Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scores in 1,000th game (Image via: Getty Images) The Edmonton Oilers delivered one of their most complete performances of the season on Sunday night, shutting out the St. Louis Blues 5-0 at Rogers Place. The result carried added significance, arriving on a milestone night for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and at the start of a demanding eight-game homestand that could shape Edmonton’s playoff push.For Nugent-Hopkins, the evening blended personal achievement with team success. Skating in his 1,000th NHL game, the longtime Oiler opened the scoring and set the tone early, while Connor Ingram anchored the effort with a calm, authoritative performance in goal. Against a Blues team that entered on a short winning streak, Edmonton left little room for momentum to swing.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins celebrates 1,000th NHL game in Oilers’ dominant win over Blues
Nugent-Hopkins wasted little time making his milestone count, scoring on the power play midway through the first period to give Edmonton a 1-0 lead. Stationed in the left circle, he took a short feed from Evan Bouchard and snapped a precise wrist shot past Jordan Binnington, rewarding the league’s top-ranked power play with an early breakthrough.The Oilers quickly turned that opening goal into sustained pressure. Andrew Mangiapane doubled the lead by finishing a rebound after Curtis Lazar forced a pad save, and Zach Hyman made it 3-0 late in the first by deflecting Mattias Ekholm’s point shot. Edmonton’s pace and puck movement kept St. Louis pinned, exposing gaps that were punished without hesitation.Hyman struck again in the second period, converting a cross-slot pass from Connor McDavid for his second goal of the night. Vasily Podkolzin capped the scoring early in the third, finishing a clever backdoor play after McDavid battled through traffic and maintained possession along the boards. McDavid finished with two assists, as did Ekholm, underscoring Edmonton’s balanced offensive output.Ingram handled everything else. Making 27 saves, he recorded his first shutout since March 2024, providing stability behind a structured defensive effort. The Oilers limited second chances and kept lanes clear, a combination that left Binnington facing breakdowns at the other end.For St. Louis, the loss exposed familiar issues. Captain Brayden Schenn pointed to a lack of physicality and defensive support, while head coach Jim Montgomery acknowledged the difficulty of containing McDavid without consistent checking and awareness. The Blues also left with injury concerns, adding to a challenging stretch.Edmonton, now building momentum after back-to-back shutout wins, looked sharp, connected, and confident. On a night that mixed personal milestones with sharp execution, the Oilers showed they’re finding their form at a crucial stage of the season.