EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) The Edmonton Oilers got a signature early-season victory – and not just because it came against the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Rookie Evan Bouchard scored his first goal, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist and the Oilers beat the Washington Capitals 4-1 on Thursday night.
Alex Chiasson and Connor McDavid also scored for the Oilers, who snapped a two-game skid. Cam Talbot made 31 saves.
”It’s definitely a confidence boost,” Nugent-Hopkins said.
”Just the way we played tonight, it didn’t matter who we played, we played a solid 60 minutes and didn’t give up too many grade-A opportunities or give up the puck too much. And when we had our chances, we capitalized. To keep a team like that to one goal is a good sign for our club.”
Andre Burakovsky scored and Braden Holtby stopped 28 shots for the Capitals, who have lost two of three.
”I really felt like against a dangerous transition team we really fueled their offense by the way we handled the puck,” Capitals coach Todd Reirden said. ”Our puck management was poor and a lot of turnovers got us into trouble and kind of tilted the ice in their favor for really no reason.”
Edmonton got on the board first on a power play with 3:32 left in the opening period. Bouchard, the 10th overall pick in the draft who turned 19 on Oct. 20, scored on a shot from the point with Holtby screened on the play. He became the youngest defenseman in Oilers history to score a goal.
”I didn’t actually see it go in. I just saw the guys celebrating,” Bouchard said.
The Oilers added a short-handed tally midway through the second when Nugent-Hopkins picked off a pass, undressed Niklas Backstrom and beat Holtby for his third of the season.
Washington got that goal back a couple of minutes later as Nic Dowd found Burakovsky alone at the side of the net and he put his first of the season past Talbot.
Edmonton made it 3-1 midway through the third when Chiasson picked the top corner on a long-range bomb, his third goal in the last two games.
”I wasn’t playing at the start of the year, but I learned last year that you have to keep on working on your game,” said Chiasson, who played for Washington last season.
”I may not be the fastest guy, but I believe in my abilities and I believe in my shot. I just have to find the right places at the right time. It was nice to get one against my old team.”
McDavid added a late empty-netter.
NOTES: It was the first of two meetings between the teams this season. They’ll play again on Nov. 5 in Washington. … Chiasson got his Stanley Cup ring from the Capitals on Tuesday afternoon.
UP NEXT
Capitals: The defending champions continue their Canadian trip, facing the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
Oilers: At Nashville on Saturday.
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