Hyman, Draisaitl score 2 each as Oilers rout Canadiens 7-2

MONTREAL (AP) — Zach Hyman and Leon Draisaitl each had two goals, and Evander Kane scored in his Edmonton debut, leading the Oilers to a 7-2 win over the struggling Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Derek Ryan also scored for Edmonton. Hyman and Nugent-Hopkins had an assist apiece, while Duncan Keith and Warren Foegele each had two assists.

Stuart Skinner made 21 saves to help the Oilers win their fourth straight.

All four lines contributed goals for the Oilers, most notably the third line composed of Hyman, Nugent-Hopkins and Zack Kassian with three.

“Hyman had a really strong game,” Oilers coach Dave Tippett said. “We talked to them about trying to give us a little more depth and that line is a line that can play against anybody. Big, small, skilled, unskilled, they’re just a good line and they showed it tonight.”

Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli scored for Montreal in its fifth straight loss. Samuel Montembeault allowed six goals on 16 shots before being pulled after two periods. Cayden Primeau had seven saves in the third.

“I liked the way we reacted in the second period but every time we scored they came back with a goal. I don’t think we gave up,” Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme said.

The Oilers scored first for the first time in 12 games, and they scored three in less than two minutes.

It took Kane 11:21 to score his first goal with the Oilers as Edmonton’s newest signing redirected Evan Bouchard’s shot from the point.

“When you get to a new team and you’re being brought in to produce and you produce in your first game it definitely is a good feeling,” Kane said. “I know the boys were telling me they hadn’t scored first in a long time so it was nice to help out in that way.”

Kane, the controversial forward, signed with Edmonton on Thursday. The NHL recently cleared Kane after an investigation into his cross-border travel during the holiday break. Earlier this month, the Sharks terminated the remainder of his $49 million, seven-year contract for violating virus protocol while in the American Hockey League.

His new teammates were glad to see him succeed on Saturday.

“Honestly, it was nice to get the first one,” Hyman said. “It was nice to get a lead and it was nice to see Kane get it. Any time you play your first game it’s always nice to get on the board, so good for him.”

Tippett was happy with what he saw from Kane’s first NHL game this season, jumping in and getting an early goal.

“He looks in decent shape, you can tell he’s a little rusty,” Tippett said. “He hasn’t played in a while so he’ll pick up the speed a little bit. But it’s good to get him in the line and get him going.”

Hyman then redirected Kris Russell’s shot from the point to notch a 2-0 lead with 7:12 left.

Just 20 seconds later, Draisaitl got his 30th of the season when his shot deflected off Rem Pitlick’s skate, giving Edmonton a 3-0 advantage.

Anderson got a goal back at 3:58 of the second period when he grabbed Skinner’s rebound and tapped in a first goal for Montreal.

The Oilers responded when Hyman fought off Ben Chiarot in the corner and found Nugent-Hopkins with a cross-ice pass. The center beat Montembeault at 6:18 for his fourth goal of the season.

Hyman then got his second of the night with a sharp wrist shot with 5 1/2 minutes remaining in the period.

Toffoli scored a one-timer power-play goal for Montreal to make it a 5-2 game 39 seconds later, but the celebration was short lived.

Draisaitl needed just 24 seconds to answer with his second marker of the night to restore the Oilers’ four-goal lead.

Ryan made it 7-2 with 34 seconds left in the third.

UP NEXT

Oilers: At Ottawa on Monday night.

Canadiens: Host Columbus on Sunday night.

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