Leon Draisaitl thought he had a stinker of a sport, even when he did come out smelling like a rose on the finish.
Draisaitl scored his league-leading twenty eighth objective of the season because the Edmonton Oilers gained their second sport in a row, defeating the Anaheim Geese 3-2 on Friday.
With the sport tied 2-2, Edmonton took the lead with simply 1:35 to play as Zach Hyman despatched the puck in entrance to Draisaitl and he took the move off his knee and kicked it right down to his stick earlier than selecting the nook previous Geese goalie Lukas Dostal for the sport winner.
Earlier than that, the 29-year-old German star ahead felt he was doing his staff extra hurt than good.
“I believe the remainder of the strains performed fairly strong. It was largely me that had loads of turnovers and didn’t actually drive the puck deep sufficient to maintain something,” Draisaitl mentioned. “These video games are going to occur. I’m conscious of that and attempt to restrict these.”
However with the sport on the road, Draisaitl scored his ninth game-winning objective of the present marketing campaign and the seventieth of his profession.
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“I take massive satisfaction in stepping up when it’s wanted most,” he mentioned. “It’s at all times one thing that’s actually essential to me and that I satisfaction myself in. Some years it appears to go your method in sure moments and in different years it doesn’t. That’s simply the best way this league works. However clearly I’ll take it.”
The Oilers at the moment are the fourth NHL franchise to characteristic not less than three gamers with 70 profession game-winning objectives, becoming a member of the Canadiens, Bruins and Penguins.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch mentioned Draisaitl’s willingness to confess to his faults is what helps him frequently obtain new heights.
“Leon’s very conscious of his sport, he takes accountability and doesn’t deflect blame, and I believe that’s a part of the rationale he’s turn out to be such a great participant,” Knoblauch mentioned. “He’s been capable of settle for that accountability when he doesn’t play effectively. However there are nights when issues aren’t going effectively for him, however he nonetheless finds a solution to make a giant play, and tonight he did.”
The objective prolonged Draisaitl’s level streak to 13 video games, tying the longest streak of the season, achieved by 4 completely different gamers. He’s now only one sport again of tying his profession longest level streak of 14. Throughout his present streak he has recorded 11 objectives and 25 factors, and was named the NHL’s second star for the month of December.
Nevertheless, teammate Connor McDavid had his personal factors streak finish at 12 within the sport as he was held of the scoresheet.
Draisaitl additionally handed Glenn Anderson into fifth in Oilers franchise all-time scoring, now with 907 factors in his profession.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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