Engaging Oilers Intensely Applying Forceful Pressure
The Edmonton Oilers are finding their groove in the NHL, picking up their second victory of the season after a rough start. In their 4-2 triumph over the Nashville Predators, standout German player Leon Draisaitl contributed with an assist and some solid plays. His teammate Connor McDavid also managed to net his first goal of the season for the Oilers, who had previously lost their opening three games. The Oilers snapped their losing streak with a 4-3 overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. Despite falling just short of the title in the previous season, losing in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Oilers are looking to turn things around.
The night's biggest star for the Oilers was Brett Kulak. The defenseman scored two goals for the first time in his career in an NHL game, helping to secure the narrow win. Kulak's second goal came with just seconds remaining, putting the game out of reach for the Predators, who were desperately trying to equalize. Despite dominating the shot count (8-0) early in the game, the Predators managed to take the lead for the first time in the season midway through the first period.
"We over-pressured ourselves"
Kulak's strong performance and McDavid's quick response to the Temperary equalizer helped the Oilers clinch the win. The Predators' losing streak continues, with the team starting the season with a season-high four losses for the first time since 2002.
"We kept it simple and know that it won't always be perfect, and I think we put too much pressure on ourselves at the start of the season," Kulak reflected. "I think in the first few games, we got discouraged if it wasn't perfect. Tonight wasn't perfect either, but we stuck to the game plan and managed to score."
Unfortunately, the German players' contributions weren't enough to secure wins for their respective teams. Moritz Seider scored his first goal of the season, but Detroit still ended up losing to the New York Rangers 2-5. Tim Stützle remained goalless in the 1-3 defeat of the Ottawa Senators against the New Jersey Devils.
The Oilers' victory over the Predators was a testament to their resilience, as they fought back from an early deficit. Kulak's reflected on their early-season struggles, admitting, "We over-pressured ourselves and got discouraged if it wasn't perfect."
Despite Draisaitl and Seider's impressive performances, their teams, the Oilers and the Red Wings, respectively, were unable to secure victories in their respective matches.
