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The impactful pairing from Edmonton certainly impressed throughout December.
Connor McDavid contributed five helpers and Leon Draisaitl netted three scores, propelling the local Edmonton Oilers to maintain their momentum into the festive break with a 5-1 triumph against their competitor, the Calgary Flames, on Tuesday.
Zach Hyman recorded a goal and two assists, Evan Bouchard provided two helpers, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also found the net for the Oilers (19-13-6), who have secured victories in four of their most recent five contests and boast an 8-2-1 record over their last 11 matches.
This recent performance has elevated Edmonton to share the leading point total in the Pacific Division with the Anaheim Ducks.
“Our expectation is to be a contender in the playoffs,” remarked Draisaitl, whose Oilers have been eliminated from the Stanley Cup final during the preceding two seasons.
“Considering how our season commenced, no one was pleased, no one approved. We recognized our capability for improvement and possessing more within our roster. Each individual simply elevated their performance. Presently, we’re performing somewhat better and, naturally, aim to sustain this.”
The outstanding pair from Edmonton maintained their brilliance throughout December, emerging as the top two scorers in the league for that period.
McDavid, recognized as the NHL’s top performer for the week on Monday for the second consecutive week, prolonged his scoring streak to 11 games on Tuesday. Over this period, he has accumulated 12 goals and 19 assists, positioning him at the pinnacle of the league’s scoring charts with 67 points.
The captain of Edmonton holds the second-highest position historically in the NHL for the number of 10-game scoring runs, possessing 18, trailing solely Wayne Gretzky’s 31.
“It’s clear he’s in peak form,” Draisait commented. “We’ve witnessed this repeatedly throughout his career. The puck seems drawn to him currently. He’s simply too exceptional at this moment. Facing him is not an enjoyable experience.”
Draisaitl Reaches Third All-Time in Oilers Goal Scoring
The triumph against Calgary represented McDavid’s 45th match accumulating four or more points, placing him level with Jari Kurri for the second-highest total in the history of the Oilers franchise.
Draisait has recorded points in 10 out of his recent 11 appearances, tallying five goals and 19 assists throughout this stretch. His three goals on Tuesday allowed him to surpass Glenn Anderson (417) for the third-highest goal count in Oilers history, trailing only Gretzky and Kurri.
Draisait entered the contest enduring an eight-game scoring dry spell, marking his most extended regular season period without a goal since February 19 to March 6, 2021. He broke this barren run by achieving his ninth career hat trick.
Collectively, McDavid and Draisaitl accumulated a total of 55 points during December.
“That’s a considerable number of points,” Hyman remarked with a laugh. “Clearly, they stand as two of the planet’s premier players. They propel our squad when performing at such a level, simplifying things for everyone else.”
Kris Knoblauch, the head coach for the Oilers, stated that the duo merits significant commendation.
“Observe the current momentum of the team, securing many more victories, and that originates with those two individuals,” he commented.
“Their performance is outstanding; to say otherwise would be an understatement. For the past three or four weeks, they have been consistently excelling and scoring, and examining the top scorers over recent weeks reveals those two are significantly superior to all others.”
Edmonton’s current record stands at 16-1-3 when they open the scoring this season, and they hold an unblemished 4-0-0 record while sporting their new alternate uniforms, having outscored their adversaries by a tally of 26-10.
Ingram Delivers a ‘Stellar’ 19-Save Showing
“I admire them. I appreciate their appearance,” Draisait remarked concerning the jerseys. “Evidently, our performance and statistics are quite favorable when wearing them currently. We hope to maintain this trend.”
Connor Ingram was again positioned as the Oilers’ starting goaltender on Tuesday, signifying his second consecutive NHL start since early February, when he was with Utah. He executed 19 saves, enhancing his record with the Oilers to 2-0-0.
“He has performed reliably,” McDavid stated. “I’ve also appreciated our play in front of him, but he has fulfilled his duties commendably. He’s been an anchor in goal.”
Edmonton approached the game possessing the league’s most effective power play (33.3 percent) and had capitalized on 42.4 percent of its chances in its previous 10 games, scoring 14 goals from 33 opportunities. The Oilers converted 3 out of 6 power play chances versus the Flames.
The competing teams from the same province will confront each other once more in a return fixture following the holiday recess, with the game scheduled to take place in Calgary on Saturday.
Subsequently, the Oilers are set to compete in 13 of their subsequent 18 contests on their home ice, where they presently hold a record of 10-3-3.
“This presents an excellent chance. An outstanding, indeed outstanding, prospect for our squad here,” McDavid conveyed. “We’ll be at home for the majority of January, avoiding further travel eastward. Many challenging road journeys are now behind us. Our health is only improving. With a brief pause, I’m optimistic about our team’s potential trajectory.”
“The upcoming month is significant for us. We must capitalize on this home schedule and initiate a strong charge.”
