Harris scores twice, Montreal beats Edmonton 6-2

Feb 12, 2023, 08:53 pm

MONTREAL -- — Jordan Harris had his first career two-goal game and the Montreal Canadiens earned wins on back-to-back afternoons with a 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday.

Alex Belzile, Josh Anderson, Rafael Harvey-Pinard and Christian Dvorak added goals for Montreal. Evgenii Dadonov and Jonathan Drouin each recorded two assists. Jake Allen made 30 saves.

Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane scored for Edmonton. Connor McDavid ended a 15-game point streak.

Stuart Skinner made 24 saves as the Oilers recorded their first regulation loss in 12 games. They were on a 9-0-2 run heading into Sunday’s contest.

Belzile opened the scoring for the Canadiens with his first NHL goal at 8:14 of the opening frame, taking advantage of some confusion between Oilers defenseman Brett Kulak and Skinner and scored on a wrist shot from the high slot.

Montreal doubled its lead in the second period when Dadonov found Harris with a pass from behind Skinner’s net. Anderson gave the Habs a commanding 3-0 lead on the power play when he grabbed a rebound from Dadonov’s shot and tapped in his 15th of the campaign.

Edmonton woke up from a slow opening frame with two goals in the second period. Draisaitl hopped on a Zach Hyman rebound to score 30th goal of the season on the power play.

Then, the Oilers cut their deficit to one when Kane surprised Allen with a swift wrist shot from the right face off circle. But Montreal nipped Edmonton’s comeback attempt in the bud by bumping their lead back to two goals late in the second period when Harvey-Pinard redirected Mike Matheson’s slap shot.

Harris completed his two-goal game at 2:58 of the final period by beating Skinner with a wrister from the left faceoff circle.

BELZILE MAKES HISTORY

At 31 years and 165 days old, Belzile became the oldest Canadien to score his first NHL goal since Hockey Hall of Famer Herb Gardiner in 1926. Belzile also became the seventh-oldest player in league history to open his account.

UP NEXT

Oilers: Host Red Wings on Wednesday.

Canadiens: Host Blackhawks on Tuesday.

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