Edmonton Oilers celebrated an exciting victory Tuesday evening against Tampa Bay Lightning with a hard-fought 2-1 triumph, led by Leon Draisaitl (one goal, one assist). Meanwhile Connor McDavid netted one as well.
Oilers Maintain Winning Streak
With this victory, the Oilers (16-10-2) have now won six out of their last seven games thanks to outstanding efforts from Draisaitl and McDavid. Conversely, Jake Guentzel contributed one goal towards Tampa’s two game winning streak; which ultimately came to an end despite this effort from Guentzel adding more goals to their total tally.
Key Performances and Goalie Excellence
Stuart Skinner played a crucial role in securing the win for the Oilers with his 21 saves, while Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Lightning also put on a strong performance, making 23 saves. The game was notable for Brayden Point of the Lightning as well, who continued his impressive streak with an assist, bringing his point total to nine in the last three matches.
McDavid’s Impressive Turnaround
After a slower start to the season, McDavid has remarkably turned things around, amassing 28 points in his latest 14 appearances. This match marked the 57th time he scored the initial goal of a game in his career.
Match Turning Point
The decisive moment came in the second period when the Oilers took a 2-1 lead with just eight minutes remaining. A breakaway shot by Draisaitl was initially saved by Vasilevskiy but then inadvertently deflected off Lightning’s defender Victor Hedman into the goal, marking Draisaitl’s 20th goal of the season.
Rare Meeting of Art Ross Trophy Winners
This game also featured an extraordinary event, as eight Art Ross Trophy recipients since 1997 — McDavid, Draisaitl and Kucherov from Edmonton and Tampa respectively — were on display together – Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr were there as well! This gathering had not happened since Jan 25, 1997!
Looking Forward
On Thursday night, the Lightning are gearing up to face Calgary Flames while Oilers host Minnesota. Both games promise an exhilarating finish to an eventful NHL season.