Edmonton forward Devin Shore scored the only goal of a shootout to give the Oilers a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in an NHL pre-season game at the Canada Life Centre on Saturday night.
The five-minute overtime solved nothing, forcing the game into a shootout.
Jason Demers and Tyler Benson potted the other Edmonton goals. Cole Perfetti scored a pair of goals for the Jets.
Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner stopped 33 of 35 shots by the end of OT. Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves on 25 shots.
The Oilers knotted the score at 2-2 during a two-man advantage midway through the third period to force overtime. Demers converted a perfect pass from forward Dylan Holloway from the side of the net. Hellebuyck had no chance. Defenceman Philip Broberg also assisted at the 11:12 mark.
Perfetti scored his second goal of the game on the power play when Dubois managed to get the puck over to him at the side of the net and he beat Skinner cleanly at the 8:50 mark.
Just moments earlier, the Jets had a power-play goal disallowed after Edmonton successfully challenged for offside. Dubois had converted a pass from Perfetti.
Tempers flared earlier in the final frame. Oilers forward Luke Esposito knocked Winnipeg defenceman Nate Schmidt into the net and Schmidt appeared to be injured (but was OK). Jets forward Blake Wheeler then started throwing punches at Esposito.
The Jets outshot Edmonton 24-12 through two periods but were unable to solve Skinner in net.
Oilers forward Tyler Benson crushed Winnipeg forward Mason Appleton into the boards midway through the second period. Jets centre Adam Lowry came to his aid and both Benson and Lowry drew roughing penalties. Appleton appeared to be OK.
Late in the second period, Holloway hit the post on a short-handed breakaway after Schmidt gave the puck away.
The teams headed into the second period with the score notched at 1-1.
The Jets took advantage of a two-man advantage late in the first period. Perfetti jumped on his own rebound from the side of the net to beat Skinner. Perfetti was set up by Dubois at the side of the net. Defenceman Ville Heinola also assisted at 16:44.
Heinola, who is believed to be on the bubble to make the starting roster this season, made amends for a horrendous giveaway a few minutes earlier in the opening frame. He handed the puck to Benson, who beat Hellebuyck cleanly when he snapped a wrist shot by him.
Edmonton will next play host to the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.
Winnipeg will welcome the Calgary Flames to town on Wednesday.
NOTES: Eric Hawerchuk, Dale’s son, hinted that his brother, Ben, could be trying out for the Manitoba Moose, the Jets’ farm team during the unveiling of his father’s statue. … Throughout Saturday’s game, the Jets posted video tributes to Dale Hawerchuk from former teammates and friends. There were also a couple of clips from Hawerchuk himself, about how he got the nickname ‘Ducky’ in junior (from the way he skated and the thrill of scoring his 50th goals, a short-handed one, in front of an excited hometown crowd. … Some of the former Jets on hand for the statue unveiling included Dave Ellett, Paul MacLean, Serge Savard and Randy Carlyle.
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