Edmonton Oilers strike Lightning for 5th straight win

The Edmonton Oilers extended their winning streak to five games with a 5-3 triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday night at Rogers Place.

Ryan McLeod tipped in Vincent Desharnais’ point shot to get the scoring started 6:13 into the first.

Tempers flared late in the first when Patrick Maroon took down Connor McDavid, setting off a scrum in the corner to the right of the Lightning net. Leon Draisaitl scored on the ensuing power play.

Still in the first, tempers flared again after Nikita Kucherov drilled Evander Kane in front of the Lightning bench.

Linesman Travis Toomey appeared to suffer a cut to his left hand on the play and went quickly off the ice for treatment. As the period ended, Darnell Nurse and Corey Perry engaged in fisticuffs.

There was another fight at the start of the second with Klim Kostin squaring off with Maroon. Brandon Hagel got the Bolts to the board 1:30 in second.

Zach Hyman provided a quick reply, banking a bad angle shot in off Andrei Vasilevsky. Steven Stamkos fired in a one-timer with a delayed penalty coming to the Oilers.

Brayden point tied it 3-3 with 7:33 left in the second.

McDavid put the Oilers back in front 2:10 into the third, cutting in from the right side and forcing the puck behind Vasilevsky. Jack Campbell made a nifty glove save on Kucherov about a minute later. Hyman scored into an empty net with 2:12 left.

During the game, it was announced that Draisaitl and Stuart Skinner were selected for the NHL All-Star Weekend through a fan vote. McDavid had previously been selected. The Florida Panthers host the All-Star Game on Feb. 4.

The Oilers, 26-18-3, will visit the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

The 630 CHED Face-off Show begins at 6:30 p.m., game starts at 8 p.m.

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