Washington Capitals at Edmonton Oilers

Zach Hyman scores a natural hat trick as Oilers drub Capitals 7-2

Leon Draisaitl had a power-play goal and three assists for the Oilers, who have won two in a row and are 7-1-1 in their last nine games.

Connor McDavid had a power-play goal and two assists for Edmonton, while Warren Foegele and Connor Brown also scored. Stuart Skinner made 23 saves.

Hyman is now four goals shy of the 50-goal milestone, well ahead of his previous career high of 36 goals from last season.

“I think a lot of people thought he was a complementary player,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said. “But he’s contributed so much to our team. The leadership he provides, the good forechecking and then obviously the goal-scoring which is the most difficult thing to do in the NHL.”

Ivan Miroshnichenko and Connor McMichael scored for the Capitals and Darcy Kuemper stopped 30 shots.

“We kind of chased the whole night,” Washington forward Tom Wilson said. “I mean, it was close at times and just had unlucky bounces in a couple situations, they make us pay. Against a good team like that you’ve got to find a way to just be better with the puck and manage the situations a little bit better, because they can capitalize.”

The game was tied at 2-all when Hyman scored his first with 8:36 to play in the first period. The puck caromed around in front and ended up on the stick of Hyman, who whacked his second attempt past Kuemper for his team-leading 44th goal of the season. Hyman has scored in 10 straight home games, tying Wayne Gretzky for the longest home scoring streak in Oilers’ history.

Hyman got his second with less than six minutes to play in the second period as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins feathered a pass through to Hyman on an odd-man break and he sent a shot off the post and into the net.

Hyman scored his third on the power play with 52 seconds remaining in the second period and now has 46 this season.

Edmonton added to its lead midway through the third as Ryan McLeod made a pass from behind the goal line to Foegele, who netted his 15th.

Just 17 seconds later, Evander Kane fed Brown in front and he deflected the puck past Kuemper for his first this season and first goal since March 24, 2022.

“It was pretty special for him to get that goal,” Hyman said.

Oilers fans gave Brown a lengthy standing ovation.

“It meant a lot,” Brown said. “You play in a big market like this, they’re aware of the storylines. It means a lot. It’s been a struggle this year offensively, I haven’t been able to get one to go."

UP NEXT

Capitals: At Seattle on Thursday night in the third game of a five-game trip.

Oilers: Host Colorado on Saturday night in the second game of a four-game homestand.

EDM wins series 2-0