Connor McDavid extended his point streak to 13 games and Warren Foegele scored twice in the second period, helping the visiting Edmonton Oilers beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on Tuesday night.
Foegele, a fourth-round winger, had his first two-goal game of the season one game after he was a healthy scratch.
Fourth-line centre Ryan McLeod and Foegele had goals 36 seconds apart early in the second and Foegele scored again midway through the period to give the Oilers a 3-1 lead. Third-line centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins restored their two-goal lead late in the third period.
“We got some contributions from our entire lineup, which is great,” said Edmonton’s Evander Kane, who had an empty net goal. “We’re going to need that as we go down the stretch here and obviously in the playoffs. That type of scoring wins or loses you series.”
WATCH Foegele scores twice in middle frame to help Oilers defeat Red Wings:
Two second period goals by Edmonton’s Warren Foegele led the Oilers to a 5-2 win over Detroit Tuesday night.
Edmonton’s Jack Campbell stopped 30 shots, including some key ones in the third to keep a one-goal lead.
“They were big saves, but I would say Jack expects to make those days and we expect those saves,” Woodcroft said. “He’s starting to build a little personal momentum for himself.”
The Oilers maintained the momentum they had going into the All-Star break with their eighth win in nine games.
Ville Husso made 22 saves for the Red Wings, who had won two of their previous three games.
“There are a lot of positives to take out of this game despite the score, but we just didn’t finish,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said.
Detroit’s Tyler Bertuzzi broke a scoreless tie midway through the first period and Joe Veleno scored with 9 seconds left in the second to pull the home team within a goal.
Edmonton, the NHL’s highest-scoring team and best on the power play, scored with an extra skater when Nugent-Hopkins had a goal with 4:22 left in the third.
“Their power play is on pace to be the best in the history of the game,” Lalonde said. “We gave them a fourth one and it killed us.”
The game had plenty of after-whistle scrums, leading to a parade into the penalty box with several penalties in the third period.
“It’s today’s NHL. A lot of guys think they can get in there, and the referees bail them out a lot,” Kane said. “It was a bit of a chippy game, and it started in the second period. We got some guys on our team that don’t mind answering the bell.”
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said he and his teammates let the emotions get the best of them when a game-tying goal was needed.
“That’s something we need to learn from,” Larkin said.