Detroit Red Wings
Takeaways: Draisaitl Has Huge Night in Oilers’ OT Win Over Red Wings
Leon Draisaitl had a huge night for the Edmonton Oilers as the birthday boy was key to the 3-2 overtime win over the Detroit Red Wings.
After a strong 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Edmonton Oilers kept their momentum going by battling back to secure a winning streak against the Detroit Red Wings, who had played just the day before. Leon Draisaitl delivered the game-winning goal and contributed to all three Oilers’ goals—a perfect birthday gift for the star forward.
Oilers Put on Pressure After a Terrible First Period
The Oilers appeared sluggish in the first period while the Red Wings came out energized, dominating possession thanks to some rough zone-clearing attempts by Edmonton. If not for goaltender Calvin Pickard, Detroit could have easily added another goal or two. Patrick Kane set up J.T. Compher with a beautiful assist, showcasing his playmaking skills.
Coming out of the first, the Oilers were a much different team. They pushed back and tilted the ice for the final 40 minutes, tying the game, then doing so again midway through the third period when Detroit scored quickly after Edmonton’s first goal. The Red Wings only had 14 shots in the final two periods, while the Oilers put 26 shots on goal, forcing Cam Talbot to do what he could to keep the Red Wings in the game.
Draisaitl Has a Solid Game on His Birthday
Leon Draisaitl scored the first goal for the Oilers. He also got an assist when Evan Bouchard scored his third goal of the season and the team’s second goal to tie the game 2-2 in the third period. With the assist, Draisaitl recorded his 241st career NHL multi-point game, passing Glenn Anderson for the fifth-most in franchise history.
The Oilers started the overtime period 4-3 because the Red Wings were killing the final penalty of the game that carried over into extra time. The penalty expired, but Mattias Ekholm sent a beautiful shot pass to Draisaitl, who scored early in OT to give Edmonton the win.
Calvin Pickard Has His Best Game of the Season
Pickard finished the game with a .926 save percentage, making 25 saves on 27 shots. The key for Pickard was the Grade-A chances he kept out of the net. Stuart Skinner had two solid games for the Oilers and it was Pickard who needed to step up. He did and helped the Oilers get back to a .500 record.
Next: Scribe Defends Oilers: Blues Insider Blasts the Broberg Offer Sheet
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