GAME STORY: Devils 5, Oilers 2 (at Sweden)

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN -- New Jersey scored early and added two second-period goals which set the tone for a 5-2 Oilers setback in the 2018-19 season opener for both clubs at the NHL Global Series.
Connor McDavid had two assists for the Oilers while Milan Lucic had a goal and an assist.

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The Oilers return to North America and will visit the Boston Bruins on Thursday, October 11. The game can be seen on Sportsnet One and heard on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED. Puck drop is 5:08 p.m. MDT.
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"It would have been a lot better experience had we performed at a higher level," said Oilers head coach Todd McLellan when asked to sum up the European trip which saw the team travel to Germany and Sweden. "If you can come home to your country and play in a real NHL game that's pretty exciting.
"Often the families have to come to our world to see their brothers/cousins/sons play but we got to come over to theirs."
The experience off the ice was a good one, but on the ice, the head coach wasn't too happy with most of his team.
"They put a lot of pressure on us, we couldn't get any kind of rhythm," McLellan continued.
It took the Devils only 58 seconds to get on the board. Kyle Palmieri took the puck off the boards and drove to he net. He wired a shot high over the shoulder of Cam Talbot to make it 1-0 for New Jersey.
The first penalty of the game went to the Devils after Ben Lovejoy got called for holding at the 3:41 mark.
Only 20 seconds into that power play, Connor McDavid used his speed to motor down the left side before going behind the net and finding Milan Lucic out front for a quick tap-in to tie it at 1-1.
Lucic's two point night was a bright spot for the Oilers on this night.
"There's some positives we're going to have to find in a game like today and that was one of them. He was physical, making plays, scored," McLellan stated. "He would get a pretty good checkmark from the group."
New Jersey continued its parade to the penalty box with 4:46 to play in the first when Palmieri got his hands up in the head of Evan Bouchard who was trying to play a puck in the air.
McLellan was happy with the play of the rookie blueliner in his first game.
"I thought he got better as the night went on," McLellan said. "(Rookies) almost have to give themslves permission to play without fear. The game was much quicker than what we were playing against in exhibition season. We dressed six. I didn't think Bouch was at the bottom of that pile."
After one, shots on goal were 9-7 for New Jersey.

Jesse Puljujarvi received two minutes for interference to put the Devils on their first power play of the game less than two minutes into the second and only seven seconds into the man advantage, the Devils converted as Palmieri's shot from the top of the right circle beat Talbot five-hole to put New Jersey back in front.
The Devils extended their lead 70 seconds later as Miles Wood stripped Talbot of the puck behind the Oilers net then found Travis Zajac in front for a quick tap-in.
Brian Boyle tripped up Oscar Klefbom in the netural zone, sending the Oilers to the power play with a chance to try and steal back some momentum with 5:21 to play in the second. Oilers had a lot of pressure in the Devils zone during the power play but no shots on goal on either the man advantage or the period itself through the first 17 minutes.
Edmonton finally registered a couple of shots right near the end of the frame. The best chance came with five seconds left as Puljujarvi nearly scored with a redirection in front after a quick turnover but Kinkaid was quick to get back in position and kick out his left pad for the save.
The Oilers went 17 minutes without a shot in the second, which was in the Devils game plan according to Palmieri.
"They have a pretty dynamic offence, probably one of the moxt explosive players in the league and the world," Palmieri began. "Just making it hard on them and giving them the least amount of space we can. They have some guys with skill who if they get some time and space they can be dangerous."
After 40 minutes, shots were 19-11 for the Devils.
Wood won a battle on the side boards and pushed the puck forward to Zajac in front. Zajac put the puck through Talbot's legs to give New Jersey a three-goal lead five minutes into the final frame.
McDavid, Lucic and Draisaitl completed a very quick tic-tac-toe play with 8:28 to play in the third. The play ended with Draisaitl one-timing a blast from the right circle past Kinkaid.
Stefan Noesen fired a shot from the other end of the ice that hit the post of the empty net and found its way in.