Oilers work overtime, crush Bruins in home opener

Leon Draisaitl scored 37 seconds into overtime as the Edmonton Oilers won their home opener, defeating the Boston Bruins 3-2 on Thursday night.

Leon Draisaitl scored 37 seconds into overtime as the Edmonton Oilers won their home opener, defeating the Boston Bruins 3-2 on Thursday night.

Kailer Yamamoto and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also scored and Cam Talbot stopped 23 shots for the Oilers, who avenged a 4-1 loss a week earlier in Boston.

David Krejci and David Pastrnak scored for the Bruins, who opened their four-game Canadian trip with a 5-2 loss Wednesday in Calgary.

The Bruins' Charlie McAvoy attempted a long stretch pass for Patrice Bergeron in overtime but Connor McDavid retreated to centre ice to intercept the puck. McDavid skated around Boston's Brad Marchand at the blue line and fed Draisaitl on the left wing. Draisaitl's one-timer found the lower corner of the net before goaltender Jaroslav Halak could get all the way across the crease.

The teams were tied 0-0 after one period, 1-1 after two and 2-2 after regulation.

The Oilers snapped a 1-1 tie on Nugent-Hopkins' power-play goal at 7:33 of the third period off assists from McDavid and Oscar Klefbom. McDavid faked a shot and put a hard pass off the end boards, with the puck ricocheting around the net and to an open Nugent-Hopkins, whose quick shot beat Halak.

But the Bruins rallied on Pastrnak's eighth goal of the season, a snapshot from the right faceoff circle at 11:26 of the third after taking a pass from Marchand, who was behind the Edmonton net. McAvoy also was credited with an assist.

Krejci opened the scoring at 11:17 of the second, taking a cross-ice pass from defenseman Matt Grzelcyk from the point and putting a forehand just under the catching glove of Talbot. Danton Heinen also got an assist on Krejci's first goal of the season.

The Oilers tied the score at 13:24 of the second on the first NHL goal by Yamamoto. The rookie took a long stretch pass from defenseman Adam Larsson at the Bruins blue line, got a step on McAvoy while skating down the left wing and was able to roof a shot from close range over the glove of Halak. Kris Russell also was credited with an assist on the play.

(With inputs from agencies.)