Connor McDavid recorded his third hat trick of the season and the ninth of his career, leading Edmonton to a 6-1 win over Winnipeg on Monday night that lifted the Oilers past the Jets and into second place in the North Division.
Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist and Alex Chiasson and Darnell Nurse also scored for Edmonton, which has two games in hand on the Jets. Mike Smith made 36 saves.
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Connor McDavid recorded his third hat trick of the season and the ninth of his career, leading Edmonton to a 6-1 win over Winnipeg on Monday night that lifted the Oilers past the Jets and into second place in the North Division.
Playing his 46th game of the season, McDavid is the fastest player to 80 points in a campaign since Mario Lemieux hit the mark in 45 games in 1996-97. In eight games against the Jets in 2021, McDavid has 19 points.
Connor Hellebuyck allowed six goals on 23 shots through two periods before being replaced by Laurent Brossoit for the final 20 minutes. He finished with seven saves.
Already minus center Adam Lowry (head), Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice announced before the game his team will be without 21-goal scorer Nikolaj Ehlers (upper-body injury) for the remainder of the regular season following a third-period collision Saturday with Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin.
Edmonton doubled its lead with 1:29 remaining in the period on an odd-man rush after Winnipeg turned the puck over at the offensive blue line. Tyson Barrie — playing his 600th NHL game — sent a shot towards Hellebuyck that was deflected to McDavid, who scored his 26th.
Nurse continued the onslaught at 13:18, finishing off a passing play with McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi for his 14th.
NOTES: Draisaitl passed Marco Sturm for the most points by a German-born NHLer with the 488th of his career on his second-period goal. Sturm played 938 games in the NHL, while Draisaitl suited up for his 468th contest Monday. ... Oilers rookie Ryan McLeod made his NHL debut. ... Edmonton defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who spent three seasons with Winnipeg, played for the first time since being acquired from New Jersey prior to the trade deadline.
McDavid, who leads the NHL in scoring with 81 points, also had an assist and is second to Toronto's Auston Matthews in goals scored.
Winnipeg Jets' Neal Pionk (4) checks Edmonton Oilers' Kailer Yamamoto (56) during second-period NHL hockey game action against the Edmonton Oilers in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday, April 26, 2021. (Fred GreensladeThe Canadian Press via AP)
Playing his 46th game of the season, McDavid is the fastest player to 80 points in a campaign since Mario Lemieux hit the mark in 45 games in 1996-97. In eight games against the Jets in 2021, McDavid has 19 points.
The Oilers improved to 6-2-0 against Winnipeg and have won five straight versus the Jets, allowing just six goals over that span.
Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg (27-18-3). The Jets dropped a fourth straight game in regulation, their longest home losing streak since a five-game skid from Dec. 17, 2019, to Jan. 12, 2020.
Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) celebrates his goal with teammate Jesse Puljujarvi (13) during the first period of an NHL game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday, April 26, 2021. (Fred GreensladeThe Canadian Press via AP)
Connor Hellebuyck allowed six goals on 23 shots through two periods before being replaced by Laurent Brossoit for the final 20 minutes. He finished with seven saves.
Winnipeg began its current five-game homestand with a 3-0 loss to Edmonton on April 17 before 5-3 and 4-1 losses to Toronto on Thursday and Saturday.
The Jets and Oilers will conclude their regular-season series on Wednesday.
Edmonton Oilers' Alex Chiasson (39) looks to pass the puck in front of Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) and Derek Forbort (24) during the first period of an NHL game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday, April 26, 2021. (Fred GreensladeThe Canadian Press via AP)
Already minus center Adam Lowry (head), Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice announced before the game his team will be without 21-goal scorer Nikolaj Ehlers (upper-body injury) for the remainder of the regular season following a third-period collision Saturday with Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin.
Playing just their fourth game in 16 days because of COVID-19 scheduling changes, the Oilers took the lead with 3:38 left in the first period on a sequence that started when Draisaitl won a battle behind Winnipeg’s net. He fed a pass in front to Adam Larsson, who quickly found Chiasson to one-time his eighth goal of the season past Hellebuyck.
The goal was Chiasson’s fourth against the Jets in 2021, and the 100th of his NHL career.
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith (41) makes a save on Winnipeg Jets' Blake Wheeler (26) during the second period of an NHL game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday, April 26, 2021. (Fred GreensladeThe Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton doubled its lead with 1:29 remaining in the period on an odd-man rush after Winnipeg turned the puck over at the offensive blue line. Tyson Barrie — playing his 600th NHL game — sent a shot towards Hellebuyck that was deflected to McDavid, who scored his 26th.
Hellebuyck stopped McDavid on a breakaway early in the second, but the Oilers' captain sped down the wing later in the same shift, faked a shot and slid the puck between the Winnipeg goaltender’s pads for his 27th at 3:38.
Draisaitl then made it 4-0 at 11:40, when he scored his 23rd on a 2-on-1 with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins after Derek Forbort turned the puck over.
Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) scores on Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the second period of an NHL game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday, April 26, 2021. (Fred GreensladeThe Canadian Press via AP)
Nurse continued the onslaught at 13:18, finishing off a passing play with McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi for his 14th.
Scheifele, who was benched for 17 minutes Saturday by Maurice, got one back for the home side on a power play with his 19th at 15:06.
But McDavid completed his hat trick just 1:24 later by intercepting a Kyle Connor pass and moving in alone on Hellebuyck , scoring his 28th.
Winnipeg Jets' Andrew Copp (9) and Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith (41) watch an incoming shot during the second period of an NHL game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday, April 26, 2021. (Fred GreensladeThe Canadian Press via AP)
NOTES: Draisaitl passed Marco Sturm for the most points by a German-born NHLer with the 488th of his career on his second-period goal. Sturm played 938 games in the NHL, while Draisaitl suited up for his 468th contest Monday. ... Oilers rookie Ryan McLeod made his NHL debut. ... Edmonton defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who spent three seasons with Winnipeg, played for the first time since being acquired from New Jersey prior to the trade deadline.
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Winnipeg Jets' Nate Thompson (11) holds back Edmonton Oilers' Darnell Nurse (25) at the end of a play during the second period of an NHL game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday, April 26, 2021. (Fred GreensladeThe Canadian Press via AP)