Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Adam Erne scored within a 69-second span early in the third period, propelling the Edmonton Oilers to a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. This win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Oilers.
Key Moments
Ryan McLeod netted two goals for Edmonton in a game where he faced off against his older brother. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also scored, and Calvin Pickard made 23 saves, securing his second win of the season.
“Our third period was much better,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “I’m happy for the guys. We stuck with the game plan, and it paid off.”
Devils’ Struggles
Dawson Mercer, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Timo Meier scored for the Devils, who have now lost three consecutive games after winning eight of their previous ten. Michael McLeod contributed two assists.
Turning Point
McDavid tied the game with his 12th goal at 1:40 of the third period. Draisaitl followed quickly with his 14th goal at 2:22, and Erne added to the lead at 2:49, marking his first goal for the Oilers.
“We found a way to win it,” McDavid said. “Sometimes you just need that bounce, which happened at a key stretch of the game.”
McDavid, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, currently leads the Oilers with 43 points this season.
“McDavid can create confusion. He does it with every team. He’s elusive,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff commented.
Supporting Cast
Sam Gagner and Mattias Ekholm each recorded two assists for Edmonton, which began a six-game road trip with a loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
Ryan McLeod scored 24 seconds into the game and capped off the scoring with his fourth goal of the season at 9:04 of the third period.
“I keep it fast and simple,” said the younger McLeod, a second-round draft pick by Edmonton in 2018. “I’m glad to get rewarded.”
Meier’s Efforts
Meier gave New Jersey a 3-2 lead with his sixth goal at 16:26 of the second period, marking his first goal since Nov. 14 after missing seven games due to a lower-body injury.
Edmonton initially jumped to a 2-0 lead less than six minutes into the game. Ryan McLeod’s early goal marked the seventh time the Oilers scored within the first two minutes this season. Nugent-Hopkins extended the lead with his eighth goal at 5:24.
Goalie Changes
Ruff replaced goaltender Akira Schmid with Vitek Vanecek after Schmid allowed two goals on six shots. Vanecek stopped all 18 shots in the second period but struggled in the third.
“When you’re breaking out and you turn the puck over, you’re not in a good defensive position,” Ruff said. “We didn’t win enough battles. We didn’t beat enough people to the net.”
Upcoming Games
- Oilers: Face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
- Devils: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday as part of a five-game homestand.
