EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored three goals for his fourth career hat trick, and the Edmonton Oilers held on to beat the Seattle Kraken 5-4 on Saturday night.
Adam Henrique and Jeff Skinner also scored, and Mattias Ekholm and Darnell Nurse each had two assists for the Oilers, who moved to 4-0-1 in their last five games despite playing without star forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Stuart Skinner finished with 27 saves.
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Seattle Kraken's Michael Eyssimont (21) skates past as Edmonton Oilers' Jeff Skinner (53) celebrates a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Seattle Kraken's Matty Beniers (10) skates past as Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) celebrates a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Seattle Kraken's Kaapo Kakko (84) celebrates a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers players celebrate a goal against the Seattle Kraken during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Seattle Kraken's Adam Larsson (6) and Matty Beniers (10) battle for the puck with Edmonton Oilers' Viktor Arvidsson (33) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Seattle Kraken's Andre Burakovsky (95) celebrates a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during third period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) makes the save as Jake Walman (96) tries for the rebound against the Seattle Kraken during third period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) celebrates his hat trick goal against the Seattle Kraken during third period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Kaapo Kakko had two goals, and Jaden Schwartz and Andre Burakovsky also scored for the Kraken, who have lost two straight. Jared McCann and Jani Nyman each had two assists, and Joey Daccord finished with 24 saves.
Nugent-Hopkins scored at even strength, on the power play, and short-handed.
Henrique and Kakko had power-play goals 1:19 apart in the first period for a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes.
After Nugent-Hopkins and Kakko exchanged goals early in the second, Jeff Skinner put the Oilers ahead with 7 1/2 minutes left in the period, and Nugent-Hopkins scored with the man-advantage to make it 4-2.
Burakovsky pulled the Kraken within one at 5:57 of the third, but Nugent-Hopkins scored short-handed with 2:17 left to restore the Oilers' two-goal lead. Schwartz's power-play goal 14 seconds later capped the scoring.
Kraken: Kakko moved one point shy of his career high of 40 points, achieved with the New York Rangers in the 2022-2023. Nyman, elevated to the first line in just the 20-year-old's sixth NHL game, picked up his first two NHL assists.
Oilers: It was the first time since McDavid was drafted by the Oilers that both he and Draisaitl were out of the lineup with injuries.
Trailing by one, Seattle pulled its goalie while on a power play for a two-man advantage, but Nugent-Hopkins sent the puck the length of the ice into the empty net to complete the hat trick and push the Oilers' lead to 5-3.
Edmonton has won nine straight against the Kraken while outscoring them 38-21.
Kraken visit Calgary on Tuesday, and Oilers host Dallas on Wednesday.
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Seattle Kraken's Michael Eyssimont (21) skates past as Edmonton Oilers' Jeff Skinner (53) celebrates a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Seattle Kraken's Matty Beniers (10) skates past as Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) celebrates a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Seattle Kraken's Kaapo Kakko (84) celebrates a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers players celebrate a goal against the Seattle Kraken during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Seattle Kraken's Adam Larsson (6) and Matty Beniers (10) battle for the puck with Edmonton Oilers' Viktor Arvidsson (33) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Seattle Kraken's Andre Burakovsky (95) celebrates a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during third period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) makes the save as Jake Walman (96) tries for the rebound against the Seattle Kraken during third period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) celebrates his hat trick goal against the Seattle Kraken during third period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
