In his five last games, the 24-year-old forward from Finland has scored 12 points.

Jaccob Slavin, Carolina defenseman, said that “he is a special player.” “We have known him for a while now, and we know his potential. It’s great that everyone is beginning to see that.”

Nino Niederreiter scored also for the Hurricanes, who went 12-3-1 on the roads, while Frederik Andersen had 22 saves.

Aho stated, “Every night he gives our team a chance at winning and that’s all you could ask for from a goalie.” It was the same story tonight. He saved a lot of money and it was great to have him back.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored the Oilers’ only goal, and they have now lost five straight following a hot start. Mikko Koskinen stopped 28 shots.

“Our urgency must increase. A good start can buy us a slump, and we have used our slump there,” Oilers captain Connor McDavid stated. It seems that when you’re in a slump, things don’t go your direction and you have to work harder to get out. That is how it is. We must find a way for one win, and then go from there.

The Oilers scored the first goal when Aho netted his own rebound from the power play at 7:17 in the opening period.

Just six minutes into the second quarter, the Hurricanes had made it 2-0 when Niederreiter defeated Oilers goalie Koskinen with a long shot to his blocker side.

Edmonton was able to get back in the game halfway through the middle frame when Nugent-Hopkins defeated Andersen with a wrist shot from a partial breakaway. It was his first home ice goal in 19 games.

Carolina scored an insurance goal at 2:44. Koskinen lost a puck behind his net, and Aho took it. This was Aho’s 15th goal of this season, and his fifth in the last three matches.

NOTES: Duncan Keith, a veteran defenseman, is still out for the Oilers. However, he is currently skating and could return next game. Slater Koekkoek (lower back), Kris Russell (upper back) and Mike Smith (lower bodies) were also out for Edmonton. The Hurricanes’ Jordan Martinook (ankle) was not available, while Tony DeAngelo & Brett Pesce were still on COVID-19 protocol. After being traded in the offseason, Ethan Bear, Edmonton’s defenseman, was recalled to the game. It was Vincent Trocheck’s 500th NHL game.

UP NEXT

Hurricanes: Sunday, Vancouver. This is the fourth of five games.

Oilers: Toronto hosts the Oilers on Tuesday, in the fifth of a six-game homestand.