Connor McDavid earned a point to extend his season-opening streak to 20 games on Wednesday as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in overtime, according to Sportsnet.ca.
McDavid became just the fourth different player in NHL history to record at least a point in each of the first 20 games of a campaign.
He joins Wayne Gretzky, who accomplished the feat three times including a record 51-game run in 1983-84, Mats Sundin with 30 games in 1992-93, and Dany Heatley with 22 games in 2005-06, nhl.com reported. The Edmonton captain leads the league with 49 points from 11 goals and 38 assists this season, CityNews Edmonton noted.
Evan Bouchard's OT winner lifted the #Oilers to their third straight victory & closed out their homestand on a high note. @paigymartin recaps the win from @RogersPlace.@CIBC | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/iKYbNByxsT
Evan Bouchard scored the winning goal 47 seconds into the extra session. He accepted a cross-crease pass from Leon Draisaitl and snapped a shot short-side off the right post, nhl.com stated.
“Obviously we weren’t as ready as we should have been,” Edmonton coach Mike Babcock said, according to nhl.com.
Hear from head coach Rick Tocchet following Wednesday's 3-2 OT loss in Edmonton. #PHIvsEDM pic.twitter.com/Vs8B0NgFKk
Oilers Rely on Defensive Structure
Edmonton secured its third consecutive victory to reach a 14-3-3 record, matching the second-best start in franchise history through 20 games, CityNews Edmonton reported. Zach Hyman scored twice for the hosts, while Tristan Jarry turned aside 30 shots to earn his fifth win, improving his record to 5-1-3.
“You have to give Rick credit, I thought his team played hard, they played fast,” Babcock told nhl.com, referring to Philadelphia head coach Rick Tocchet. Babcock added that while he couldn’t claim every player performed with proper alignment, successful squads ultimately discover methods to triumph.
“We didn’t have enough, any way you look at it. But what good teams do is find ways to win.” Coach Babcock on the #Oilers 3-2 overtime victory over Philadelphia. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/K3KtgRKKsL
The Flyers controlled long stretches of play and heavily pressured the Edmonton zone. Jarry praised his teammates for limiting lateral feeds and clearing rebounds cleanly, Sportsnet.ca reported.
“The guys obviously did a good job with rebounds,” Jarry said, according to nhl.com. He said that the vast majority of attempts came directly from the front, permitting him a clear view of numerous opportunities.
Philadelphia Loses to Edmonton as Ristolainen Returns
Tyson Foerster and Travis Sanheim scored for Philadelphia, which dropped to 5-10-6 after losing four of its past five contests, CityNews Edmonton reported. Dan Vladar made 21 stops for the visitors.
The Flyers welcomed back veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to the lineup. Ristolainen missed the previous seven games after aggravating an upper-body injury originally suffered against Anaheim on Oct. 24, CityNews Edmonton stated.
Edmonton improved to 12-0-2 when scoring first this season. The team now prepares to launch a six-game road trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, CityNews Edmonton reported, where McDavid will carry his 20-game streak.
Common Questions About The Streak
Which NHL players recorded a 20-game point streak to start a season?
Wayne Gretzky, Mats Sundin, Dany Heatley, and Connor McDavid are the only four players in league history to achieve the feat, according to nhl.com.
What was the final score of the Edmonton-Philadelphia game?
The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in overtime on Wednesday, CityNews Edmonton reported.
Who scored the overtime winner for Edmonton?
Evan Bouchard scored 47 seconds into the extra period off a pass from Leon Draisaitl, nhl.com stated.
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