ST. PAUL, Minn. — In a commanding performance, Leon Draisaitl netted his NHL-leading 21st goal and contributed three assists, guiding the Edmonton Oilers to a decisive 7-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. This win marks the Oilers’ fourth consecutive victory, illustrating their resurgence on the ice.

Other contributors to Edmonton’s success included Zach Hyman, Kasperi Kapanen, Connor Brown, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Troy Stecher, and Derek Ryan, all of whom found the back of the net. This victory also ended a six-game losing streak for the Oilers at the Wild’s home rink, a drought that had lasted almost five years.

In goal, Calvin Pickard made 27 saves for Edmonton, and the game also marked the first loss in six starts for Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson. Gustavsson, who had entered the match with the league’s top goals-against average, allowed five goals in just two periods before being replaced by Marc-Andre Fleury.

Freddy Gaudreau managed to score a power-play goal for Minnesota (19-6-4), but the loss allowed Washington (20-6-2) to surpass them for the best record in the league. Though the Wild currently trail Winnipeg (29-9-1) in the Central Division, they have played two fewer games.

**Key Takeaways**:
For the Oilers, the team has gained momentum following a shaky start to the season, largely due to the offensive prowess of Draisaitl, who has racked up four goals and six assists over his last four outings. On the other hand, Minnesota faced setbacks as defenseman Jake Middleton, who was leading the league with a plus-22 rating, left the ice in the first period with an upper-body injury. The Wild are also missing key forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello, as well as top-four defenseman Jonas Brodin due to injuries.

**Key Moment**:
The match took a pivotal turn when the Wild’s Matt Boldy was penalized for tripping fewer than seven minutes into the game, leading to a chance for Edmonton’s power play, ranked 29th in the league. Just five seconds after the penalty was called, Draisaitl scored on a one-timer off a pass from Connor McDavid. Initially, the goal was credited to Hyman, who was stationed near the post and had the puck deflect off his stick shaft. The Wild have been struggling on the penalty kill, having allowed 11 power-play goals in their last ten games.

**Noteworthy Stat**:
Draisaitl’s current pace puts him on track for an impressive 118 points this season, just ten points shy of his career-high established during the 2022-23 season.

**Upcoming Matches**:
The Oilers will face off against Vegas this Saturday, while Minnesota is set to host Philadelphia.