The Edmonton Oilers are a two-faced team in the 2022-23 season. Two days after losing 2-5 at home to the Seattle Kraken, the team from 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 an important win for us,” said Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft. “We controlled the game from the start and were able 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 hadn’t won a few games in front of our own fans recently. It’s a credit to our players how they went out today, gave it their all and found a way to win this encounter.”
Video: NYI@EDM: Draisaitl shoots and scores
Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid shined particularly. Draisaitl scored for a 1-0 lead on the power play and later made it 4-1 Zach Hyman his 400th NHL assist. McDavid provided two assists to reach 500 assists. Once again, the Oilers proved to be very tough to beat when their two star forwards are in top form.
McDavid (272-500-772 in 527 GP) 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 11th player in NHL history to have 500 assists in fewer than 600 games.
Draisaitl (276-400-676 in 596 GP) needed the seventh fewest games out of fielders to reach 400 assists. He is only 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 the home defeat against Seattle. The team seemed focused and determined against the Islanders from the start. The result: The hoped-for first home win since December 9th. “After yesterday’s training we had a team meeting where it was clearly said that we have to step on the gas,” explained Kailer Yamamoto. “I had the feeling that in the past few games we started off strong and then kind of faltered. That’s why our big goal today was never to be satisfied and to keep going.”
Video: NYI@EDM: Hyman scores after a counterattack
In addition to Draisaitl and McDavid, striker convinced Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who ended up with two assists. goalkeeper Jack Campbell was able to defuse 20 shots on goal by the Islanders and thus also contributed his mite to the double point win.
Draisaitl put Edmonton in front in the first third with a direct take-off from the right face-off circle after receiving a cross pass from McDavid on a power play. It was his 22nd goal of the season. It also ended a seven-game goal drought. Yamamoto made it 2-0 with a shorthander. After a pass from McDavid, he rounded guest defenders Noah Dobson and put the puck in the net.
It got exciting again for a short time when the Islanders went through in the second third Mathew Barzal could be shortened to 1:2. Yet Dylan Holloway restored the Oilers’ two-goal lead a little later with a high-slot volley. Hyman scored after a through pass from Draisaitl to make it 4-1, which noticeably weakened the Islanders’ resistance. Although the guests succeeded Cal Clutterbuck, who had missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury, caught up, but that was all it was for her. There were no goals in the final section.
Video: NYI@EDM: Yamamoto scores outnumbered
“It’s great that we won at home,” concluded Hyman. “We started well and then focused on playing consistently for the full 60 minutes. Even though they scored a goal at the end of the second period, we didn’t let up. We played our game consistently and kept the pace up. That’s how you have to be do it.”
The Oilers continue on Saturday (10 pm ET; NHL.tv; Sun. 4 am ET) when the Colorado Avalanche drop their calling card at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.