EditorsNote: 6th graf, change 15 to 16; 9th graf, add Koskinen save total
Jeff Petry and Tomas Tatar scored two goals each while Jake Evans added a goal as the Montreal Canadiens used a second-period onslaught to earn a 5-1 victory Saturday on the road against the Edmonton Oilers.
The Canadiens scored three times in the opening 9:17 of the second period as they rebounded from a season-opening overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday when they failed to protect a two-goal lead.
In addition to their scoring outburst, the Canadiens also killed off three Oilers power plays in the second period, including one from a penalty that occurred as the first period ended and another that bled into the opening seconds of the third period.
Montreal goaltender Carey Price had 34 saves, losing his shutout at 12:59 of the third period when Slater Koekkoek scored his first of the season for the Oilers off the rebound of his own shot.
The Oilers fell for the second time in three games as Connor McDavid was held to an assist one game after he delivered the NHL's first hat trick of the season in a victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canadiens forced the action early, taking 16 shots in the first period to nine for the Oilers while taking a 1-0 lead.
After some missed early goal-scoring opportunities on both sides, including a breakaway chance from McDavid that could have put the Oilers on the scoreboard, Montreal came away with their first goal when Petry scored on the power play.
Immediately after killing off a power play to open the second period, Montreal took a 2-0 lead on a goal from Tatar. Petry made it 3-0 at the 7:27 mark of the period with his second of the game and the season. Phillip Danault had an assist on both goals.
Montreal took a commanding 4-0 lead less than halfway through the second period when Evans scored an unassisted short-handed goal, his first. Evans intercepted a McDavid pass in his own zone and took it down ice where he fired a shot before scoring off the rebound of a Mikko Koskinen save. Koskinen finished with 31 saves.
Tatar made it 5-0 for Montreal with just over 10 minutes remaining on a breakaway goal, his third of the season.
--Field Level Media
