After a four-game absence, Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl returned to the ice for Kris Knoblauch’s team, putting on a stellar performance. As the Oilers defeated the Calgary Flames by a score of 3-2 in overtime, the German talent voiced a key statement for the rest of the team, as the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs loom closer.
Draisaitl was missed dearly by the Oilers and he didn’t fail to deliver during his awaited comeback after missing four games with an undisclosed injury. The Oilers’ alternate captain etched his name in every goal his team scored on the Flames, as he finished the night with two goals and one assist, including the overtime game-winning tally.
In a heated ‘Battle of Alberta’ matchup, as always, the Oilers rallied to tie the game at two apiece with less than four minutes left in the final period. Draisaitl equalized the game and ended it during the extra period, leaving his mark on the ice at Rogers Place.
Following the hard-earned victory, Leon Draisaitl sent a bold statement to his teammates, reminding them of the key to success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the regular season reaches its final stops.
“Those are the types of games we are going to have to win, 3-2, tight-checking, good defensive hockey,” Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said, via NHL.com. “Getting comfortable in these situations is big right now.”
Draisaitl scored his 50th and 51st goals of the season, as he leads the NHL in scoring, and is in third place with 104 points through 69 games.
Redemption arc
Come playoff time, the Oilers won’t have the luxury of 3-on-3 overtime—an area where they thrive thanks to Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. The duo already dominates at 5-on-5, but with extra ice in the regular season’s overtime format, they become a true cheat code in the NHL.
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The Oilers are 12-5 this season in games that extend to overtime or a shootout—a stark contrast to last season’s 2-1 record in playoff overtime, highlighting the different stakes of postseason hockey. As they prepare for a deep run, aiming to avenge last year’s Stanley Cup Final loss, Edmonton will head to Sin City to face the Vegas Golden Knights, marking the start of their West Coast road trip.