NHL: Blackhawks use fast start to defeat Oilers

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Alex DeBrincat scored a goal and assisted on two others for the visiting Chicago Blackhawks in a 4-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night.

Dylan Strome, Brandon Hagel and Kirby Dach each had a goal and an assist, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 40 saves for the Blackhawks, who were playing for the first game since Feb. 2.

Leon Draisaitl scored for the Oilers, who were coming off a 4-0 home loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday in their first game after the All-Star break.

Edmonton goalie Mike Smith started for the second straight night and gave up goals on Chicago’s first two shots. He finished with 26 saves.

Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was called for tripping Chicago’s Sam Lafferty 1:15 into the game, and DeBrincat scored 29 seconds later to put the Blackhawks ahead 1-0. Patrick Kane was along the right wall in the Edmonton zone when he lifted a cross-ice pass to DeBrincat, who scored his 27th of the season on a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle.

Hagel scored his 13th of the season at 2:47 for a 2-0 lead. DeBrincat brought the puck down the left side and centered to Hagel, who beat Smith with a quick wrist shot from the right circle.

Edmonton defenseman Duncan Keith had to be helped to the locker room after sliding into the boards with 1:06 left in the first period. Keith, who spent the previous 16 seasons with the Blackhawks, did not return.

The Oilers were on their second power play when Draisaitl scored his seventh goal in eight games and 33rd of the season at 6:03 of the second period to make it 2-1. Draisaitl tied Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers for the NHL goal-scoring lead.

Fleury kept Chicago in front by making 19 saves in the middle period, and Chicago scored its second power-play goal at 1:08 of the third period to make it 3-1. Strome redirected a pass by DeBrincat past Smith for his eighth of the season. He has five goals and five assists in his past eight games.

Dach scored his seventh of the season off a short feed from Hagel at 9:36 to make it 4-1.

–Field Level Media

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