By Canadian Press

Leon Draisaitl filling the void left by injured Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid

Nov 3, 2024 | 11:54 PM

CALGARY — The Edmonton Oilers continue to dig themselves out of their early-season hole with Leon Draisaitl wielding a wide shovel in the absence of captain and NHL star Connor McDavid.

Draisaitl’s second three-point night since McDavid was sidelined with an ankle injury paced the Oilers to a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames on Sunday in Edmonton’s lone visit to the Saddledome this season.

Draisaitl scored twice and had an assist in Edmonton’s 5-1 win in Nashville the day after McDavid was declared out for two to three weeks.

Draisaitl spurred the Oilers out of the gates Sunday by scoring 20 seconds after the opening faceoff with a deft backhand over Flames goalie Dan Vladar.

The German forward assisted on Zach Hyman’s game-winning, power-play goal and on Mattias Janmark’s empty-netter in the third period.

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“He’s really driving the bus right now for our team and in all areas of the game,” said Hyman, who scored his second goal in as many games after totalling 54 last season.

After the Oilers’ 0-3 start, last season’s Stanley Cup finalist started to recover only to lose McDavid, the Conn Smythe trophy winner as playoff MVP, to an ankle injury in Edmonton’s 10th game of the season.

But Draisaitl, who signed an eight-year, US$112-million contract extension with the Oilers, was already heating up before McDavid’s injury.

Draisaitl has five goals and three assists in four straight road games for Edmonton (6-5-1), which has won four of its last five.

The 29-year-old’s quick goal Sunday was the fourth-fastest goal by an Oiler in a “Battle of Alberta” against the Flames behind Petr Klima in 1991 (0:09), Craig MacTavish in 1989 (0:12) and Marty McSorley in 1986 (0:14).

Draisaitl also assisted on Viktor Arvidsson’s goal just 37 seconds into the win over the Predators.

“Amazing,” said Oilers defenceman Mattias Eckholm. “Sometimes I think he gets overlooked when Connor does his thing.

“There’s nights when he should be getting maybe bigger highlights and bigger spotlights than he actually does when Connor’s in and he does his thing.”

Draisaitl has averaged a point per game in 56 career games without McDavid since the latter was drafted first overall by the Oilers in 2015, according to NHL statisticians.

“He’s the best player in the world, but they have probably the next-best player in the world too and he just elevates his play when his partner’s not in there,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska said following Sunday morning’s skate.

After dropping the season’s first instalment of the Battle of Alberta 4-1 at home on Oct. 13, Edmonton led 2-0 by 8:12 of the opening period on Jeff Skinner’s goal.

Calgary (6-5-1) pushed back in front of an announced sellout of 19,289 at the Saddledome with Anthony Mantha’s second-period goal and Yegor Sharangovich’s in the third to pull the Flames even.

Edmonton’s power play that’s been slow to get going this season scored on the second of three power-play chances in the third period for the go-ahead goal.

Calgary’s too-many-men penalty with just over two minutes to play hampered the Flames’ chances of sending the game to overtime.

Oilers’ goaltender Stuart Skinner stopped 29 shots for the win and Vladar 27 in the loss.

The Oilers lost the Stanley Cup final’s Game 7 to the Florida Panthers on June 24. McDavid was the first skater on a losing team to earn the Conn Smythe since 1976.

The Oilers want their captain back in the lineup as soon as possible to take them deep into the post-season again, but Draisaitl has more than filled the void.

“He’s skating so good right now and he’s flying, he’s hitting, he’s making good plays,” Stuart Skinner said. “He’s leading us off the ice as well. It’s been lovely to just watch.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2024.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press