The Edmonton Oilers kept the good times rolling on Tuesday night. Welcoming the Philadelphia Flyers to town, the Oilers were able to walk away with a 5-2 win. They have now won six straight, as well as 14 of their past 17, and are well past what was a horrendous start to the season.
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The Oilers came out of the gates hot in this one, and headed into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead. The second saw let their foot off the gas, allowing the Flyers to tie things up for a brief period of time. They were able to take the lead back before the end of the frame on a goal off the stick of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins; however, and never looked back. Here are the three main takeaways from what was an exciting back-and-forth outing.
Connor McDavid Reaches 900 Points
Entering the game with 898 points, Oilers fans were well aware that this game was potentially a milestone one for Connor McDavid, and that turned out to be the case. The 26-year-old had a goal and four assists on the evening. His second point of the night, which was an assist on a goal off the stick of Zach Hyman, marked point number 900 of what has been a remarkable career.
Point number 900 came in game 602 for McDavid, making him the fifth-fastest player to reach the mark. The only players to do so quicker are Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy, and Peter Stastny. Not bad company for the future Hall-of-Famer. On the season, he now has 14 goals and 53 points in 33 games.
Leon Draisaitl’s Scoring Outburst Continues
To this point in the 2023-24 season, Oilers fans have yet to see the dominant Leon Draisaitl they have become so accustomed to over the years. He hasn’t been controlling games like he is capable of when at his best, and his point production is down compared to seasons past. That said, it seems as though he may have snapped out of his funk as of late.
Draisaitl was able to score a goal in the third period to extend the Oilers’ lead to 4-2. It not only extended his goal-scoring streak to four games, but marks the sixth time in seven games that he has found the back of the net. With two points in this one, he now has 42 points in 35 games on the year.
Playoff Spot Within Arms Reach For Oilers
As mentioned, the Oilers’ start to the season was flat-out horrendous. It was so bad, in fact, that many were questioning if they had dug themselves in too deep of a hole to make the playoffs. Thanks to an eight-game winning streak through late November and early December, along with this current six-game streak, that is no longer much of an issue.
With Tuesday’s win, the Oilers are now just one point shy of the Arizona Coyotes for a wild-card position, while also holding a game in hand. They are by no means in any position to get comfortable, but it is truly remarkable how quickly they have gotten themselves right back into the thick of things.
Looking Ahead for the Oilers: Senators Next
The Oilers will now begin a three-day break, with their next outing not coming until Saturday versus the Ottawa Senators. The Sens were a team that came into the season with high expectations, but have failed to live up anywhere close to them with an ugly 14-18-0 record. That said, they have plenty of talent on their roster, meaning the Oilers won’t be able to take them lightly if they hope to pick up their seventh straight victory.
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