The Edmonton Oilers are a double-faced team in the 2022-23 season. Two days after losing 2-5 at home to the Seattle Kraken, the Leon Draisaitl 4-2 against the New York Islanders at Rogers Place on Thursday, ending a recent five-game losing streak on home ice.
“It was a big win for us,” said Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft. “We controlled the game from the start and managed to finish it successfully. We have a lot of great people in the team who support each other. None of us were happy that we didn’t win a few games in front of our fans recently. It’s a credit to our players how they came out today, gave their all and found a way to win this fight.”
Video: NYI@EDM: Draisaitl shoots and scores
Leon Draisaitl And Connor McDavid especially shone. Draisaitl scored for a 1-0 lead on the power play and then made it 4-1 Zach Hyman his 400th NHL assist. McDavid provided two assists to reach 500 assists. Once again, the Oilers have proven very difficult to beat when their two forwards are in top form.
McDavid (272-500-772 in 527 GPs) needed the fifth fewest games in NHL history to reach 500 career assists. Only Wayne Gretzky (352 games), Mario Lemieux (433), Peter Stastny (507) and Bobby Orr (522) were faster. At 25 years and 357 days, McDavid becomes the eleventh player in NHL history to have 500 assists in fewer than 600 games.
Draisaitl (276-400-676 in 596 GPs) needed the seventh few games among defensemen to reach 400 assists. He is alone ahead of McDavid (426 appearances), Crosby (448), Malkin (527), Panarin (529), Nicklas Backstrom (542) and Nikita Kucherov (590). The Cologne native also became the eighth player in Oilers history to have 400 assists for the organization.
Edmonton showed the hoped-for defiant reaction after their home loss to Seattle. The team looked focused and determined against the Islanders from the start. The result: the first home win since 9 December. “After training yesterday we had a team meeting where it was clearly stated that we have to step on the accelerator,” he explained Kailer Yamamoto. “I had the feeling that in the last few games we started strong and then faltered. That’s why our big goal today was to never be satisfied and keep going.”
Video: NYI@EDM: Hyman scores after a fast break
In addition to Draisaitl and McDavid, a convinced striker Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who finished with two assists. doorman Jack Campbell he was able to defuse 20 shots on target by the Islanders and thus also contributed his donation to the double point victory.
Draisaitl put Edmonton ahead in the first third with a straight take-off from the right faceoff circle after receiving a cross from McDavid on a power play. It was his 22nd goal of the season. He also ended a seven-goal drought. Yamamoto made it 2-0 with a shorthander. After a pass from McDavid, he rounded the visiting defenders Noah Dobson and put the disk into the network.
It was exciting again briefly as the Islanders moved into the second third Matthew Barzal could be reduced to 1:2. After all Dylan Holloway he restored the Oilers’ two-goal lead shortly thereafter with a high volley. Hyman scored after a through ball from Draisaitl to make it 4-1, which significantly weakened the islanders’ resistance. Even if the guests succeeded Cal Clutterbuck, who had missed the last eight games with an upper body injury, recovered, but that was all for her. There were no goals in the final section.
Video: NYI@EDM: Yamamoto Scores Shorthanded
“It’s great to have won at home,” concluded Hyman. “We got off to a good start and then focused on consistency throughout the 60 minutes. Even though they scored a goal late in the second period, we didn’t stop. We played consistently and kept the pace up. That’s how you do it .”
The Oilers continue Saturday (10 p.m. ET; NHL.tv; Sunday 4 a.m. ET) when the Colorado Avalanche drops their calling card at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.
