NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Mark Letestu scored a power-play goal at 3:59 of overtime and Cam Talbot stopped 19 shots as the Edmonton Oilers beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Saturday night.
Matthew Benning also scored his first NHL goal for the Oilers who improved to 6-1-2 in the last nine.
Cory Schneider made 41 saves and Miles Wood scored for the Devils.
The Devils’ Travis Zajac was whistled for slashing Connor McDavid with 2:19 remaining on the clock in the extra period, putting Edmonton on the power play. The Oilers converted for the victory on Letestu’s shot from the top of the left circle.
The game featured the first meeting of the clubs since the summer trade that sent defenseman Adam Larsson to Edmonton for left wing Taylor Hall.
Larsson has been a major contributor as Edmonton makes a strong bid reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
Hall leads the Devils in scoring despite missing 10 games due to injury. Even with Hall’s contribution, New Jersey has been languishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Wood scored the only goal of the opening period as the Devils escaped with the lead despite being outshot 16-7.
The Oilers dominated the early play, using their speed to pepper Schneider with shots. He held his ground, fending off bids from McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl as the Oilers piled up an 11-3 shots advantage.
It was a solid rebound effort by Schneider, who was yanked in the first period of Friday’s 4-2 loss to Toronto after giving up three goals on only five shots.
Wood turned on the jets and sped around defenseman Eric Gryba to tuck a backhander between Talbot’s pads at 9:44.
The Devils continued to cling to the goal lead through the second period even though the Oilers unloaded another 14 shots on Schneider.
Schneider stretch across to deny McDavid’s wraparound bid early in the period and later blocked Letestu’s rebound blast.
At the other end, Talbot faced a few challenges sparked by Hall who set up PA Parenteau for a testing shot, and fired his own drive from left circle that was turned away with a pad save.
The relentless Oilers pressure finally paid off as Benning scored at 3:33 of the third period on Edmonton’s 32nd shot. Matt Hendricks, screening in front of the net, was initially credited with the tally on the point that slipped by Schneider.
Adam Henrique had a golden opportunity from the slot to give the Devils a lead with two minutes left, only to be robbed by Talbot.
NOTES: The game concluded a busy stretch at the Prudential Center with the Devils playing here Friday and Saturday nights. Sandwiched in between was Seton Hall hosting DePaul on Saturday afternoon. . New Jersey placed C Jacob Josefson on injured reserve due to illness and recalled D Yohann Auvitu from Albany (AHL). Auvitu suffered a lower-body injury early in first period and did not return. .. Devils saluted Larsson with a video-board tribute during a first-period stop in play.
UP NEXT:
Oilers: Conclude a four-game road trip in Ottawa on Sunday.
Devils: Host Florida on Monday.