New York Rangers Benoit Pouliot (67) celebrates as the puck goes past Edmonton Oilers Ben Scrivens (30) during second period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alta., on Sunday March 30, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
March 30, 2014 - 7:47 PM
EDMONTON - Cam Talbot stopped 26 shots for his third career shutout and Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello each scored a pair of goals as the New York Rangers won their sixth game in their last seven outings, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-0 on Sunday.
Derek Brassard also scored for the Rangers (42-30-4) who moved two points up on the Philadelphia Flyers for second place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Rangers tied their franchise record for road wins with 24 this season.
The Oilers (26-40-9) have lost four of their last five games. It was the ninth time this season that the Oilers have been shut out.
Edmonton goalie Ben Scrivens kept it scoreless seven minutes into the game with a huge kick save after Nash split the defence to go in alone on the power play.
New York took a 1-0 lead with three-and-a-half minutes to play in the opening frame as Zuccarello tipped in an Anton Stralman shot on a play that Scrivens argued involved a high stick. It was reviewed and stuck as Zuccarello's 16th of the season.
The Rangers almost had a two-goal lead two minutes later as a puck got behind Scrivens, but the goaltender was able to fish it to safety during a mad scramble in front of the net before it crossed the goal-line.
The Rangers had eight first period shots, while the Oilers only mustered three on Talbot.
New York took a 2-0 lead five minutes into the second period on the power play, on Brassard's knuckler of a shot form the sideboards that seemed to catch Scrivens off guard.
The Rangers made it a three-goal advantage with 11 minutes left in the second period as Nash threw a hopeful backhand from behind the goal-line in front and it hit Scrivens and went into the net to count as Nash's 24th goal of the season.
New York continued to dominate as they made it 4-0 with seven minutes left in the second period on a short-handed two-on-one break with Nash converting a pass from Derek Stepan.
The Rangers upped their lead to 5-0 on another short-handed goal four minutes into the third period as defender Philip Larsen overcommitted to covering Stepan. He was able to earn his third assist with a feed to Zuccarello in front of the net for his second goal of the night. It was the 13th short-handed goal the Oilers have allowed this season.
Both teams return to the ice on Tuesday as the Rangers play the third game of a four-game trip in Vancouver and the Oilers take their final three-game road trip of the season, starting in San Jose.
Notes: It was the second and final meeting between the two teams this season. The Oilers won the first match-up 2-1 on Feb. 6 as Scrivens made 35 saves at Madison Square Garden. … The Oilers may be in second-last in the NHL, but they came into the game with a winning record against Eastern Conference teams, sitting at 14-13-4 before the loss. … Rangers forward Martin St. Louis has yet to score in his 14 games with New York since being traded there for Ryan Callahan and two draft picks. … Rangers forward Daniel Carcillo returned from a bout with the flu. ... Remaining out for New York were defenceman John Moore (concussion) and forward Chris Kreider (left hand). … Out for the Oilers were forwards Ryan Jones (knee) and Nail Yakupov (ankle), and defenceman Andrew Ference (chest).
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014