The Edmonton Oilers wasted no time settling the score with the Utah Mammoth.
On Saturday night, Edmonton rolled to a 6-2 win and jumped back into the victory column, improving to 6-1-1 on the season. The game was tilted from the opening shift, with Connor McDavid setting the tone less than a minute in and never really letting go.
McDavid opened the scoring by getting loose on the rush, using his speed to get behind the Mammoth defense and then patiently waiting out the goalie before finishing. He wasn’t done there. Late in the first period, he set up Zach Hyman on the power play for Edmonton’s second goal, with Hyman returning to the lineup and instantly cashing in from right in front.
That 2-0 cushion barely had time to settle before the Oilers made it 3-0. After Utah won an offensive-zone faceoff, a defender bobbled the puck at the blue line and Mathieu Joseph jumped the mistake, going in alone and beating Karel Vejmelka glove side. It was Joseph’s first goal in nearly a year, and it ended up standing as the game-winner.
Edmonton kept stacking goals from there. In the second period, Evan Bouchard’s point shot didn’t reach the net cleanly, but the rebound kicked out to Kasperi Kapanen in the slot and he ripped it off the post and in for his third of the season. Then, with about six minutes left in the middle frame, Mattias Ekholm forced a turnover on a Mammoth rush, McDavid got to the puck first, and the Oilers captain sent Leon Draisaitl in alone for his sixth goal of the year.
Utah did make a push early in the third, scoring twice in a span of 95 seconds to briefly stir up the building. But any real hope of a comeback disappeared when McDavid struck again, burning past Sebastian Cossa on another breakaway to make it 6-2.
The night belonged to McDavid, who finished with two goals and three assists. That gives him six goals and 23 points on the season, and he’s now on pace for 242 points. Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin each chipped in with two points, while McDavid and Draisaitl both ended the game at plus-4.
Evan Bouchard continued his strong start, even if the box score only showed one assist, and he finished plus-3. Mattias Ekholm also came out plus-3 and added a helper of his own.
Zach Hyman’s return brought an immediate payoff, Kasperi Kapanen scored his third, and Mathieu Joseph delivered the kind of opportunistic goal that changed the shape of the night. The physical edge was there too, with Trent Frederic and Jack McBain dropping the gloves in a spirited fight that came in response to McBain’s hit on Draisaitl on Thursday.
In goal, Tristan Jarry did his part, stopping 26 of 28 shots for a .929 save percentage. It followed another sharp outing for him against the San Jose Sharks last Saturday, when he stopped all but one of the 20 shots he faced.
Edmonton now heads home for a five-game homestand, starting Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild at 7:00 p.m. MT.
In Other News...
Oilers Finally Get Help Back As One Lineup Question Looms
The Oilers are finally getting some reinforcements back into the fold, with Zach Hyman, Colton Dach and Jake Walman all set to rejoin the lineup for the upcoming game against Utah. Its a welcome development for a team that has been juggling injuries and trying to keep the roster afloat while key pieces were missing.
Edmonton is still not close to being fully healthy, but the next stretch could bring even more relief. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is nearing his season debut, and Jason Dickinson is expected back soon after, giving the club a chance to steady its lines and sort out a lineup picture that has been in flux for weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Trade Radar Just Raised One Big Penguins Deadline Question
The Penguins have made it clear they are willing to move veteran pieces if it helps open the door for younger players, and that has put a familiar deadline name back on Edmontons radar. Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Erik Karlsson and even Evgeni Malkin have all been mentioned as possible trade candidates, but from the Oilers side the fit question is really about which of those players best complements a contender already built around elite center depth.
Rust is the name drawing the most interest for a reason, with his pace and puck pursuit making him a natural fit in a top-six role alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Any serious pursuit would almost certainly have to come with meaningful futures attached, though, and the frameworks floating around center on draft picks and prospects rather than a simple rental-style swap. No deal is done yet, but the line between speculative deadline chatter and real trade pressure is starting to look thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Tristan Jarry Is Giving The Oilers A Goalie Decision To Make
Tristan Jarry has already forced his way into the early-season conversation for the Oilers after getting two starts in 2026-27. He opened with a 19-save effort against the San Jose Sharks, then followed it up with another solid outing against the Utah Mammoth as Edmonton continues to sort through a position that has too often been a problem area for this team.
The latest start only added to the sense that the Oilers have options now, which is a very different place for this group to be. Jarry did allow two goals against Utah, but he still came up with timely stops and helped Edmonton come away with the win, leaving the coaching staff with a real decision to make as multiple goalies are performing well. [Read more 🡒]