Leon Draisaitl scored in overtime giving the Edmonton Oilers a come-from-behind 6-5 win over the New York Rangers Friday night at Rogers Place.
For the first time in team history, the Oilers have won nine of their first 10 games.
The Rangers needed only 1:53 to open the scoring. Shortly after the Oilers turned the puck over behind their own net, Filip Chytil blazed a shot past Edmonton goaltender Mikko Koskinen, who had lost his stick on the play.
The Oilers cranked up the pressure in the second half of the period and broke through with 1:49 to go when Zach Hyman stuffed in a rebound.
“I don’t think we’ve played our best hockey yet,” Hyman said after the game. “We haven’t really played a consistent sixty; we’re just always pushing and trying to find a way to win.”
The Rangers struck for three goals in 4:04 early in the second.
Kevin Rooney scored after an Oilers turnover, then Chris Kreider scored streaking down the right wing. With Oilers forward Zack Kassian in the box for slashing, Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad had a pass deflect in off his skate to make it 4-1.
The Oilers got one back on a power-play blast from Jesse Puljujarvi, his fourth goal of the season.
“Slow start for us, and then (the) third period was really strong,” Puljujarvi said. “We start right away, get the power-play and get everything going and get (a) really nice win.”
LISTEN BELOW: Zach Hyman and Jesse Puljujarvi
Edmonton kept coming in the third. Oilers defenceman Tyson Barrie scored on the power play one minute into the frame, then Puljujarvi struck again 2:35 later.
Zibanejad beat Koskinen blocker side to put the Rangers back in front with 12:42 on the clock.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid tied it on a spectacular play with 2:59 to go. He wove his way through four Rangers then tucked a backhand behind New York netminder Alexander Georgiev.
“I thought we did a great job of coming out in the third and getting ourselves back in the game,” McDavid said. “Didn’t like that we gave one up there, to give back the lead. But, you know, I thought it was a big moment. I thought the crowd was into the game; it was an exciting night. I think it all kind of just escalated then.”
LISTEN BELOW: Connor McDavid and Darnell Nurse
WIth 1:33 left in overtime, Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse found Draisaitl alone in front. He slid the puck under Georgiev for his 10th goal of the season.
“It was a fun game to be involved in,” head coach Dave Tippett said. “Lots of ebbs and flows in it. (Mikko) Koskinen has played so well for us over this stretch here. We made some mistakes that cost us against him and our guys hung in there and we found a way to win. And we’ve kind of been talking about that all year — find a way to win.”
LISTEN BELOW: Dave Tippett
Before the game, the Oilers retired Kevin Lowe’s No. 4.
“To everyone here tonight, and Oilers fans everywhere, none of this happens without you,” Lowe said during his speech.
The Oilers (9-1) will start a five-game road trip Tuesday in Detroit.
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