EDMONTON -- Rookie center Connor McDavid scored and had two assists in his first game back from injury, lifting the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Rexall Place on Tuesday.
McDavid, 19, missed 37 games because of a broken left clavicle sustained when he crashed into the end boards against the Philadelphia Flyers on Nov. 3.
Eric Gryba, Benoit Pouliot, Leon Draisaitl and Jordan Eberle scored for the Oilers (20-26-5), who ended a three-game losing streak.
Matt Calvert scored for the Blue Jackets (19-28-5), who lost for the first time in three games.
Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot made 36 saves; Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo had 30.
Calvert opened the scoring 11:37 into the first period. He broke out with Scott Hartnell on a 2-on-1 rush and converted a pass lifted over sprawling Oilers defenseman Adam Clendening.
The Blue Jackets were being outshot 13-2 at that point.
Gryba tied it 1-1 at 3:01 of the second period with a shot from the blue line that went through traffic and over Korpisalo's shoulder.
McDavid gave the Oilers a 2-1 lead at 9:58 with an outstanding individual effort. The No. 1 selection of the 2015 NHL Draft picked up the puck at center ice, raced into the Blue Jackets zone and split between defensemen Jack Johnson and Justin Falk. McDavid then deked Korpisalo and slid the puck into an open net.
McDavid helped set up the Oilers' next goal. With Edmonton on the power play, he gave the puck to Andrej Sekera at the point, and the defenseman's shot was tipped in front by Pouliot for his 11th goal.
Draisaitl scored at 17:01 to give the Oilers a 4-1 lead. He converted a pass from Taylor Hall, who stripped Johnson of the puck behind the net and sent it out in front.
In the third period, McDavid came close to scoring his second goal, racing in on a breakaway, but he lifted his backhand shot wide.
McDavid then set up Eberle at 14:41 on the power play to put the Oilers up 5-1. He initially was stopped in close by Korpisalo but regained the puck behind the net and set up Eberle in front.
The Oilers begin a four-game road trip Thursday at the Ottawa Senators. The Blue Jackets continue with the second of a three-game road trip after the NHL All-Star break when they visit the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
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