Connor McDavid, Jordan Eberle power Oilers past Maple Leafs

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Todd McLellan can't help but sit back sometimes and watch Connor McDavid work.

McDavid had two goals and three assists, Jordan Eberle scored three times and added an assist, and McLellan's Edmonton Oilers powered past the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Thursday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

"His performance did all the speaking," McLellan said of 19-year-old rookie McDavid. "You turn into a fan as a coach and as players and just admire what he and his linemates did."

Eberle had an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left in the game to complete his first NHL hat trick. Benoit Pouliot notched his fourth assist of the night on the goal.

"We needed this," McDavid said. "There was a lot of pressure on us coming in, playing against a team that was desperate and missing a lot of guys. They played a great game in terms of structure and not giving up too much. But it was a big night for us to start off the homestand."

Along with a four-assist performance from Benoit Pouliot, the Oilers' line combined for 13 points.

"I think the more we play together, the better we will be," Eberle said. "Tonight was obviously our best, we put up goals and whatnot. But it was the little plays that I really liked. Coming out of our end, cycling, I thought we did a better job of that. Chemistry is not something you get right away, you've got to grow it a bit."

Josh Leivo and Jake Gardiner scored for the Maple Leafs, who have lost three in a row.

"I didn't mind our game, to tell you the truth," Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. "We threw the puck away on their fourth goal, which I didn't like to see. There was no reason to do that. But we got ourselves in a good spot. ... We didn't finish and they did."

Edmonton scored on the first shot of the game 3:29 into the first period as Pouliot sent in McDavid on a breakaway and the rookie deked around Toronto goalie Jonathan Bernier for his eighth goal of the season.

Toronto responded eight minutes into the first as Leivo beat Oilers starter Cam Talbot. Leivo left the game later in the period with an upper-body injury.

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Edmonton restored its lead 6:25 into the middle frame as Eberle picked up a bouncing puck in front of the net and sent home his 16th goal.

The Oilers made it 3-1 late in the second on a power play as McDavid spotted Eberle all alone at the side of the net.

Toronto got one back with 15 seconds left in the middle frame as Gardiner's shot appeared to carom off a pair of Oilers before ending up behind Talbot.

McDavid made it 4-2 with 6:05 left in the game with his ninth goal.

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