This time there was no comeback.
Two nights after erasing a three-goal deficit against the Canucks, the Blackhawks fell behind early and fell to the Oilers 5-0 at Rogers Place.
The Hawks got their first look at Oilers center Connor McDavid, who as injured in the teams’ three meetings last season.
McDavid had the Hawks full attention prior to the first goal for the Oilers. He skated through the Hawks zone with all eyes on him and slid the puck over to the left side of the where Oscar Klefbom was waiting to send home a one-timer from the circle for a 1-0 lead.
Klefbom helped give the Oilers a 2-0 lead later in the period when his wrist shot was tipped in by Leon Draisaitl on an Oilers power play at 19:26. The Oilers scored another goal late in the second period just after another Hawks penalty had ended. Andrej Sekera scored on a shot from the high slot with 7.6 seconds remaining.
The Oilers added another goal at 7:17 in the third period when Anton Slepyshev put a shot on net from the right circle that made it by Hawks goaltender Corey Crawford on a shot Crawford might like to have back.
Then they kept pouring it on. Draisaitl scored again on a power play late in the period, puting an exclamation point on the Hawks’ miserable night.
Menawhile The New York Rangers claimed forward Matt Puempel, a former first-round draft pick, off waivers from the Ottawa Senators on Monday. Puempel, 23, played in 13 games with the Senators this season, registering 12 shots on goal and seven penalty minutes, with no points. He has skated in 52 career NHL games over parts of three seasons, all with Ottawa, totalling four goals, two assists and 24 penalty minutes.
The Carolina Hurricanes assigned defenseman Ryan Murphy to the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League for a conditioning stint.
Murphy, 23, was activated from injured reserve last week after a lower-body injury.
Murphy has appeared in four games for the Hurricanes this season, earning one assist.
The San Jose Sharks recalled forward Danny O’Regan from the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League.
O’Regan, 22, is tied for the Barracuda team lead in points with 11 and has five goals in 11 games during his first professional campaign.
The Tampa Bay Lightning recalled forward Erik Condra from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League. Condra, 30, has played in 353 career NHL games, recording 98 points (39 goals, 59 assists) and 170 penalty minutes. Last season was Condra’s first with the Lightning, skating in 54 regular-season games with six goals and five assists.