Bouchard scores in OT, Oilers defeat Canadiens

EDMONTON -- Evan Bouchard scored with seven seconds left in overtime to give the Edmonton Oilers a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens at Rogers Place on Thursday.

Bouchard, who also had an assist, tapped in a pass from Connor McDavid at the side of the net.

“I was kind of expecting it to get there and it did,” Bouchard said. “It was definitely a good feeling. We needed to get a win to get back in the win column. That was a big one for myself and the team.

“We got the saves when we really needed them and we capitalized. If you’re letting in two goals or less in a game, chances are that you’re going to win it. Playing defense, the biggest thing we were missing the past six or seven games, that was a big one for us.”

Leon Draisaitl also had a goal and an assist, and McDavid had two assists for the Oilers (36-22-4), who had lost six of their previous seven. Stuart Skinner made 25 saves.

“It felt fantastic. I haven’t gotten a win in a while, obviously, so ‘Bouch’ putting that puck in the net, I was extremely happy,” Skinner said. “It’s big, obviously good for the confidence, but at the same time I have to realize that’s an everyday thing for me, showing up that way and being able to play those types of games.

“I’ve got that in me to continue the rest of the year and playoffs. It’s good for the confidence but I expect that of myself.”

Cole Caufield and Joel Armia scored for the Canadiens (30-26-6), who had their five-game winning streak end. Sam Montembeault made 29 saves.

“You talk to them 10 minutes after not getting what they want, but I’m pretty sure they’re going to wake up tomorrow and say that it was a big point,” Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. “We played extremely well tonight and it was nothing perfect, but we played with the right intentions, we played with conviction, the guys fought, it could have went either way. We got our chances to get the two points, it just didn’t happen, but I loved the way we played.”

Corey Perry put Edmonton ahead 1-0 at 9:34 of the first period. He controlled a saucer pass from Max Jones, skated in on a breakaway, and lifted a backhand over a sliding Montembeault.

“I was thinking back, that pass usually isn’t something a fourth line should be making coming out of the zone like that, but I saw him skating so fast,” said Jones, who was making his Oilers debut after being acquired from the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. “I didn’t even know if it was [Perry]. I was joking with him, ‘I don’t remember you skating that fast in Anaheim,’ and he was like ‘Come on, give me a break.’ He was flying, so I just flicked it over there and got lucky.”

Caufield tied it 1-1 at 15:14, stripping the puck from Oilers defenseman Cam Dineen at center ice before scoring on his own rebound on a partial breakaway.

He has scored in four straight games (four goals).

Draisaitl gave Edmonton a 2-1 lead at 1:06 of the second period, scoring on a wrist shot from the top of the left circle past Montembeault’s glove on the power play for his NHL-leading 46th goal of the season.

The goal also extended his point streak to 13 games (20 points; 11 goals, nine assists).

Armia tied it 2-2 at 10:19, one-timing a pass from Lane Hutson through Skinner’s legs.

“It was a huge point, but not really satisfied with that,” Caufield said. “Leon scored, and Connor makes a play in OT. They’re good players, we limited their chances, but at the end of the day, they find a way. We had our chances too, but you have to play those guys tight. I thought we did for the most part and put ourselves in a good spot and just came up short.

“Those ones are fun. Obviously, two really good players over there and they made us pay at the end. But it was really exciting for the fans, and we had our chances, too.”

NOTES: Caufield extended his point streak to six games (five goals, two assists). ... Draisaitl scored his 393rd career goal, passing Mark Messier (392) for the fourth-most in Oilers history, behind Wayne Gretzky (583), Jari Kurri (474) and Glenn Anderson (417). ... McDavid extended his point streak to six games (one goal, six assists). ... Hutson extended his point streak to six games (one goal, seven assists).