In Glendale Wednesday, Cam Talbot made 28 saves to help the Edmonton Oilers break a streak of near futility against the Arizona Coyotes.
Cam Talbot (#33) – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Since 2011, the Oilers had not beaten the Coyotes in regulation, a span of 26 games.
“Every year is a new group, but we’ve won now and we don’t have to come and answer all your questions,” Edmonton coach Todd McLellan said. “But the game wasn’t a lot different than many during the streak. We just found a way to come out on the winning end.”
Milan Lucic, Mark Letestu and Matt Hendricks scored for the Oilers; the Oilers fouth line had seven points on the night.
“I’d like to say all the saucer passes and toe drags and stuff, but it’s definitely simplicity with us,” Hendricks said. “We try to play to each other’s strengths, dump pucks in smart ways and put them in areas where we can retrieve them or at least put their defense in vulnerable positions. Sometimes it goes in for us.”
Martin Hanzal and Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored for Arizona which fell to 11-17-5 on the season; Hanzal scored off bounce off the back boards midway through the third period.
“Anytime you shut down Connor McDavid and (Ryan) Nugent-Hopkins, then we have a chance to win the game,” Hanzal said. “But their fourth line was producing.”
WATCH: All Oilers vs. Coyotes highlights
Ekman-Larsson scored with six seconds left in regulation on a power play to close the gap.
Mike Smith made 19 saves in the loss.
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