Edmonton Oilers

Just Shy of 1000: McDavid’s Four Points Leads Oilers Over Islanders in OT

Connor McDavid’s four-point night brings him to 999 career points, while Leon Draisaitl’s overtime heroics seal a 4-3 win over the Islanders.

by
Jim Parsons
November 12, 2024

In a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over the New York Islanders, the Edmonton Oilers leaned on their superstar duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to put on an incredible display. McDavid’s four-point night brought him one point shy of a historic milestone, while Draisaitl’s game-winning goal in overtime capped off a solid home performance.

Despite the Oilers’ offensive onslaught, Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin kept his team alive with a great performance that might have been reflected in his boxscore numbers. Here are three major takeaways from the game.

Connor McDavid One Point Back of 1000

McDavid needed five points coming into the game to get to 1000 in his career. It seemed like a long shot against a goalie like Sorokin, but it was evident early he was going to have a crack at it. His four-point night got him close.

McDavid Sorokin Oilers Islanders — McDavid got four points as the Oilers beat Sorokin and the Islanders

He scored a goal and three assists but was stoned a couple of times by Sorokin. McDavid now sits at 999 career NHL points, just one shy of the monumental 1,000-point mark. He didn’t want to talk too much about the milestone after the game. He noted, “Nothing has happened yet” and added, “one more to go.” Draisaitl called McDavid “the greatest player to ever play” and spoke of McDavid’s legendary status, with the Oilers’ next opportunity coming against a Nashville Predators team they have historically dominated.

Draisaitl’s Overtime Heroics

Leon Draisaitl’s instinctive shot up high sealed the win for Edmonton. His shot at 1:52 of overtime came after the trio of Oilers before completely tired out the Islanders group. Afterward, he credited the Oilers’ depth for setting up the game-winning chance. Draisaitl’s 12th goal in 16 games highlighted his hot start to the season, but when asked about his start, didn’t want to get too comfortable. “This league humbles you so goddam quick,” he said.

Sorokin Keeps Islanders Afloat

Despite Edmonton’s dominant 42-23 shot advantage, Sorokin put on a stellar performance, making 39 saves to keep his team in the game. His timely stops allowed New York to rally from a two-goal deficit in the third period and ultimately secure a point. If not for Sorokin, McDavid could have had five or six points easily.

On the Oilers’ side, Stuart Skinner had a relatively quiet night, stopping 19 of 22 shots.

With Edmonton now 8-4-1 in their last 13 games, they’ll aim to build on this momentum as McDavid looks to reach the 1000-point marker on Thursday.

Next: Former Oilers GM Takes New Job With the NHL