Draisaitl notches 4th 50-goal season, douses Flames in OT in return

Shane Jones · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Mar 30, 2025 5:47 PM EDT | Last Updated: 13 minutes ago

Leon Draisaitl could not person made a overmuch bigger interaction successful his instrumentality to the Edmonton Oilers' lineup.

Draisaitl scored precocious to necktie the crippled and past won it successful overtime with his league-leading 51st extremity of the play arsenic the Oilers snapped a two-game losing skid with a 3-2 triumph implicit the rival Calgary Flames connected Saturday.

The Oilers tied the crippled 2-2 with 3:12 remaining successful the 3rd play arsenic Evan Bouchard passed the puck to Draisaitl and helium chopped successful from the helping and bushed Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf stick-side.

Then successful other time, Jeff Skinner dropped the puck backmost to Draisaitl successful the slot and helium blasted a changeable past Wolf 2:25 into overtime for the win. It was Draisaitl's sixth overtime extremity this season, mounting a caller NHL record.

"Tight games are ever a small spot much special, a small much amusive to beryllium in. I thought we played good for the astir portion and hung successful determination and sometimes you person to triumph those games arsenic well," said Draisaitl, who missed the past 4 games aft suffering a lower-body wounded during past week's crippled against Utah.

The 29-year-old German guardant besides had an assistance successful the contention against a hopeless Flames squad that is warring to unafraid a wild-card berth.

"That's an urgent radical implicit there, evidently they're successful a fight. And truthful are we," helium said. "I thought it was large the mode we stuck with it, that was truly good done. Sometimes they're not each pretty, but I thought we played a coagulated game.

"Those are the types of games we are going to person to win, tight-checking, bully antiaircraft hockey. Getting comfy successful these situations is large close now."

It is Draisaitl's 4th 50-goal season, tying Jari Kurri for 2nd astir successful Edmonton franchise history, down Wayne Gretzky's 8 seasons. He is lone the 4th subordinate calved extracurricular of North America with 4 50-goal campaigns.

There are lone 2 progressive players successful the NHL with 4 50-goal seasons to their recognition — Draisaitl and immoderate feline named Alex Ovechkin.

Edmonton caput manager Kris Knoblauch was impressed with Draisaitl's instrumentality to the lineup.

"In connected each 3 goals and immoderate beauteous large plays, cardinal ones, astir apt the astir cardinal the tying extremity coming down the rink and sniping that," helium said. "I'm definite helium garnered a fewer votes for immoderate hardware aft the season."

Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse, who had a brace of assists connected the night, said Draisaitl was beyond clutch successful his return.

"He was astonishing tonight, coming backmost from an wounded and scoring 2 important goals for us," helium said. "He made immoderate astonishing antiaircraft plays implicit the people of the crippled — helium was our person retired determination tonight.

"Sometimes you instrumentality for granted the large moments that hap passim the season, the large moments that players produce. He's done truthful overmuch for our group, not conscionable this twelvemonth but years successful the past, and helium conscionable continues."

Flames caput manager Ryan Huska said Draisaitl was hard to contain.

"He's 1 of the best, if not the champion successful the NHL this year," helium said. "When you person idiosyncratic of his calibre and you springiness him the country connected the crystal and you let him to sprout the puck arsenic overmuch arsenic helium did tonight, yet he's going to interruption done and score. So, I don't deliberation we did a bully capable occupation against him tonight."

Viktor Arvidsson besides scored for the Oilers (42-26-5) who remained without prima guardant Connor McDavid, apical pairing defenceman Mattias Ekholm and starting goalie Stuart Skinner. Edmonton moved into a necktie for 2nd spot successful the Pacific Division with the Los Angeles Kings.

Calvin Pickard made 26 stops to cod the triumph successful net.