Edmonton Oilers made history on Tuesday night when they overcame early season hurdles with an exciting 4-3 overtime victory against Philadelphia Flyers thanks to Leon Draisaitl’s brilliant goal just 56 seconds into overtime, ending their three-game losing streak and marking their inaugural win of 2018.
Highlight Performances from Oilers’ Stars
At first, overtime looked dismal for Edmonton when goaltender Samuel Ersson denied Connor McDavid on a breakaway opportunity; but quickly recovered the puck to assist Leon Draisaitl score his second of the year and score two goals himself! Adam Henrique, Connor Brown and Evan Bouchard each added one goal towards an Oilers comeback and set in motion an exciting comeback of their own.
Flyers Showcase Talent Despite Loss
On the Flyers’ side, rookie Matvei Michkov left a mark by scoring his first two NHL career goals in just his third game. Bobby Brink also contributed to the Flyers’ effort with a goal. In goal, Samuel Ersson put up a brave front with 29 saves.
Consistency in Flyers’ Lineup
The Flyers experienced a bit of uncertainty when Joel Farabee missed practice on Monday, but he maintained his impressive Ironman streak by hitting the ice against the Oilers. Coached by John Tortorella, Farabee has now played in 175 consecutive games, matching Sidney Crosby’s current longest active Ironman streak in the league.
McDavid’s Point Streak Continues
Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid further extended his point streak against the Flyers to 11 games, the longest active streak of its kind in the NHL, boasting 11 goals and 31 points in 14 games versus Philadelphia. McDavid has proven to be a formidable opponent, averaging 2.31 points per game against them.
Game-Changing Moment
The pivotal moment of the match came with only 3:42 remaining in the third period when Draisaitl delivered a masterful backhand pass to McDavid, who then found Bouchard for a critical one-timer, evening the score at 3-3 and setting the stage for overtime victory.
What Lies Ahead
Following their thrilling win against the Red Deer Rebels on Tuesday night, Edmonton is looking forward to taking on Nashville Predators on Thursday while Philadelphia Flyers face Seattle Kraken on Sunday.
Pivotal Statistic
In their 44-year history, the Oilers have only ever started off a season 0-4 twice — during 1995-96 season and McDavid’s rookie campaign of 2015-16 – so this win against Flyers not only broke a losing streak but provided vital morale boost to this team going forward.