Jackets fail to capitalize on opportunities, lose to Oilers 5-1
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -- Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists in his return from a nearly three-month absence and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 on Tuesday night to end a three-game skid.
Eric Gryba, Benoit Pouliot, Leon Draisaitl and Jordan Eberle also scored for the Oilers, and Cam Talbot made 36 saves.
McDavid, the first-overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, was shelved by a broken clavicle on Nov. 3 after a promising start to his pro career. He missed 37 games.
McDavid scored a highlight-reel goal in the second period. He danced through two defenders and beat Joonas Korpisalo with a backhand-to-forehand deke for his sixth goal of the season and a 2-1 lead.
Matt Calvert scored for the Blue Jackets, and Columbus had a two-game winning streak come to an end.
Edmonton outshot Columbus 13-1 early, but the Blue Jackets got on the board first when Scott Hartnell fed it to Calvert on a 2-on-1 break and he bounced a shot off Talbot and in.
Edmonton tied it up 3 minutes into the second period. Gryba directed a hopeful shot on net that eluded Korpisalo for his first goal of the season.
After McDavid's thrilling goal, the Oilers went up 3-1 on the power play with 3:28 remaining in the second when Pouliot tipped in Andrej Sekera's shot. They scored again 29 seconds later when Taylor Hall stole a puck behind the net and fed it in front to Draisaitl.
McDavid picked up his second assist on the power play with 5 minutes left, fishing out a puck to set up Eberle at the side of the net.
NOTES: The Oilers were still without the services of Oscar Klefbom (leg), Andrew Ference (hip), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (hand), Brandon Davidson (undisclosed) and Justin Schultz (illness). Shultz's absence made room on the blue line for Adam Clendening to play his first game with Edmonton after being claimed off waivers last Wednesday from Anaheim. ... Out with injuries for the Blue Jackets were Sergei Bobrovsky (lower body) and Curtis McElhinney (ankle), in addition to skaters David Savard (oblique) and David Clarkson (upper body). ... Both teams return to action on Thursday night. The Jackets are in Vancouver and the Oilers begin a four-game trip in Ottawa.
