VANCOUVER – SPORTS – Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and an assist for the Montreal Canadiens in a 5-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Wednesday to split the two game series.
Carey Price made 23 saves, and Phillip Danault scored his first goal of the season for the Canadiens (12-6-7), who were coming off a 2-1 shootout loss in Vancouver on Monday and improved to 5-0-2 against the Canucks this season.
Montreal is on a six-game point streak (3-0-3) and 3-1-3 since coach Claude Julien was fired Feb. 24 and replaced by Dominique Ducharme.
“I thought it was our best game,” said Ducharme. “We were relentless in everything we were doing and we made it really hard for them and then we could counter, we could go on to offense and bring our speed because we were connected, and that’s what we’re working on.”
EDMONTON – SPORTS – Leon Draisaitl had a hat trick and two assists for the Edmonton Oilers in a 7-1 win against the Ottawa Senators at Rogers Place on Wednesday.
“I thought our start was really good and we put them on their heels a little bit early on, and that helps a lot,” said Draisaitl. “We had contributions from all four lines, defensemen, and [goalie Mike Smith] was great, so it was a pretty complete effort.”
Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists, Darnell Nurse had a goal and an assist, Tyson Barrie had three assists, and Smith made 21 saves for Edmonton (17-11-0) in the second of a three-game series which ends here Friday.
