Draisaitl helps the Oilers emerge from their early-season downturn
Edmonton Oilers' standout player Leon Draisaitl orchestrated their inaugural victory of the new NHL season in their fourth game. The 28-year-old German sensation netted the game-winning goal in overtime, shifting the scoreline to 4:3 against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Oilers ended their unfortunate streak of three consecutive losses.
"Each point is essential in our book," Draisaitl stated: "It felt awesome to turn things around and snatch the win." He emphasized the significance of their first triumph, hoping it would positively impact the team's morale.
After falling behind 0:2, Edmonton managed to score two goals through Adam Henrique at 27' and Connor Brown at 35'. In the second period, Bobby Brink restored Philadelphia's lead at 40', but Draisaitl assisted Evan Bouchard's equalizer at 57'. The game proceeded to overtime, where Draisaitl sealed the deal for Edmonton by scoring within the first 56 seconds.
Meanwhile, Nico Sturm suffered his third consecutive loss with the San Jose Sharks, as they lost 2:3 in a shootout against the Dallas Stars. Sturm contributed with an assist on Ty Dellandrea's intermediate lead at 2:1, but Dallas managed to level the score. Lukas Reichel was absent from the Chicago Blackhawks' lineup during their 1:3 defeat to the Calgary Flames. Philipp Grubauer, initially scheduled to start for the Seattle Kraken, did not suit up for their 7:3 victory over the Nashville Predators. Conversely, the Minnesota Wild celebrated a 4:1 triumph over the St. Louis Blues, thanks to Filip Gustavsson's rare empty-net goal at the buzzer. Gustavsson marked history as the 15th NHL goalie to score such a goal, with Pittsburgh Penguins' Tristan Jarry being the most recent scorer on November 30, 2023.
Draisaitl's performance in ice hockey was instrumental in the Edmonton Oilers' victory. Among his achievements, he scored the game-winning goal in overtime, continuing his successful run in the sport.
In the following game, the Philadelphia Flyers faced off against the Dallas Stars in ice hockey, with Nico Sturm and the San Jose Sharks losing their third consecutive match.
