Ingram makes 24 saves, Oilers defeat slumping Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS -- Connor Ingram made 24 saves to help the Edmonton Oilers defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.

“We’ve been talking about packing it in in the D-zone and just playing good defense,” Ingram said. “We’re good enough that we’re going to get chances no matter what, so if we take care of the puck at that end, we’re going to be fine.”

Leon Draisaitl scored his fifth goal in his past five games, and Connor McDavid had two assists for the Oilers (31-25-8), who have won two of three.

“There were a lot of things that I liked,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. “Mostly the defending, we did a pretty good job. There were times where we spent a little more time in our defensive zone, but we kept them to the outside and a lot of perimeter shots, so I liked that part of it.”

Noah Hanifin and Jack Eichel scored, and Mitch Marner had two assists for the Golden Knights (29-21-14), who have lost five of six. Adin Hill made 15 saves.

“We did control some play, we had pockets where we were really good when we played a certain way,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Then, some of the chances we started giving up, we’re trying to pass it around the outside. It’s not smart hockey for a veteran team.”

Trent Frederic gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead at 3:21 of the second period. Evan Bouchard skated down the right wing and sent a centering pass toward Frederic that deflected back to him behind the net. With Hill sprawled on the ice as a result of the deflection, Bouchard passed out front again to Frederic, who lifted his second attempt into the net.

"You can see on the goal, [he and Colton Dach] just took the puck to the net, crashed, and it’s never going to be pretty,” Knoblauch said. “It’s very effective. We need more hockey like that out of those two.”

Keegan Kolesar thought he tied the game at 6:43, but the call was reversed following a successful challenge for offside.

However, Hanifin did tie the game 1-1 at 13:09 when his shot from the right point redirected in off the stick of Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.

“It’s all about just being assertive and moving my feet,” Hanifin said. “That’s just what I got to do if I am going to help this team. Tonight, I was getting up in the play a little bit. Offensively, we were using the points a lot and getting a lot of motion going. That helps our 'D' corps in general. So, just got to stick with that.”

Vasily Podkolzin put Edmonton back ahead 2-1 at 2:34 of the third period. Tomas Hertl won an offensive zone face-off, but Podkolzin skated into it in front of Jeremy Lauzon and outraced Rasmus Andersson down the ice before tucking a shot just across the goal line past Hill's right pad.

“I just went a couple of steps from their 'D,' got some luck,” Podkolzin said. “I try to put myself in a good spot for moments.”

Draisaitl made it 3-1 at 11:53 during a 4-on-4. Eichel turned the puck over after it hit a broken stick at the blue line, and McDavid quickly found Draisaitl, who put a backhand through the five-hole of Hill, who had attempted a poke check.

Eichel cut it to 3-2 at 16:43 with a short-handed goal, but Kasperi Kapanen shot into an empty net at 18:03 for the 4-2 final.

“We’re not playing as well as we want to, not as many wins as we wanted after the break (3-3-0)," Knoblauch said. "Going on this (four-game) road trip, a very difficult road trip, playing a lot of good teams, when you get that first one, everyone can relax a little more and hopefully feel a little more confident.”

NOTES: Draisaitl has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) during a five-game point streak. ... McDavid (one goal, 12 assists) and Bouchard (three goals, 10 assists) each extended his point streak to seven games.