January 3, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (29) looks to make a play in front of forward Leo Carlsson (91) during the third period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Photos
It’s strange how the NHL’s leading goal scorer and second-highest point producer isn’t even considered the best player on his team.
Welcome to the world of León Draisaitl.
Superstar captain Connor McDavid is still king in Edmonton, but Draisaitl showed again Friday why he’s a worthy 1B, scoring the go-ahead goal with 1:35 left to give the Oilers a 3-2 win against the visiting Anaheim.
The Oilers will try to extend their winning streak to three games when they play Saturday night in Seattle, the first of four meetings with the Kraken this season.
Draisaitl’s game-winning goal was his league-best 28th goal of the season and also his ninth overall win. The 2019-20 Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP ranks second behind Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (64) in points with 57.
McDavid, a three-time league MVP and five-time scoring champion, is tied for fourth with 54 points, having missed three games this season due to injuries.
“I feel very proud to step up when it is needed most,” Draisaitl said. “It’s something that’s very important to me and something I’m proud of.”
The Oilers scored the first two goals of the game before letting the Geese back into the game.
“It wasn’t perfect by any means — when you have those clues, you want to make sure you take them home,” Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said. “But when they ultimately challenged us, we found a way to deliver the ultimate blow.”
Despite scoring the winning goal, Draisaitl criticized his own performance.
“We had a lot of good changes and good looks; “Their goalie made some big saves,” he said. “But I think overall, especially my name and my line, there were too many turnovers. It felt like momentum: We’d have it, then a turnover would happen, and then it would be back and forth. forward.
“That was mainly our line, mainly me. It happens. Those games happen from time to time, and you just learn from them.”
Meanwhile, the Kraken had a two-game winning streak snapped with a 4-3 penalty shootout loss to visiting Vancouver on Thursday, despite rallying from a two-goal deficit in the final 11 minutes of regulation to force time. further. Defenseman Vince Dunn scored the tying goal with 53 seconds left in the third period.
“We came back strong in the third quarter and were able to tie it,” said Kraken forward Matty Beniers, who has scored in three consecutive games. “It was a good setback, but if we can put ourselves in better situations heading into the third, I think we’re going to be more successful.”
It was comparable to last weekend’s historic comeback in Vancouver, when the Kraken became just the third team to win after rallying from a three-goal deficit in the final five minutes of regulation in a regular-season game.
Despite their 2-0-1 streak, the Kraken remain seven points behind in the fight for the second and final wild card spot in the Western Conference playoffs.
“At this point, it doesn’t really matter how. I just have to keep putting up (points),” defenseman Brandon Montour said. “We are in a hole. “We put ourselves in a position where we need to get as many wins and as many points as we can.”
–Media at field level
