NHL roundup: Vesey scores twice as Maple Leafs top Oilers, 6-1

Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith gives up a goal to Toronto Maple Leafs’ Zach Hyman as Oilers’ Adam Larsson defends during the third period  Wednesday night at Edmonton. Jason Franson/Associated Press, The Canadian Press

EDMONTON, Alberta — Jimmy Vesey scored twice, Frederik Andersen made 26 saves in his return from an injury and the NHL-leading Toronto Maple Leafs completed a three-game sweep of the Edmonton Oilers with a 6-1 victory Wednesday night.

John Tavares and Zach Hyman each had a goal and an assist, and William Nylander and Ilya Mikheyhev also scored to help Toronto improve to 18-4-2.

Andersen returned after missing four games with a lower-body injury. Auston Matthews, the NHL goals leader with 18, also was back after missing the last two games with a sore wrist/hand.

The Maple Leafs outscored the Oilers 13-1 in the three games, winning 4-0 on Saturday night and 3-0 on Monday night. NHL scoring leader Connor McDavid was held without a point for the Oilers.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored for Edmonton. The Oilers dropped to 14-11-0.

NOTES

HURRICANES: Forward Nino Niederreiter was fined $5,000 by the NHL for interfering with Nashville goaltender Juuse Saros, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.

Niederreiter hit Saros up high in a collision behind the net five minutes into the Hurricanes-Predators game Tuesday night. He was given a two-minute minor penalty for roughing.

Saros remained in net for the rest of the first period before being replaced by Pekka Rinne to start the second. The Predators said only that Saros would be re-evaluated Wednesday and provided no details about the nature of his removal from the game.

Saros allowed two goals after the collision, and Nashville lost the game 4-2 after Rinne allowed one on 17 shots. Saros has started 12 of Nashville’s first 22 games, though Rinne figures to take the reins moving forward.

Kasimir Kaskisuo would then serve as the Predators’ No. 2 goaltender. Kaskisuo has one game of NHL experience, allowing six goals on 38 shots last season with Toronto.

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