EDMONTON — Connor McDavid didn’t just hit 900 points in his career on Tuesday, he looked well on his way to 1,000.
The Oilers' super star had a goal and four assists as red-hot Edmonton extended its winning streak to six games with a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers,
"It’s another nice milestone, a chance to reflect on some of the work you’ve done,” McDavid said of making the 900-point club.
“For him it is just another number. He is just happy that we won, knowing him,” said McDavid’s linemate Zach Hyman, who had a goal and two assists.
“He’s a generational talent to be able to do that. It’s pretty special in the era he plays in to be in categories with the guys he is. I don’t think anybody is even close in recent memory. It is pretty unbelievable, and it is pretty special having the opportunity to play with him.”
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two goals and an assist and Leon Draisaitl also scored for the Oilers (19-15-1), who are the only team in the NHL to have two streaks of at least six wins in a row this season, having won eight in a row not long before the current run for a 14-3-0 record in their last 17 games.
“We put ourselves behind the 8-ball a little bit early and we have had to find these streaks to get ourselves back in it,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “Obviously six in a row is a good sign for our team, but we have a long way to go.”
Travis Konecny and Marc Staal replied for the Flyers (19-13-5), who have lost three in a row and five of their last six.
Flyers head coach John Tortorella felt allowing a late second-period goal after his team had fought to tie the game was a back-breaker.
“We finally find our game in the second period and we just need to kill that one off at the end,” he said. “I think we were looking to try to get a shorty, we left the zone a couple of times and it ends up in the back of our net.
"We need to get out of that second period at least to give us a fighting chance in the third with some momentum. And we lose the momentum right at the end.”
Edmonton finally got the game’s first goal with four minutes to play in the opening period when McDavid turned around a defender and then sent a snap shot through the legs of Flyers goalie Carter Hart for his 14th of the season.
The Oilers took a 2-0 lead eight minutes into the second frame as McDavid made a beautiful no-look backhand pass to Hyman in front and he was able to lift a backhand of his own past Hart for his 22nd of the season.
It was McDavid’s 900th career regular-season point, coming in his 602nd game. The Oilers’ captain is the fifth fastest player in NHL history to record his 900th point, behind only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy and Peter Stastny.
Philadelphia got one back with nine minutes remaining in the second period as a loose puck bounced to Konecny, who was coming in with speed and was able to lift a shot past Edmonton starter Stuart Skinner for his 18th.
The Flyers knotted the game up with three minutes left in the second as Staal jumped up into the play and took a Konecny feed before beating Skinner glove-side for his first goal of the campaign.
Edmonton regained the lead with a power-play goal coming with just 55 seconds remaining in the middle frame on a nice three-way passing play in tight that was completed by Nugent-Hopkins.
The Oilers made it 4-2 with an extra attacker on for a delayed penalty just 1:27 into the third period as McDavid circled down low before sending it back to the high slot for Draisaitl, who hammered home his 18th goal of the season upstairs past Hart. It was Draisaitl’s fourth consecutive game with a goal.
McDavid picked up his fifth point with nine minutes to play in the third, sending a saucer pass to Nugent-Hopkins who went high stick-side for his second of the game and 11th of the season. It was the 10th five-point game of McDavid’s career. He has hit six points once.
NOTES
It was the second and final meeting between the two teams this season. Philadelphia earned a 4-1 win at home in the first contest on Oct. 19. … Edmonton remained without the services of Sam Gagner (undisclosed) and Dylan Holloway (upper body), however both are expected to be available by the weekend. … The Flyers were healthy, but their power play hasn't been this season, coming into the game dead last in the NHL at just 10.5 per cent.
UP NEXT
Flyers: Begin a four-game homestand on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Oilers: Host Ottawa on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 2, 2024.
Shane Jones, The Canadian Press
