GAME RECAP: Oilers 5, Coyotes 4

TEMPE, AZ -The Oilers received a passing grade on their trip to college on Monday, edging the Coyotes in a 5-4 thriller at Arizona State University's Mullett Arena.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins buried the eventual game-winning goal on the power play with just under eight minutes remaining in the third period, as he joined Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard as Oilers with two-point performances in the first leg of a road back-to-back that will conclude on Tuesday in Vegas.
Heading into Monday's game, the Coyotes had a 6-0-2 record in their last eight games at the 4,600-seat rink -- most of which was filled with Blue & Orange faithful on this night -- but the Oilers were able to hand them their first home regulation loss since March 3.
"I felt a little different in that building, but we said this morning it didn't matter where we played the game," Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said after the win.
"Tonight it was more about trying to find a way to win. Win the game, get two points in a tough building versus the team that only lost one time in regulation in their last 10. There were moments in the game where we can better, but we found a way to win. That's a good sign."

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FIRST BLOOD

Both teams were quick to get on the scoresheet as Matias Maccelli put the Coyotes up 1-0 at the 3:50 mark of the first period and Zach Hyman replied with the equalizer for the Oilers just 50 seconds later.
Maccelli struck first for the home side when he entered the Edmonton zone on a Coyotes three-on-two rush, made a spin move, cut to the high slot and beat Jack Campbell over the glove with a wrist shot through traffic in front for his ninth goal of the season.
With Nathan Smith in the sin bin, Edmonton made quick work on the ensuing power play, tying it up in six seconds. Leon Draisaitl won the faceoff back to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who slid it back to Evan Bouchard at the point.
The defenceman returned the favour to RNH, who zipped a cross-zone pass to Connor McDavid, who found Hyman for the tap-in on the doorstep for his career-best 32nd goal of the year.
The setup was McDavid's 80th assist, setting a new career high for the Oilers captain as his otherworldly season continues. Nugent-Hopkins also reached the 90-point mark as Edmonton becomes the only team featuring three players with 90 or more points.

PLAY OF THE GAME

The lone goal for either side in the middle frame was a big one for Draisaitl as he won the race to 300 career tallies against teammates McDavid and Evander Kane to extend the Oilers lead to 4-2.
Edmonton controlled possession in the attacking zone with Draisaitl dropping a pass back to the point for Mattias Ekholm, whose shot hit both Nick Schmaltz and Josh Brown's sticks, and the puck found its way back to the German. He unleashed a low, hard shot past a pair of Arizona defenders and through Karel Vejmelka's five-hole for his 46th of the season and 300th of his already illustrious career.
"I saw someone grab the puck and I said, what milestone was that? Because he's had a lot of them," Nick Bjugstad laughed. "But yeah, 300 goals. A lot of goals for the kid and many more to come. He's an unbelievable player and great person. You like being on the same side as these guys, and he came up big with that goal."

SAVE OF THE GAME

Campbell had a busy opening frame as the Coyotes had four power plays and fired 14 shots on goal. Towards the tail end of Arizona's second PP of the night midway through the period, Maccelli made a nifty pass through the slot to pinching defenceman J.J. Moser, forcing the Oilers netminder to dive across his crease and pin Moser's backhand shot between his glove and body to keep the game tied 1-1 at the time. Campbell finished the night with 29 saves for his second consecutive victory.

TURNING POINT

The Oilers earned back-to-back power plays midway through the third period and converted shortly into the second man advantage to regain a one-goal lead after giving up two quick tallies to the Coyotes by Maccelli and Barrett Hayton early in the frame that made it 4-4. Draisaitl dropped a pass back to the point for Bouchard, whose blast generated a juicy rebound that Nugent-Hopkins pounced on and deposited past Vejmelka to make it 5-4 Edmonton.

TOP PERFORMER

Bouchard sniped his fifth goal of the season in the first period and set up the eventual game-winner by Nugent-Hopkins with his blast from the point. He logged 23:12 on Monday, ranking second behind his partner Ekholm as the duo led the way for the Oilers on the back end.

PARTING WORDS

Coach Woodcroft on using his timeout after Arizona made it 4-4 in the third:
"You know what? They scored back-to-back and I didn't like the way it was going. Sometimes I'll make that call on the bench if we can get to the next timeout or whatnot. But tonight I felt it was important just to take a deep breath and reset. It's not like any nuggets of information were given. There was just to take a deep breath, reset and get back at it."
Coach Woodcroft on Monday's middle frame:
"I actually thought that was our best period by far. I thought we went in it with the psychology of defending hard and defending first and I think we have to continue that. Tonight, I saw one period of that. I thought we were a little bit loose in the first period and we were willing to trade chances with a young, skilled team.In the second period, we locked it down, built a two-goal lead. We had a couple of shifts we'd like to have back in the third period, then got it under control. In the end, it's not a perfect game, but we walked out with two points. We'll take it."
Hyman on playing at Arizona State University's Mullett Arena:
"I never thought I'd play an NHL game here, to be honest. Going back into college. Yeah, it's a weird kind of throwback environment."
Hyman on the victory that include two Oilers power-play goals:
"Special teams obviously played a big factor in it. We thought we had a really strong second and we were up 4-2 going into the third and let it slip away, but we were able to find a way to get it back and win the game. So that's all that matters. But obviously you want to clean that up."
Bjugstad on what makes Draisaitl so dangerous:
"I think it's a quick release. His blade is different. I don't know, I'm not a goalie, but just looking at his blade, it looks like it's coming off different than most guys. No one really uses a stick like him in the NHL, so I feel like, I don't know, he gets it off quick, and he's a cerebral player, so he's in the right spots, and they're always able to find him on the power play."
Bjugstad's thoughts on the third period:
"That team is their pesky for sure. You knew they were going to come in the third. They kind of hemmed us in on a few shifts, and we lost our momentum, so that was tough. But you weather the storm and get some big special teams, a big power-play goal, and that changes the game. It's a big two points."