Oilers strike early and late to beat Flames 5-3 in Game 4

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored the game winner with 3:27 left in the third as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Calgary Flames 5-3 Tuesday night at Rogers Place. The Oilers lead the series 3-1

It took the Oilers only 21 seconds to grab the lead. Jacob Markstrom turned the puck over at the side of the net, allowing Nugent-Hopkins to flick in his third of the post-season. On a power play halfway through the first, Zach Hyman muscled in a rebound for his seventh. The Oilers survived a big push from the Flames late in the first, then took a 3-0 lead on Evander Kane’s eleventh.

The Flames came to life with two goals 36 seconds apart in the second. Elias Lindholm sniped one on the power play, then Mikael Backlund drove down the right side and beat Mike Smith under the right arm.

Rasmus Andersson tied the game with a shocking goal with 9:04 left in the third. With the Flames shorthanded, Andersson cleared the puck from inside his own blue line. Smith didn’t see the puck until it was too late, and it was 3-3.

Late in the third, Kailer Yamamoto worked the puck back to Tyson Barrie. His shot didn’t get through, but Nugent-Hopkins chopped in the rebound. Andersson took a double minor for high sticking with 2:40 to go. Kane iced it with an empty netter on the power play.

Smith finished with 29 saves.

Game 5 is Thursday in Calgary (630 CHED Face-off Show beings at 5:30 p.m., the game is set to begin at 7:30 p.m.).

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