Neal scores 4 as Oilers thrash Islanders
Winger has career game as Edmonton off to best start in 11 years
James Neal had his first career four-goal game and the Edmonton Oilers beat the New York Islanders 5-2 on Tuesday night.
Zack Kassian also scored as Edmonton won its first road game of the season and improved to 3-0-0 for the first time in 11 years. Connor Mcdavid had three assists, Leon Draisatl added two and Mikko Koskinen stopped 25 shots.
Anthony Beauvillier and Matt Martin scored for the Islanders. Semyon Varlamov, signed to a four-year deal in the offseason, made his second start of the season but was pulled in the second period after giving up four goals on 19 shots. Thomas Greiss came on and stopped seven of the eight shots he faced.
Beauvillier got the Islanders on the scoreboard first with a short-handed goal late in the opening period. Edmonton scored twice in the final 2:07 of the first to take the lead, and then padded it with two more in the second.
With the Islanders trailing 2-1 after 20 minutes, Beauillier nearly tied it three minutes into the middle period, but his shot was stopped by Koskinen.
Beauvillier was sent to the penalty box for cross-checking Darnell Nurse after Nurse had a hard hit on Leo Komarov, and the Oilers took advantage with their second power-play goal of the night. Neal completed his seventh career hat trick as he tipped in a pass from Draisaitl from the left side for his fifth of the season at 6:31 for a two-goal lead.
Edmonton pushed the lead to 4-1 just 2:15 later as Kassian tipped a pass by Draisaitl past Varlamov for his third of the season, ending Varlamov’s night.
New York stepped up the pressure with some of its best chances of the game, but Koskinen stopped a slap shot by Ryan Pulock with 7:17 left in the period. A minute later, he turned away attempts by Adam Pelech, Pulock and Jordan Eberle 17 seconds apart.
Neal finished off his big night at 6:51 of the third for his sixth of the season to make it 5-1.
Martin scored with 6:28 left, tipping a pass from rookie defenseman Noah Dobson in his NHL debut. stars 4, capitals 3 (ot): Tyler Seguin scored in overtime to give Dallas their first victory of the season. Seguin ended the Stars’ three-game losing streak 43 seconds into overtime off a pass from linemate Alexander Radulov. Dallas avoided a four-game skid to open a season that would’ve matched a franchise worst.
Jets 4, Penguins 1: Ville Heinola scored his first NHL goal to lead Winnipeg over the Penguins. The Jets got their first win in Pittsburgh since returning to the NHL as an expansion team in 2011. The Penguins previously won 18 consecutive home games against the Jets-atlanta Thrashers franchise dating to March 24, 2007. Pittsburgh’s last loss against Winnipeg at home came on Dec. 27, 2006.
Hurricanes 6, Panthers 3: Ryan Dzingel scored two goals and Carolina beat Florida for their fourth straight victory to begin the season, equaling the best start in franchise history. Teuvo Teravainen and Jordan Staal each had a goal and an assist for Carolina, which scored four times in the first period and opened a 5-0 lead after 211⁄ minutes. Dougie Hamilton also scored, and Sebastian Aho added an empty-net goal. James Reimer stopped 47 shots against the team that traded him last summer.
Ducks 3, Red Wings 1: Nick Ritchie scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period, and Anaheim beat Detroit. The Ducks improved to 3-0, matching the best start in franchise history. Anaheim also won its first three in 2006-07 and last season. Predators 5, sharks 2: Roman Josi scored two goals to lead Nashville over San Jose. Kyle Turris, Filip Forsberg and Dante Fabbro also scored for the Predators, who have won two of three to start the season.
Note: San Jose general manager Doug Wilson announced that Patrick Marleau, the Sharks’ all-time leader in games, goals and points, is returning to his original team with a one-year, $700,000 contract after spending the past two seasons in Toronto.