Connor McDavid scored 2:19 into overtime giving the Edmonton Oilers a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche Thursday night at Rogers Place.
McDavid finished off the play but it was Leon Draisaitl that deserved most of the credit for the goal after a brilliant individual effort to set up McDavid for the winner. Draisaitl also scored a highlight reel goal in the second period to open the scoring for the Oilers.
“He’s one of the best players in the world, he showed that last year and he’s really come on here in the last little bit. He’s been playing great hockey and he was very good tonight,” McDavid said about Draisaitl after the game.
“I’m just trying to get better each and every day,” Draisaitl said. “I just want to help the team win. Obviously me and Connor have a little bit of chemistry, but it was just nice to get the win tonight.”
The Oilers controlled the first period, outshooting the Avalanche 19-7. Semyon Varlamov was strong in the Avs’ net and kept the game scoreless.
Edmonton finally broke through early in the second period. Draisaitl swooped around several Colorado defenders, deftly put the puck between Mikko Rantanen’s legs, then beat Varlamov with a backhand. Zack Kassian made it 2-0 with 5:27 left in the frame. Colorado started pushing after that and got a point-shot goal from Samuel Girard with only 18.9 seconds left in the period.
Colin Wilson tied it 50 seconds into the third. The puck bounced to him right in front and he tapped it into an open net.
In overtime, Draisaitl tossed aside Girard just inside the blue-line. He drove to the net and dished to McDavid, who rifled a shot past Varlamov.
“From an offensive perspective, he was a force,” head coach Todd McLellan said about Draisaitl’s night. “He used his body very well and accelerated out of protecting the puck where you can push off and create space for himself, really on both goals.”
Varlamov stopped McDavid and Anton Slepyshev on second period breakaways. He finished with 43 saves. Talbot made 28 saves for the win.
“It wasn’t a great game by us,” Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said. “I think they (Oilers) had a good game. I don’t think we did, so for me, I think we were lucky to get a point out of that one. It wasn’t an all-around team effort for us.”
The Oilers (25-31-4) will play in Los Angeles on Saturday.
-With files from Brenden Ullrich and Scott Johnston
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