Playoffs in sight again
Draisaitl’s Oilers can still repair horror start
December 31, 2023, 4:08 p.m
The Edmonton Oilers are off to a disastrous start to the NHL season, but German superstar Leon Draisaitl’s team has long since gotten rolling. After four wins in a row, the playoffs are now in sight again.
Connor McDavid led the Edmonton Oilers to a win at the Los Angeles Kings in his 600th NHL game. The Oilers won 3-2 (0-2, 2-0, 0-0) after a penalty shootout on Saturday (local time). It was the fourth win in a row for the Canadians. After a completely unsuccessful start to the season, including a change of coach, Edmonton at least has a clear view of the ice hockey league’s playoff places again.
McDavid scored the next goal in Los Angeles after a weak first third for the Oilers with just two shots on goal in the middle third. He then brilliantly set up the equalizer through Leon Draisaitl. It was the 16th goal of the season for the German international. McDavid now has 316 goals and 581 assists in his 600 NHL games. The Canadian star player also scored in the penalty shootout, while Draisaitl failed in his attempt, the decisive penalty was converted by Derek Ryan.
“Of course it was a difficult start, no question, but we had the feeling that our game was getting better,” said McDavid, recalling the start of the season when the Oilers had lost ten of the first twelve games. “We felt like we were right on the cusp when we made the coaching change and obviously we were able to play some good hockey and string together some strong games.” In the Pacific Division, the Oilers are in fifth place at the turn of the year.
McDavid now has the fourth-most assists in 600 games, behind hockey legends Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr. “Anytime you get mentioned with these guys, you’re doing something right,” McDavid said. “These are three of the very, very greatest players in the game, so obviously it means a lot to me to be in this group. It’s a very special group.”
The Buffalo Sabers with JJ Peterka won 3-2 after overtime against the Columbus Blue Jackets. This time Peterka remained on the ice without contributing to the goal for almost twenty minutes. The current best team in the league is the New York Rangers, who were the first team to reach the 50-point mark this season. Artemi Panarin scored a hat trick in a 5-1 win at the Tampa Bay Lightning.