EDMONTON — The Ottawa Senators swept their way through a three-game road trip in Western Canada for the first time in franchise history.
Mike Hoffman had two goals and an assist as the Senators continued their strong play of late with a 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
Derick Brassard, Zack Smith, Chris Wideman and Kyle Turris also scored for the Senators (3-0-2), who have won three straight, including a 6-0 victory over the Calgary Flames on Friday night and a 3-2 shootout win in Vancouver on Tuesday to start the trip.
"Any time you can have a good road trip like this, it’s never easy to come out here," Hoffman said. "Adjust to the time change, let alone get a back-to-back Calgary and Edmonton, when you know they’re sitting here waiting for us all week.
"But we played solid. I don’t think we get these two wins without our goalies. They were really solid."
Adam Larsson responded for the Oilers (1-3-0), who have dropped three in a row.
"I’m concerned because I think we need to play the game faster," said Oilers head coach Todd McLellan. "I think we have to have much more polish in our game than we’re seeing right now. We’re torn between not scoring and giving up too many. I believe the scoring will come eventually, it’s the defensive part that has to get better."
Hoffman opened scoring six minutes into the first period as Tom Pyatt took advantage of a giveaway and sent it in front. Hoffman deflected the puck past Oilers goalie Cam Talbot.
Brassard made it 2-0 midway through the first with some nice passing on the power play before he hammered it home.
Ottawa extended its lead early in the second period after Edmonton got sloppy in its own zone, allowing Hoffman a lane to rifle his second of the game past Talbot.
Smith made it a 4-0 lead 1:04 into the third period when a rebound hit his leg as he charged the net and got past Talbot, who was then pulled in favour of backup Laurent Brossoit after allowing four goals on 23 shots.
Wideman’s power-play blast from the point padded the Senators’ lead just a few minutes later.
They added yet another power-play goal to make it 6-0, as Turris walked through a trio of defenders before beating Brossoit with a wrist shot.
Turris, who added an assist in the game, was also impressed with the road swing.
"It was great to finish off a trip like that," he said. "It’s huge. It’s great for our confidence to start the year on a big note on a western road trip. We’ve got to carry that momentum home, now."
The Oilers ended Ottawa goalie Mike Condon’s shutout bid with nine minutes remaining on a goal by Larsson while the teams played four-on-four. Rookie Kailer Yamamoto picked up his first career NHL point in the play.
"We just have to be better," said Oilers captain Connor McDavid. "The time for talk is over. We just have to get results."
Both teams are off until Tuesday, when the Oilers host the Carolina Hurricanes and the Senators return home to face the Vancouver Canucks.
Notes: It was the first of two meetings between the two teams this season. Ottawa won both games last season… Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl was out with an eye injury and possible concussion symptoms, giving Yamamoto a chance to start on the top line with McDavid.
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