GAME STORY: Penguins 3, Oilers 1

PITTSBURGH, PA -- The Oilers opened the scoring just minutes into the game with Leon Draisaitl's team-leading 33rd goal of the season while Connor McDavid was able to extend his point-streak to eight games with an assist on the tally but it was the Pittsburgh Penguins who prevailed in a low-scoring affair on Wednesday night.

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The three-game road trip continues with a game in Carolina on Friday. The game can be seen on Sportsnet West and heard on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED. Puck drop is 5:08 p.m. MST.
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In stark contrast to the two teams' first meeting in October, the tight-checking matchup remained up for grabs until a Penguins empty-netter sealed the deal with a minute remaining en route to the 3-1 victory for the home side.
Things started well for the visiting Oilers after McDavid was sprung loose on a chip up the boards, the captain quickly separated himself from the defender as Draisaitl joined the rush for a clear two-on-one.
A McDavid saucer pass found the German winger who snapped home a wrister over Matt Murray's blocker for his team-leading 33rd goal of the season. With the assist, McDavid extended his point-streak to eight games.
Despite the Oilers outshooting the Pens 11-8 after 20, goaltender Mikko Koskinen was busy, having to face several high-danger Pittsburgh scoring chances in the opening frame.
It was the second period that saw Pittsburgh's persistence paid off.
The Oilers first power-play opportunity came just two minutes into the second period when Pittsburgh defender Tanner Pearson cleared a puck out of his own zone with his glove for a delay of game penalty.
Despite the Oilers being red-hot with the man-advantage of late (six for their last 12), it was the Penguins that would break through shorthanded as Matt Cullen got behind the Oilers penalty killers and found Bryan Rust behind the net who snuck one past Koskinen from the side of the net at 17:30.
Pittsburgh pounced again just three minutes later when a rebound popped out in front of Koskinen and found Teddy Blueger all alone who buried it for the 2-1 Pittsburgh lead.
With less than three minutes remaining in the second, McDavid was hooked on a breakaway at the tail end of a successful Oilers PK and had a glorious chance to tie things up with a penalty shot but the quick glove of Murray kept Pittsburgh in the lead.
"It's a move I've been trying to do, but I think he knew I was going to do it. I've got to find something new." said McDavid of his penalty shot attempt.
The Oilers led the Penguins in shots 27-19 after 40 minutes.

Much like Pittsburgh's last win over Philadelphia on Monday in which he stopped 50 of 51 shots, it was the play of Murray that made the difference on Wednesday night as the Oilers managed 39 shots on the Penguins goaltender but could only solve him once.
"I thought we created enough to probably win the game, but we couldn't get (the next one) past him." said Draisaitl.
McDavid came dangerously close to tying it once again midway through the 3rd when Draisaitl found him all alone in front of the net where the captain had Murray down and out but was unable to tuck it over the left pad.
Despite the loss, Head Coach Ken Hitchcock felt the Oilers effort was where it needed to be and that their fate could have easily been different.
"This is the first time since I've been here that we've played an 'A' game and not gotten points," said Hitchcock. "We did an awful lot of things really well tonight. All the things about playing for each other and our neutral zone play was excellent... There wasn't one guy who didn't give you everything he had and it didn't lack in scoring chances."
The Oilers continue their three-game Eastern road swing on Friday with a meeting against Carolina for the front half of a back-to-back which will conclude against the New York Islanders on Saturday.