Nugent-Hopkins reaches 100 points as Oilers beat Ducks, gain ground in division race with 6th straight win
Edmonton becomes 1st team since 1995-96 to have 3 players reach century mark
When Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was the top overall pick by the Edmonton Oilers in 2011, many thought he would be on the verge of a couple 100-point seasons.
The veteran forward finally reached that milestone Wednesday night in his 12th NHL campaign.
Nugent-Hopkins became the third Edmonton skater to reach 100 points this season as the surging Oilers extended their points streak to 12 games with a 3-1 victory over the woeful Anaheim Ducks.
Nugent-Hopkins joined Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to reach the century mark this season with the Oilers. The last time a team had three or more players with at least 100 points was Pittsburgh in 1995-96 with Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and Ron Francis.
"Connor and Leon do every single year [reach 100 points]. For them to do what they do every year consistently is something that you don't see too often," Nugent-Hopkins said. "Personally, I just try to help out when I can and happy to be part of this group."
WATCH | Surging Oilers defeat Ducks:
McDavid also had an assist on Hyman's goal to move him within two points of 150.
Klim Kostin had a goal and an assist, and Nick Bjugstad also scored for the visiting Oilers, who have won six straight and strengthened their hold on second place in the Pacific Division. Jack Campbell stopped 27 shots.
It is the sixth time in franchise history they have had a points streak of at least 12 games. The last was 2005-06 when they had a team-record, 16-game run.
Troy Terry scored for Anaheim and Lukas Dostal made 30 saves.
The Ducks have dropped nine straight and are 1-10 in their last 11 as they remained tied with Chicago and Columbus for fewest points in the NHL at 56.
It is the third straight season Anaheim had had a winless streak of at least nine games.
"We've done an excellent job at keeping negativity out of our room. We want to keep our work ethic high," coach Dallas Eakins said. "If we can do that and invest in each other and look after each other the last few games here, I think it'd be a good way to end the season."
Kostin, who was playing in his 100th NHL game, got his first point in 11 games midway through the second period when he took the pass from Mattias Ekholm and put a wrist shot from out front that Dostal was unable to get his glove on for his 11th of the season.
Klim kicks us off in his 100th career <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHL</a> game 😃 <a href="https://t.co/npJUZS2BuJ">pic.twitter.com/npJUZS2BuJ</a>
—@EdmontonOilersThree minutes later, Kostin made a pass behind the goal to Bjugstad to make it 2-0. It was Bjugstad's 17th of the season and fourth since he was acquired by the Oilers from the Arizona Coyotes at the trade deadline.
Terry got the Ducks within a goal five minutes into the third on a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle.
Terry — who is tied with Trevor Zegras for the team lead in goals at 22 — had missed Anaheim's four-game trip due to his wife expecting the couple's first child.
