Through seven games of the NHL season, the Edmonton Oilers — Stanley Cup finalists the past two years — sit at .500 with a 3-3-1 record after an overtime win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday evening.

The win came on a goal by Jake Walman, who was playing his first game and became the first Oilers defenceman to score this season.

“That was a big win for us, what we needed,” Walman said after an optional skate Wednesday morning.

Now, he added, the key is carrying that momentum into Thursday’s home game against the Montreal Canadiens. It’s a one-game stopover in what’s essentially a seven-game road trip for the Oilers, who move on to Seattle and Vancouver for games Saturday and Sunday.

“It was long, especially at the start of the season,” said Walman, who returned after missing six gam

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