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Watch: Matt Benning bats home a beauty off Darling's back

(AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
(AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

There’s been approximately five things that have gone right for the Edmonton Oilers during a dismal 2017-18 campaign.

This short list includes: Connor McDavid, Connor McDavid, Connor McDavid, Connor McDavid, and this super swat by blueliner Matt Benning to give the Oilers a first period lead in Raleigh on Tuesday.

After Scott Darling let out a juicy rebound off a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins shot from the left circle, the Hurricanes netminder recovered to stymie Benning with a gorgeous toe save. But after floating behind the goal line, the Oilers D-man used some slick hand-eye coordination to bat the puck out of the air and off the back of Darling.

It was Benning’s fifth goal and 14th point of the season for an Oilers squad which entered Tuesday’s action sitting third-last in the Western Conference after clinching a playoff birth just a season ago.

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