injured reserve Sunday.
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