Koskinen, Oilers defeat Golden Knights for fifth straight win

LAS VEGAS -- The Edmonton Oilers won their fifth straight game to start the season, 5-3 against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Friday.

The Oilers were playing the second game of a back-to-back after winning 5-1 at the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.
"You can tell there was fatigue in our group," Oilers coach Dave Tippett said. "But we hung in there … and we were able to get the win."
Mikko Koskinen made 36 saves in his second start in two nights for the Oilers, who are 5-0-0 for the fourth time (2019-20, 1985-86 and 1983-84). Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist. Zach Hyman scored twice.
"Overall it's been a fun 24 hours," Koskinen said. "We got four points and showed a lot of character tonight. It wasn't an easy game for us, but we got a big win."
Connor McDavid had two assists to become the third active player and 12th in NHL history to have five multipoint games to begin a season. He leads the NHL with 13 points (six goals, seven assists).
The Golden Knights (1-3-0) lost their third straight after winning their opener Oct. 12 against the Seattle Kraken. Nicolas Roy had a goal and an assist, and Nolan Patrick scored his first goal with Vegas. Robin Lehner made 29 saves.
"We got three tonight, could have had four or five," Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer said. "You can't give up four goals in this league. From an offensive perspective, I feel better about our chances of scoring enough to win with those guys [forwards Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty] out of the lineup for however long they're out. We've got to get our goals-against down now."

Roy scored at 3:34 of the first period to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead, deflecting Zach Whitecloud's shot from the point.
Vegas has scored first in all of its games this season.
"They came out hard," Oilers forward Zack Kassian said. "I think in the first period we were overwhelmed. Their forecheck was good, they were buzzing around in the o-zone, but I think our special teams won us the period."
Hyman scored on the power play at 8:37 of the first to tie it 1-1.
The Golden Knights were held to one shot on goal during a 5-on-3 power play 16:37 of the first that lasted 1:38. Draisaitl had a scoring chance down two men, but it was blocked.
"I don't think it was a turning point, but it's obviously an opportunity that we didn't capitalize on," Vegas forward Reilly Smith said.
Vegas is 0-for-9 on the power play this season.
"Let's be honest we could have easily had a couple of goals there tonight," DeBoer said. "You've got to give their goalie some credit. It wasn't like we couldn't get in and didn't get looks. Sometimes the other goalie made some big saves, or we didn't cash in on the good opportunities that we had."
Patrick gave Vegas its second lead 2-1 at 1:25 of the second on a deflection from Dylan Coghlan's attempt from the point.

Edmonton answered with two goals in 1:12. Hyman scored his second at 3:55 of the second period to tie it 2-2.
Draisaitl gave Edmonton a 3-2 lead at 5:07 of the second off a rebound from the top of the right circle.
Nicolas Hague tied it 3-3 on a shot from the point at 2:07 of the third period.
Kassian gave the Oilers a 4-3 lead at 4:33 on a breakaway, beating Lehner five-hole.
Draisaitl scored an empty-net goal at 19:49 for the 5-3 final.
"The work we've put in so far in training camp and the first four games, leading into a game against Vegas on a back-to-back -- which you know their season hasn't gone as much as they've liked so far, they were going to be hungry -- it was going to be a real test for our team," Tippett said. "They tested us hard. We bent a little bit but didn't break."
NOTES: The two active players besides McDavid to have five multipoint games to begin a season are Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs (seven in 2018-19) and Joe Thornton (five in 2012-13 with the San Jose Sharks). … McDavid is the second player in Oilers history to score 13 points or more in the first five games of the season (Wayne Gretzky in 1983-84 had 15 points, and again in 1986-87 with 14). … Hyman became the fourth Oilers player to score at least five goals in his first five games with Edmonton (James Neal with seven in 2019-20, Blair McDonald with seven in 1979-80, and Craig Simpson with five in 1987-88). … Oilers defenseman Kris Russell had his 200th NHL assist on Draisaitl's first goal. … Whitecloud left the game at 5:37 of the second period with an upper-body injury. DeBoer did not have an immediate update, but said it "wasn't good." … Golden Knights forward Mattias Janmark had one shot in 9:56 in his season debut. He missed the first three games due to COVID-19 protocol.