Draisaitl scores twice, Oilers shut out Capitals to end 3-game skid

WASHINGTON -- Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist, and Stuart Skinner made 25 saves to help the Edmonton Oilers end a three-game losing streak with a 5-0 win against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Friday.

Connor McDavid had four assists, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and two assists for the Oilers (6-12-1), who salvaged the finale of a four-game road trip.

“You need your top players performing if you're going to win on a regular basis,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. “Obviously, you want your third and fourth lines chipping in, helping with the offense. They can do it periodically and help you win games, but in the long run, you need your top guys going, and they certainly played really well.”

It was Edmonton's first shutout of the season after it allowed 17 goals over three consecutive losses. Skinner was pulled in the first period of a 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday, when he allowed four goals on 12 shots.

“For this one, it was just being able to rest, kind of throw that one away and just knowing who I am, knowing my game and just sticking to it,” Skinner said. “I think that was big for me. It’s nice after getting pulled in the first few minutes to get a shutout. It really feels good.”

Charlie Lindgren made 30 saves for the Capitals (10-5-2), who had won five straight games.

“Wasn’t good at all,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “Right from the drop of the puck, not good.”

Edmonton was 3-for-4 on the power play; Washington was 0-for-5 and is 3-for-50 on the season (6.0 percent), going the past 10 games without a goal.

“We’re going to have to change a bunch,” Carbery said of his power play. “Tons of different things personnel-wise, puck-management wise, puck recovery, decisions, routes. You name it.”

Evander Kane gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead at 14:10 of the first period when he knocked in his own rebound during a scramble in front.

Nugent-Hopkins increased the lead to 2-0 at 15:24. McDavid’s centering pass deflected high into the air and Nugent-Hopkins waited for the puck to come down before batting it past Lindgren. The Capitals challenged the play for a high-stick, but the goal was confirmed.

Edmonton outshot Washington 21-6 in the first period.

“I think we didn’t play at all,” Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said. “We give them lots of space. When they control the puck, it’s dangerous. In the first period especially, we make lots of turnovers, make mistakes and they get the lead, 2-0.”

The Oilers failed to protect a 2-0 lead in two of their previous three games.

“We've played a lot of really good 20-minute hockey games this year, but in this league, that's unfortunately not enough,” Draisaitl said. “I thought tonight all around was really good.”

Evan Bouchard increased the lead to 3-0 at 3:44 of the second period when his one-timer from the point deflected off Washington forward Nic Dowd’s stick and past Lindgren on a power play.

Draisaitl made it 4-0 at 4:48, taking a pass from McDavid and scoring from the slot on a power play.

Draisaitl got the Oilers' third consecutive power-play goal to make it 5-0 at 18:37. During a scramble in front, the puck squirted out to Draisaitl in the right circle, and he lifted a wrist shot over a sprawling Lindgren.

"Previously I think that you could see a lot of frustration on the power play,” Knoblauch said. “Getting three power-play goals and the passes and the plays that they were making, it looks like they're kind of out of that funk.”

NOTES: Washington forward T.J. Oshie left the game with an upper-body injury after a hit from Mattias Ekholm at 2:09 of the second period. Carbery said Oshie will not travel with the Capitals, who begin a five-game road trip Monday at the San Jose Sharks. ... McDavid had his 33rd career four-point game and tied Dale Hawerchuk for seventh in NHL history at age 26 or younger. Wayne Gretzky had 153.