Hyman hat trick brings joy to oilers fans after a convincing win.
The Edmonton Oilers very much resembled a Stanley Cup threat Wednesday night, against a former Cup winner in Washington who is now on the wane.
The 3-2 score after 1 may have suggested a wide-open affair. But that was not really the case, though. The Oilers dominated. However, the first Caps goals came on an awful whiff by Stuart Skinner on the first shot he faced. A lucky bounce in front on a Washington Power Play accounted for their second.
The Oilers opened it up in the 2nd Period and led 5-2 after 2…then cruised to the 7-2 final. But punctuation was added by Connor Brown’s 1st goal of the season and a standing ovation from the Roger’s Place crowd. The Edmonton Power Play also broke out of a funk with 3.
Since the turnaround 5-0 shoutout of these same Capitals back on November 24th, the Oilers are now 35-9-2.
Allowed perhaps his worst goal of the season on the first puck he faced after his teammates had dominated the Caps out of the gate with the game’s first 9 shots.
It was a stinker from a bad angle along the wall. To say there might have been a screen there is being kind. But as awful as that one surely was, he made up for it by snatching a wide-open net opportunity from Alex Ovechkin 18 minutes into the 1st.
And it did not stop there. Stopped Ovi again on back-to-back PP 1-timers in the 2nd. Frustrated the Great 8 again on a Power Play wrister. Flashed out a left pad to stuff (you guessed it) Ovechkin on a point-blank chance in the 3rd. Then utter larceny on Ovi with one final, terrific glove save late in the 3rd. Stopped 23 of 25. What a swing from shot 1 to shot 25!
CONNOR McDAVID. 8. Secondary assist on the 1-0 after two primary feeds to Draisaitl on the first two chances on the PP. Blasted home the 2-0 on a subsequent Power Play with a wrist shot from the hashers that beat the goalie short side.
Filtered a pass through to Hyman at the top of the crease for the 3-2. Fed him again for a great 2nd Period chance. 3rd Period trip. Was really buzzing.
RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS. 6. Terrific 2-way play as The Nuge stole the pick in the neutral zone then sifted a beautiful pass across to Hyman who did not miss for the 4-2. Solid the rest of the way