EDMONTON, Alberta (Interstat) — Zach Hyman recorded a hat trick and Connor McDavid tallied four assists as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 in NHL action Thursday night at Rexall Place. McDavid set up all three of Hyman’s goals and another by defenseman Mattias Ekholm, powering the Oilers before a crowd of 18,347. Stuart Skinner made 27 saves for the win. Simon Edvinsson scored Detroit’s lone goal in the second period. The loss snapped a two-game win streak for the Red Wings, who fell to 17-15. Edmonton improved to 14-17. Hyman opened scoring in the first period and added two more in the second and third. The Oilers, installed as pregame favorites, exceeded the projected scoreline in a game where the total fell under the betting line.

EDMONTON, Alberta (Interstat) — Zach Hyman recorded a hat trick and Connor McDavid dished out four assists as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a two-game skid with a decisive 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night. A crowd of 18,347 at Rexall Place watched the Oilers, fueled by their top offensive talents, control the game from the outset and improve to 14-17 on the season. The Red Wings, concluding a successful Western Canada road trip with their first loss after consecutive wins in Vancouver and Calgary, fell to 17-15. Hyman, named the game’s top star, opened the scoring on a first-period power play. With Detroit’s Patrick Kane in the box for hooking Leon Draisaitl, McDavid fired a shot from the point that Hyman deftly tipped past Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot at the 14:25 mark. Draisaitl earned the secondary assist. The Oilers extended their lead in the second period with a pair of goals. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm blasted a slap shot past Talbot at 4:46, with McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins assisting. Just over ten minutes later, Hyman struck again, converting a crisp passing play from McDavid and defenseman Darnell Nurse to make it 3-0 at 14:48. Detroit broke through 41 seconds later to briefly stem the tide. Rookie Nate Danielson fed defenseman Simon Edvinsson, whose wrist shot beat Edmonton netminder Stuart Skinner for his fourth of the season at 10:41 of the middle frame. Elmer Soderblom also assisted on the play, which cut the deficit to 3-1. Any momentum for the visitors was short-lived, as the Oilers’ defensive structure and Skinner’s steady play stifled Detroit’s attack for the remainder of the game. Skinner finished with 27 saves on 28 shots to earn the win. Talbot stopped 40 of 44 shots in the losing effort. Hyman completed his hat trick, his fifth goal of the season, late in the third period to seal the outcome. McDavid and Draisaitl combined to set up Hyman for a wrist shot at 14:43, providing the final margin. McDavid’s four-assist night gave him 32 helpers on the season. The game featured a physical edge, with Edmonton’s Trent Frederic credited with a game-high seven hits. The Oilers’ penalty kill was perfect, negating both Detroit power plays, while their own power play went 1 for 2. Edmonton also dominated the faceoff circle, winning 56 percent of the draws. The result avenged a 4-2 loss to the Red Wings in Detroit back on Oct. 19. According to National Statistical, the Oilers entered the game with a 62.4 percent probability to win, projected for a 3-2 victory. The combined five goals fell under the over/under line of 6.5. The Red Wings continue their Central Division road swing in Chicago on Saturday. The Oilers embark on a four-game Eastern road trip, beginning in Toronto on Saturday.

Red Wings, Oilers Meet in Edmonton on Thursday EDMONTON, Alberta (Interstat) — The Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers, two teams trending in opposite directions, will face off at Rexall Place on Thursday night. The Red Wings (16-14-0) arrive having won three straight and four of their last five, including a 4-0 shutout of the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. Goaltender John Gibson, the player to watch for Detroit, was flawless in that victory, stopping all 39 shots he faced. Over his last three starts, all wins, Gibson has turned aside 96 of 103 shots for a .932 save percentage. “He’s been our backbone during this stretch,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said of Gibson. “When he’s seeing the puck like he is, it gives our entire group confidence.” Edmonton (13-17-0), meanwhile, looks to halt a skid that has seen them lose four of their last five games. Their most recent outing was a 4-3 overtime loss to Buffalo on Tuesday. Captain Connor McDavid, the Oilers’ player to watch, scored two goals in the defeat and has five goals and four assists in his last six games. However, the team’s inconsistent play, particularly in front of their own net, has been costly. “We’re creating chances, but we’re making a few too many mistakes that end up in our net,” McDavid said. “It’s about playing a complete, 60-minute game. We know we’re capable of it.” The teams last met on Oct. 19 in Detroit, a 4-2 Red Wings victory. Detroit’s current success has been fueled by secondary scoring alongside Gibson’s goaltending, with Dylan Larkin and James van Riemsdyk contributing key goals. For the Oilers, finding a way to solve Gibson and tighten defensively will be paramount. Leon Draisaitl, who had an assist and seven shots against Buffalo, remains a constant threat alongside McDavid. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the projected final score is Edmonton 3, Detroit 2. The game marks the start of a critical four-game homestand for the Oilers before a lengthy holiday road trip. The Red Wings continue a four-game Western Canada road swing before returning home next week. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST.