OTTAWA — Milan Michalek is hoping his performance on Saturday is a sign of things to come.
Michalek, who opened the season with just two goals in his first 27 games, scored twice as the Ottawa Senators downed the Edmonton Oilers 7-2.
"Hopefully I’m getting my confidence back and feeling much more comfortable on the ice," said Michalek, who now has six goals in his last 13 games. "I’m a streaky guy, most guys are, but hopefully I can keep it going."
Six different players found the back of the net as Ottawa finished its week with five of a possible six points.
"When we’re successful it’s everybody kicking in," said Senators coach Dave Cameron. "It’s always nice when you get multiple guys scoring because that’s a multiple dose of confidence. The more confidence you can have on your team, spreading throughout your team, obviously the better chance you’re going to have."
Kyle Turris, Cody Ceci, Alex Chiasson, Mike Hoffman and David Legwand rounded out the offence for Ottawa (22-22-10). Robin Lehner, making his eighth straight start, stopped 25 shots before 17,160 fans at Canadian Tire Centre.
The seven goals tied a season high for Ottawa.
Derek Roy and Mark Fayne scored for Edmonton (16-32-9). Viktor Fasth allowed three goals on 15 shots before being replaced by Richard Bachman, who surrendered four goals on 27 shots.
With a commanding 5-2 lead, the Senators added two third-period goals from Hoffman and Legwand, on the power play, to tie a season high.
The second period was a goaltender’s nightmare as four goals were scored on five shots.
With the game tied 1-1, Ottawa scored twice within 16 seconds. Ceci beat Fasth from the faceoff circle and shortly after, Michalek and Turris completed a 2-on-1 with Turris registering his 12th of the season.
Turris’ goal also ended Fasth’s afternoon as Bachman made his first appearance in an NHL game since 2013.
"Before today we put three really good games together," said Edmonton coach Todd Nelson. "I don’t know where that came from. You could tell right off the first five minutes we were struggling.
"I don’t know where it came from, but we’re going to have to fix it quick."
Edmonton cut the lead to one as Fayne beat Lehner glove side, but Michalek regained the two-goal lead with his second of the game in the second period.
Ottawa made it 5-2 on Chiasson’s goal which took a hop before sliding past Bachman.
The news wasn’t all good for the Senators in the second period as Chris Neil suffered a fractured left thumb after fighting Luke Gazdic. Neil will be out indefinitely.
"When you see a player get hurt you feel for him," said Cameron. "For every player that’s out it’s an opportunity and that’s how we’re going to look at it."
Ottawa opened the scoring at the seven-minute mark of the game on a Michalek power-play goal. Erik Karlsson picked up his 200th career assist on the play.
The Oilers tied the game as Roy and Justin Schultz broke in on a 2-on-1 with only Bobby Ryan back for the Senators. Roy beat Lehner for his sixth of the season.
Notes: D Jared Cowen was a healthy scratch. LW Clarke MacArthur was a late scratch as he is out with the flu. G Craig Anderson (hand) and D Chris Phillips (wear and tear) are day-to-day for the Senators. D Keith Aulie, C Matt Hendricks and RW Matt Fraser were healthy scratches for the Oilers.
