Edmonton Oilers
Draisaitl Clutch in Oilers’ 3-2 Win Over Ducks
Leon Draisaitl came up clutch for the Edmonton Oilers as the team beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Friday night.
The Edmonton Oilers continued their strong stretch of play and picked up a bit of a retribution win against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. The Oilers secured a 3-2 victory over the Ducks after laying an egg against the team earlier this week. Leon Draisaitl delivered once again, scoring the game-winning goal—his NHL-leading ninth of the season—and extending his point streak to 13 games (11 goals, 14 assists). While Draisaitl was the top star, here are the key takeaways from the game.
Draisaitl Struggled But Came Up Clutch for the Oilers Again
After the win, Draisaitl was hard on himself, saying he wasn’t very good. Noting that there were too many turnovers in the game, he said it was mostly his line and, frankly, mostly him. When coach Knoblauch was asked about Draisaitl being critical of his own game, the coach said that’s what makes Draisaitl so good. He can recognize when he’s struggling but still finds a way to come up big.
And, despite not getting the puck deep enough on a few occasions, it was Draisaitl who scored in the final minutes. His game-winner was his ninth of the season. He also leads the league in goals (28), even-strength goals (21), and even-strength points (41).
Nugent-Hopkins Is Heating Up; Nurse Continues Solid Run
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added a goal off a shot-pass attempt. He was trying to get the puck to Hyman, but it bounced off a Ducks’ defender first. Nugent-Hopkins started slowly, but he’s starting to produce.
Meanwhile, Darnell Nurse continues to have a great season. He scored a goal and got an assist and impressed with a pinpoint wrist shot. The Oilers controlled the pace but overcame momentum swings, demonstrating resilience.
Knoblauch Continues to Praise Janmark’s Game
Head coach Kris Knoblauch praised Mattias Janmark’s versatility making some line changes head into Friday’s game. He put Janmark at center, with Hyman and Kasperi Kapanen on his wing. “I think any line that Janmark’s a part of right now has been a good line,’ Knoblauch said. “No matter who he’s been with, on the right side, left side, middle. Janmark has been playing really well.”
This is a player Knoblauch trusts in any situation. He’s not likely to be a top-line guy when the games matter most, but that he’s reliable and trustworthy is a huge plus.
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