Several lengthy goalless droughts came to an end on Monday night.
Oscar Klefbom’s first goal in 34 games came in overtime, giving the Edmonton Oilers a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. It was Klefbom’s first goal since Dec. 9 last year.
“Obviously, I have had opportunities in a lot of games where I didn’t execute and finish,” defenseman Klefbom said of his fourth goal of the season, set up by Connor McDavid, after Edmonton surrendered a two-goal lead in the third period.
“It was very nice to score the overtime winner, but we have to be smarter and better when we have leads like this. To be up by two goals here at home, it’s not good enough to end up in overtime,” he added.
Jujhar Khaira, Milan Lucic and Jesse Puljujarvi also scored for the Oilers, who snapped a three-game skid. Lucic’s goal was his first since Dec. 23 last year — a goalless streak that lasted 29 games.
Jason Demers, Christian Dvorak and Niklas Hjalmarsson replied for the Coyotes, whose two-game winning streak ended.
“I think we’re [a] pretty resilient group and it’s good to know that if we’re down, we can always come back,” Dvorak said.
Arizona got a bit of a break to get the game’s first goal just after three minutes into the first period, when Demers’ passing attempt went off defender Kris Russell’s heel and caromed past Oilers goalie Cam Talbot.
Khaira’s short-handed goal tied it eight minutes into the game. He followed up a shot by Ryan Strome and tapped the rebound past Arizona goalie Darcy Kuemper.
The Oilers took the lead with 6 minutes, 39 seconds remaining in the first when Lucic scored on a slap shot for his 10th.
Edmonton made it 3-1 with a power-play goal with three minutes to play in the first when Puljujarvi picked the top corner for his 11th of the season.
The Coyotes pulled back within a goal just past the midpoint of the third period after an Edmonton giveaway allowed Dvorak to tuck in the puck from the doorstep.
Arizona tied it with 4 minutes, 39 seconds left in the third as Hjalmarsson scored to send the game to extra time. It was his first goal in 70 games, dating to Jan. 8 last year.
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