EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) - Mike Hoffman and the Ottawa Senators swept a three-game road trip in Western Canada for the first time in franchise history.
Hoffman had two goals and an assist as the Senators continued their strong play of late with a 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.
Derick Brassard, Zack Smith, Chris Wideman and Kyle Turris also scored for the Senators (3-0-2), who have won three straight. The streak includes a 6-0 victory over the Calgary Flames on Friday night and a 3-2 shootout win at Vancouver on Tuesday.
“It’s never easy to come out here,” Hoffman said. “Adjust to the time change, let alone get a back-to-back Calgary and Edmonton, when you know they’re sitting here waiting for us all week.
“But we played solid. I don’t think we get these two wins without our goalies. They were really solid.”
Adam Larsson scored for the Oilers (1-3-0), who have dropped three in a row.
“I’m concerned because I think we need to play the game faster,” coach Todd McLellan said. “I think we have to have much more polish in our game than we’re seeing right now. We’re torn between not scoring and giving up too many. I believe the scoring will come eventually - it’s the defensive part that has to get better.”
Hoffman opened the scoring six minutes into the first period when Tom Pyatt took advantage of a giveaway and sent the puck in front. Hoffman deflected it past goalie Cam Talbot.
Brassard made it 2-0 midway through the first with some nice passing on the power play before he hammered the puck home.
Ottawa extended its lead early in the second after Edmonton got sloppy in its own zone, allowing Hoffman a lane to rifle his second of the game past Talbot.
Smith made it a 4-0 lead 1:04 into the third period when a rebound hit his leg as he charged the net. The puck got past Talbot, who was then pulled in favor of backup Laurent Brossoit after allowing four goals on 23 shots.
Wideman’s power-play drive from the point padded the Senators’ lead just a few minutes later.
They added yet another power-play goal to make it 6-0 when Turris walked through a trio of defenders before beating Brossoit with a wrist shot.
Turris, who added an assist in the game, was also impressed with the road swing.
“It was great to finish off a trip like that,” he said. “It’s huge. It’s great for our confidence to start the year on a big note on a Western road trip. We’ve got to carry that momentum home, now.”
Larsson ended Mike Condon’s shutout bid with nine minutes remaining while the teams played 4-on-4. Oilers rookie Kailer Yamamoto picked up his first NHL point on the play.
“We just have to be better,” Edmonton captain Connor McDavid said. “The time for talk is over. We just have to get results.”
UP NEXT
Senators: Return home to face Vancouver on Tuesday.
Oilers: Host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
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