Oilers' Zach Hyman single-handedly beats Sens with hat trick

Field Level Media|published: Sun 7th January, 01:02 2024

Jan 6, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman (18) controls the puck against Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg (31) during the first period at Rogers Place. credits: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Zach Hyman posted his third hat trick of the season to lead the Edmonton Oilers to their seventh consecutive victory, a 3-1 win over the visiting Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner made 30 saves, and Evan Bouchard had three assists, giving him 27 points (six goals, 21 assists) over his past 22 games. Connor McDavid collected one assist to give him 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) during a seven-game point streak.

The Oilers have won 15 of their past 18 games and vaulted into the Western Conference's second wild-card position, an impressive climb from where they originally sat — 31st in the league — before turning their season around with a win on Nov. 11.

Parker Kelly scored for the Senators, who have lost the first three outings of a five-game road trip. Ottawa has also dropped four of five overall.

Goalie Anton Forsberg stopped 43 shots on a night where he gave the struggling Senators a chance to turn their fortunes.

Ottawa, with only three wins in its past 13 outings, is last in the Eastern Conference.

Hyman's power-play goal — an advantage given because of a questionable holding infraction assessed to Artem Zub — finally opened the scoring with 1:52 remaining in the second period. Hyman delivered a nifty deflection of Bouchard's point shot.

Hyman doubled the lead 2:46 into the third period. As he raced down the right wing, Hyman sent a shot that just squeezed between Forsberg's blocker-side arm and body and trickled over the goal line.

Kelly gave the Senators an offensive jolt when he chipped home a loose puck during a wild flurry with 4:58 remaining in regulation, his fourth goal of the campaign. Officials originally ruled goaltender interference, but they ended up calling it a good goal after an Ottawa coach's challenge.

However, Hyman quashed any comeback hopes with his second power-play goal of the night, another redirected point shot, for his team-leading 25th marker of the season with 2:50 left on the clock.

—Field Level Media

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