Zach Hyman Leads Oilers To Close Victory In Battle Of Alberta

It's safe to say that the monkey is off Zach Hyman's back.

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The Oilers' winger contributed the game-winning goal, along with a highlight-reel assist, as the Oilers outlasted the Calgary Flames for a 4-2 win to even the season series at one apiece.

Edmonton got the party started early for the second consecutive game, with yet another first-shift goal courtesy of their top line. This one came off the stick of Leon Draisaitl, who somehow managed to beat Flames goalie Dan Vladar with a vicious backhand despite having his back to the net. The Oilers took a 1-0 lead just 20 seconds in.

They didn't stop there. It was a fast and furious first period, with both teams trading rush chances back and forth, but it was the Oilers who capitalized, as Hyman found Jeff Skinner on a give-and-go before Skinner managed to tuck it behind Vladar for his third goal of the season.

Despite that hot start, the Oilers seemed to lose pace after going up 2-0, as the Flames stayed aggressive and slowly began to wear down the Oilers' defences. Edmonton's league-worst penalty kill came back to bite them yet again in the second period when Anthony Mantha deflected a point shot from former Oiler Tyson Barrie past Stuart Skinner for Calgary's first goal of the game.

The goal was reviewed -- not challenged -- for high sticking, but it was ultimately deemed too close to call and the goal stood.

It took a third-period goal from the Flames to wake the Oilers up. Yegor Sharangovich dinged a floater off the post for his first goal of the season to tie the game, on a shot that Skinner couldn't find behind an expertly placed screen from Anthony Mantha. tied 2-2 four minutes into the third period, it looked like the Oilers might blow this one like they did against Carolina.

It was Hyman who made sure that didn't happen. At the tail end of a rough-looking powerplay, Leon Draisaitl found Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on a counterattack, who found Hyman in all alone before Hyman roofed a backhander past Vladar to regain the lead and give the Oilers just their second road powerplay goal of the season.

There was still some late drama to contend with, however. The Oilers survived a late Flames powerplay with one of their best penalty kills of the season, including several quick and smart clears from Brett Kulak.

The Flames then made a massive mistake, taking a Too Many Men penalty with just over two minutes left in a 3-2 game. At five-on-five with the goalie pulled, Calgary just couldn't beat Stuart Skinner, and Mattias Janmark iced it for the Oilers with an empty net goal for his first of the season. The Oilers hung on for a 4-2 win, drawing even with Calgary in the Pacific Division with 13 points.

Player of the Game: Zach Hyman

Hyman was all over the play all night, and was heavily responsible for two of the Oilers' four goals. After finally potting his first goal on Thursday in Nashville, he didn't wait long to get back on the scoresheet. The floodgates might just be bursting for him now after his brutally cold start to the season.

Credit also goes to Leon Draisaitl, who posted his second straight three-point night with a goal and two assists. His nine goals are tied with Brayden Point and Nikolaj Ehlers for 8th in the league, just two behind Nikita Kucherov and Artemi Panarin for the league lead.

Play of the Game

I mean, what incredible work from both Hyman and Skinner on this. For Hyman to fight off the 6'6" giant Kevin Bahl to find Skinner, and for Skinner to somehow sneak the puck around Rasmus Andersson and Dan Vladar and finally sneak the puck over the goal line from behind the net is, well, impressive to say the least. Not only were Hyman's two points big ones for the Oilers, but they were highlight-reel ones as well.

This win brings the Oilers to 4-1-1 over their past six games, with a 6-5-1 season record that not only matches the Flames, but gets them above .500 for the first time this season.

The Oilers are back at home tomorrow to face the New Jersey Devils.

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