Rapid Recap: Oilers 6, Avalanche 2

EDMONTON, Alberta--The Colorado Avalanche dropped the second game of its road trip, losing 6-2 to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night at Rogers Place.
The Oilers' Connor McDavid recorded a career-high six points, registering three goals and three assists. Teammate Leon Draisaitl contributed a personal-best five assists, while Oscar Klefbom added three helpers.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tallied a pair of goals, and Zack Kassian also found the back of the net for Edmonton.
Colorado's Andre Burakovsky opened the scoring with the first of his two markers on the evening at 1:20 of the first period, but Edmonton responded with five unanswered tallies, with the first four coming in the opening frame.
Four of the Oilers' goals came on the power play.
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Highlights
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Watch: Coach Bednar Postgame

THE GOALS

1st Period
1:20 COL (1-0) - Andre Burakovsky took a pass from Nazem Kadri and ripped a shot through traffic to get the Avs on the scoreboard first.
6:16 EDM (1-1) - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins received a drop pass from Connor McDavid and fired a shot over the shoulder of goalie Adam Werner.
12:14 EDM (1-2) - PPG, Connor McDavid scored far-side on a wrist shot from the right circle.
12:32 EDM (1-3) - Zack Kassian buried a rebound after Leon Draisaitl's wraparound attempt was stopped.
15:51 EDM (1-4) - PPG, Connor McDavid recorded his fourth point of the period on a wrist shot from the slot.
2nd Period
8:32 EDM (1-5) - PPG, Connor McDavid completed the hat trick with a wrist shot from the right circle.
16:36 COL (2-5) - Andre Burakovsky tallied on a rebound off Erik Johnson's shot for his second goal of the game.
18:15 COL (2-6) - PPG, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins registered his second goal of the night on a wrist shot from the slot.
3rd Period
No Scoring
Final: Oilers - 6 | Avalanche - 2

3 STARS

Selected by Sportsnet

POWER PLAYS

Colorado: 0 for 5
Edmonton: 4 for 6

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Colorado: Adam Werner made his first career NHL start and finished with 13 saves. Antoine Bibeau made his Avalanche debut after entering the contest with 11:28 left in the second period. Bibeau, who was playing in his third career NHL game and first since Dec. 29, 2016 at the Tampa Bay Lightning as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, stopped nine shots.
Edmonton: Mike Smith was facing the Avs for the first time since playing them in the first round the Stanley Cup Playoffs last spring as a member of the Calgary Flames. He made 31-of-33 saves.

STAT OF THE NIGHT

Erik Johnson assisted on Andre Burakovsky second goal of the game to register his 200th career point as a member of the Avalanche. He is the sixth Colorado defenseman to reach the 200-point milestone, joining Tyson Barrie, John-Michael Liles, Sandis Ozolinsh, Adam Foote, Rob Blake.
Johnson, who was acquired in a trade from the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 18, 2011, has appeared in 533 games with Colorado, second most by a blueliner since the team moved to Denver in 1995.

NOTEBOOK

Andre Burakovsky tied a season high with two goals, which is also a career best in the NHL. It was the sixth time that he's had a multi-goal outing and the second this season… Nazem Kadri is on a season-long four-game point streak (one goal, four assists)… The officials reviewed a play for a possible Avalanche goal with 17.1 seconds remaining in the first period, but it was determined that the puck didn't cross the goal line… Colorado also scored moments after the horn sounded at the end of the first period. The play was also reviewed and confirmed as a no goal… Colorado next plays Edmonton on Nov. 27 at Pepsi Center.

QUOTABLE

Head coach Jared Bednar after the game: "I think their best players had a night tonight, and we didn't. I just didn't think we were very good, not tight enough with our checking. Just seemed like we didn't have the drive we needed to win this one."

BIG HIGHLIGHT

IMAGE OF THE GAME

Two of the best of the best.

ROSTER REPORT

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare returned to the lineup after missing Colorado's previous game on Tuesday while in concussion protocol. Bellemare was a game-time decision… Bellemare centered a line with Valeri Nichushkin and Matt Nieto… Goaltender Adam Werner made his first career NHL start… Antoine Bibeau began the game as the backup after being recalled from the AHL Colorado Eagles on Wednesday, replacing Logan O'Connor, who was reassigned… Bibeau and Kevin Connauton made their season debuts for the Avalanche… Mark Barberio and Jayson Megna were the healthy scratches.

INJURY UPDATE

Nikita Zadorov will meet the team in Vancouver and could play on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. Zadorov, who had surgery to help repair a broken jaw, has been out since getting hurt last Thursday against the Nashville Predators… Pavel Francouz is in concussion protocol after a collision in the previous game on Tuesday at the Winnipeg Jets, but head coach Jared Bednar said the goaltender is feeling better… Philipp Grubauer (lower body) participated in morning skate, marking the third straight day he has taken part in the full team session… Mikko Rantanen (lower body) continues to skate back in Denver… Gabriel Landeskog and Colin Wilson remain on injured reserve with lower-body injuries.

UP NEXT

The Avalanche continues the Western Canada swing of its five-game road trip on Saturday at the Vancouver Canucks. Colorado, which began the trip at the Winnipeg Jets, will also play at the Calgary Flames on Tuesday before facing off in St. Paul versus the Minnesota Wild next Thursday. The Avs are on their second road trip of five or more games this season.

LINE COMBINATIONS

Based on start of the game
Forwards
11 Matt Calvert - 29 Nathan MacKinnon - 72 Joonas Donskoi
95 Andre Burakovsky - 91 Nazem Kadri - 37 J.T. Compher
83 Matt Nieto - 41 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - 13 Valeri Nichushkin
81 Vladislav Kamenev - 17 Tyson Jost - 36 T.J. Tynan
Defensemen
49 Samuel Girard - 6 Erik Johnson
27 Ryan Graves - 8 Cale Makar
28 Ian Cole - 7 Kevin Connauton
Goaltenders
30 Adam Werner (starter)
35 Antoine Bibeau (backup)