EDMONTON, Alberta — In an electrifying night for the Edmonton Oilers, Leon Draisaitl clinched his second goal 2:25 into overtime, propelling his team to a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday, thus ending their two-game losing streak.
Viktor Arvidsson found the back of the net and Darnell Nurse added two crucial assists for the Oilers, who were without key players such as star forward Connor McDavid, defenseman Mattias Ekholm, and goalie Stuart Skinner. Despite missing key players, goalie Calvin Pickard stepped up with 26 saves, ensuring the Oilers stayed even with Los Angeles for second in the Pacific Division standings.
For the Flames, Yegor Sharangovich and Brayden Pachal managed to score, but it wasn’t enough as the team faced their second consecutive loss, placing them seven points behind St. Louis and Minnesota in the wild card race. Flames’ goaltender Dustin Wolf matched Pickard with 26 saves of his own.
The game was decided in the extra period when Jeff Skinner passed the puck back to Draisaitl in the slot, allowing him to unleash a shot past Wolf for his 51st league-leading goal of the season.
Key Highlights
One significant takeaway for the Flames was Nazem Kadri’s assist on Sharangovich’s opening goal, coming 4 1/2 minutes into play. This assist marked Kadri’s 700th career NHL point, extending his point streak to six games, though his goal-scoring run ceased at five games.
For the Oilers, Draisaitl returned on the ice after missing four games due to a lower-body injury. He continues to be a formidable opponent against the Flames, accumulating 63 points over 48 career matches against them.
Key Moment
A pivotal play for the Oilers came late in the third period. With 3:12 remaining, Evan Bouchard assisted Draisaitl, who skillfully navigated in from the wing, notching his 50th goal of the season past Wolf’s stick-side. This remarkable achievement granted Draisaitl his fourth 50-goal season, tying him with Jari Kurri for the second-most in Edmonton’s franchise history, only behind Wayne Gretzky’s eight seasons at this mark.
Key Stat
Throughout their storied matchup history, including playoff games, the Oilers have outscored the Flames 1,019 to 1,014.
Next up, the Flames will visit Colorado on Monday while the Oilers begin a four-game road trip facing off against Vegas on Tuesday.