Jordan Eberle scores twice, Oilers win their third in a row, 4-1 over Panthers

EDMONTON - Jordan Eberle had a pair of goals as the Edmonton Oilers won their third game in a row for the first time this season, getting past the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Thursday night.

Sam Gagner and David Perron also scored and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had three assists for the Oilers (7-15-2) who improved to 3-7-0 in their home games at Rexall Place in Edmonton this season.

Edmonton was 2-9-1 in its previous 12 games before embarking on the winning streak.

Scottie Upshall responded for the Panthers (6-13-4) who saw a season-high two-game winning streak come to an end.

The Edmonton Oilers picked up right where they left off in Tuesday's 7-0 drubbing of the Columbus Blue Jackets, scoring a power play goal just 57 seconds into the contest.

A Nugent-Hopkins point shot deflected into the air and Eberle was able to bat it past Florida goalie Tim Thomas for his seventh of the season. It was Edmonton's 12th straight unanswered goal stretching back to a four-goal third-period explosion in Saturday's 4-2 win over Calgary.

Edmonton had 12 first period shots to Florida's six on Oilers starter Devan Dubnyk.

The Oilers made it 2-0 six minutes into the second period as Nail Yakupov did a good job waiting out traffic on a three-on-two break, sending a nice pass to a trailing Gagner who beat Thomas high to the glove side for his first of the season.

Edmonton took a three-goal lead just past the mid-mark of the second frame with another power play goal as Perron was able to tip in his eighth of the season off of a one-timer from the top of the circle by defenceman Justin Schultz.

Florida finally got on the board with three-and-a-half minutes to play in the second period as the Panthers caught Edmonton scrambling with defender Corey Potter without a stick and Upshall somehow snuck a bad-angle shot between Dubnyk and the post to make it 3-1.

The Panthers had three power plays in the third period, but were unable to get anything past Dubnyk.

Eberle scored his second of the game into an empty net to put the game away.

The Panthers wrap up a five-game road trip in Calgary on Friday night. The Oilers are off until Monday, when they will host the Chicago Blackhawks.

Notes: The game was the second of two meetings between the teams this season. Edmonton won the first game 4-3 in overtime on Nov. 5 when rookie forward Mark Arcobello scored the first two goals of his NHL career, including the overtime winner. Arcobello was a healthy scratch for the rematch… After the loss to the Oilers, the Panthers fired head coach Kevin Dineen, replacing him with current bench boss Peter Horachek… The Oilers put bruising forward Steven MacIntyre on waivers for the purpose of reassignment to their AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City… Panthers defenceman Mike Weaver missed the game with an illness, while forward Scott Gomez missed his eighth game with a groin injury. Defenceman Ed Jovanovski (hip) is officially off injured reserve, but has still yet to play this season… Friday marks the 10th anniversary of the Heritage Classic Game in Edmonton, the NHL's first-ever outdoor match-up. Among those in attendance was a 12-year-old Taylor Hall to see the Oilers face the Montreal Canadiens. There are six outdoor games scheduled this season in the NHL.