EDMONTON — Sometimes, all a player needs is a little luck. A change of fortune was long overdue for winger Zach Hyman, and the timing was perfect to boot.
Making his return to the Edmonton Oilers lineup from a five-game injury absence, Hyman scored twice in a 6-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. Those were just his fourth and fifth goals of the season.
“It was a good reset,” Hyman said. “Obviously, I didn’t have the greatest start. Good first game back.
“When I say it wasn’t a great start, I just wasn’t scoring. I thought I was playing pretty good and getting looks and chances. It was nice for them to go in.”
It was the first time Hyman scored more than once in a game after doing so 10 times last season, when he finished third in the NHL with 54 goals.
Hyman went on to lead the league with 16 goals in the postseason. That left him tied with his former Toronto Maple Leafs teammate Auston Matthews for the top spot with 70 markers, regular season and playoffs combined.
Through the first 20 games, that touch eluded him. Hyman was doing everything except convert his chances before he was sidelined with an undisclosed ailment.
Per Natural Stat Trick, he was 19th in the NHL with 1.43 expected goals per 60 minutes in all situations entering play Thursday — and 9.14 overall — yet had netted just three goals. Those markers came in a four-game span from Oct. 31 to Nov. 6, after he went his first 10 contests without scoring.
“He’s had his looks,” linemate Connor McDavid said. “We’ve generated chances. I know fancy stats don’t really mean much, but the fancy stats say that our team has created chances, and we just haven’t finished.
“Hyzie would be right at the top of that list just in terms of being able to get looks. Maybe (needed) a little bit of puck luck as well.”
