On an evening their captain made historical past, the Edmonton Oilers prolonged their win streak to a season-best three video games with a 3-2 additional time victory over the Nashville Predators at Rogers Place on Thursday (Nov. 14).
Enjoying his 659th NHL common season recreation, Connor McDavid scored and picked up an help to surpass 1,000 profession factors. Along with his objective early within the second interval, the Oilers centre reached 1,000 factors within the fourth fewest variety of video games, behind solely Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Mike Bossy.
Defenceman Darnell Nurse had the opposite two objectives for Edmonton, together with the game-winner at 2:33 of additional time, and assisted on McDavid’s tally. Nurse each tied his single-game excessive with two objectives and equalled his career-best with three factors.
Edmonton now has an unbelievable file of 13-1-1 in its final 15 video games in opposition to the Predators. With the victory, the Oilers enhance to 9-7-1 and transfer a couple of recreation above .500 for the primary time in 2024-25.
However whereas there was so much to be blissful about for the Oilers, Thursday’s win covers up some ongoing concern for the defending Western Convention champs. Right here’s the nice and dangerous takeaways from Edmonton’s defeat of Nashville:
McDavid Will get Level No. 1,000
Rogers Place erupted and McDavid’s teammates spilled off the bench to congratulate him when the Oilers captain obtained profession level No. 1,000 with a objective at 2:44 of the second interval, tying the sport 1-1.
McDavid doesn’t usually present a variety of pleasure when he scores, however his face lit up following the objective and he continued carrying an enormous smile after returning to the bench. His emotion revealed how a lot the achievement meant to him, and that he was permitting himself to benefit from the second.
Associated: Oilers’ 1,000-Level Membership: Gretzky, Kurri and Messier’s Historic Moments
Fittingly, the objective was arrange by two of McDavid’s closest mates who’ve been his teammates since he entered the NHL in 2015, Nurse and Leon Draisaitl.
After gathering up a Nashville turnover, Nurse sprung Edmonton’s dynamic duo on a two-on-one break, and Draisaitl handed to McDavid, who beat Predators netminder Scott Wedgewood with a shot to the close to publish.
“He might have three guys throughout him, I might have nonetheless tried to get him,” Draisaitl, who ought to be part of the 1,000-point membership himself someday through the 2025-26 season, mentioned throughout a post-game chat with media. “I feel each man on our workforce would have finished the identical factor. He deserves that and that simply exhibits how a lot we love him and the way a lot we respect every thing he does for our group. It’s an ideal night time.”
Nurse Has His Finest Offensive Efficiency
McDavid was chosen as all three stars of the sport on the Sportsnet broadcast, however on another event, Nurse would have been first star.
The veteran defenceman scored his first objective of the season at 5:50 of the second interval, whereas the world was nonetheless buzzing from McDavid’s objective, to place his workforce forward 2-1. Then he ended issues halfway by means of 3-on-3 with a blast from the aspect of the web after a nifty feed from McDavid, who in flip had acquired the puck from Draisaitl.
THE OILERS GRAB THE EXTRA POINT. 🚨
Darnell Nurse nets the @SUBWAYCanada OT Winner for Edmonton. pic.twitter.com/ntWbznMlQr
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 15, 2024
Thursday night time marked the 657th time Nurse has suited up within the common season, and till then, he’d by no means scored twice whereas additionally choosing up an help in the identical recreation.
Not solely that, however Nurse turned simply the third defenceman in franchise historical past to select up three factors whereas additionally scoring an additional time objective in the identical recreation. That uncommon feat had beforehand been achieved by present Oilers assistant coach Paul Coffey through the 1984-85 season, and Steve Smith through the 1990-91 season.
With six additional time objectives, Nurse now ranks fourth all-time on the Oilers profession listing, trailing solely McDavid, Draisaitl, and Corridor-of-Fame ahead Jari Kurri.
Oilers Struggling to Shut Out Video games
Thursday marked the second consecutive recreation, each at house, that Edmonton has blown a late lead. Of their 4-3 defeat of the New York Islanders on Tuesday (Nov. 12), the Oilers led 3-1 with simply over six minutes to play earlier than Isles captain Andres Lee scored at 12:54 and 17:20 of the third interval to pressure additional time. Then in opposition to Nashville, Edmonton was lower than minutes away from victory when Cole Smith put the puck previous Oilers netminder Calvin Pickard at 17:12 of the third interval to stage the scoreboard at 2-2.
It is a troubling pattern for the Oilers, who’ve now both misplaced or gone to additional time after holding a lead with lower than 10 minutes to play in three of the final 4 video games, and 4 instances within the final 11 video games. Edmonton has already blown a two-goal lead within the third interval twice this season.
Within the 3-on-3 additional time format, the Oilers will usually prevail on the energy of their sheer particular person expertise. Practically half of Edmonton’s wins this season have are available additional time, when the Oilers boast a 4-1 file, in comparison with simply 5-7 in video games that finish in regulation.
That’s all nicely and good through the common season, however superior particular person talent just isn’t one thing that may be relied upon through the Stanley Cup Playoffs when additional time reverts to a 5-on-5 format.
Whereas Edmonton continues to wrestle on the ability play, going 0-for-4 on Thursday, no less than its penalty kill is bettering, because the Oilers killed off each of Nashville’s alternatives with the person benefit. After permitting 16 power-play objectives in its first 15 contests, Edmonton has now gone two back-to-back video games with out giving up a objective whereas taking part in short-handed.
The Oilers will look to maintain that modest streak going, whereas extra importantly extending their win streak, when they’re subsequent in motion, Saturday (Nov. 16) in opposition to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Enviornment.
