ST. PAUL, Minn. — In a thrilling clash, Vasily Podkolzin netted the pivotal goal early in the third period, leading the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night. This win marks the Oilers’ seventh in the last eight games, showcasing their recent surge in performance. Connor McDavid contributed significantly, scoring two goals and assisting on another, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist. Zach Hyman ignited the team’s comeback after Edmonton fell behind 2-0, registering his 15th goal of the season. Goaltender Calvin Pickard made 31 saves, helping secure the win for the Oilers.

For Minnesota, Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi, and Ryan Hartman each found the back of the net. However, the team is grappling with several injuries, having lost three of their last four matches. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped 31 shots, but could not fend off the Oilers’ momentum.

Boldy opened the scoring with his 17th goal of the season during a power play just over three minutes into the game. Rossi soon followed with another power-play goal, also marking his 17th goal, putting Minnesota ahead 2-0 in the first frame. The Oilers, unfazed by the early deficit, managed to equalize before the end of the first period, with McDavid scoring his initial goal on a power play.

Adding to Minnesota’s challenges, forward Marcus Johansson had to exit the game in the second period after taking an elbow to the face from McDavid, a play that went unpenalized.

Takeaways from the game highlight the Oilers’ resurgence as Hyman returns to form on the first line. Nugent-Hopkins is enjoying a productive stretch, scoring six goals in his past ten games, while Hyman has found the net in two of the last three outings. Conversely, the Wild are struggling significantly without key players, including top scorer Kirill Kaprizov and defensemen Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, and Brock Faber. Minnesota has suffered in games without Brodin and Faber, managing to win only one of the last four, while Kaprizov is sidelined for a tenth consecutive game, although he has recently returned to skating.

In a critical moment of the match, Hyman’s goal arrived just 21 seconds after Minnesota had built a two-goal advantage, shifting momentum in favor of the Oilers.

A notable statistic from this matchup is that McDavid surpassed Jari Kurri to sit second all-time in points for the Edmonton franchise. The three-time Hart Trophy winner and five-time scoring leader has amassed 1,044 points, leaving him trailing only Wayne Gretzky, who tops the list with 1,669 points.

Looking ahead, the Oilers will face off against Colorado on Thursday, while the Wild are set to take on Nashville on Saturday.