Oilers’ Draisaitl, “best player on the ice,” reaches 100 points

EDMONTON, Alberta – Center Leon Draisaitl scored twice in a 6-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, adding another memorable night to an Edmonton Oilers season filled with offensive milestones.

Draisaitl’s effort earned him 100 points for the season, and NHL scoring leader Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist in the win, pushing the All-Star center to 129 points. And for the second time in NHL history, the same teammates became the first two players to land on 100 points in consecutive seasons.

“I thought the best player on the ice tonight was Leon Draisaitl … by a country mile,” said Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft.

Draisaitl brought the season goals total to 44, and Edmonton captain McDavid had his 73rd assist on Draisaitl’s second goal, scoring into an empty net with 2:13 left for his 56th goal.

“I thought he was playing the game like he was on a mission,” Woodcroft said of Draisaitl. “I think he was 70% in the faceoff circle, he had a good conscience about him all game in terms of both sides of the puck, and I think when he plays in the middle he really gets his feet moving gets.”

As is often the case, Draisaitl was subdued in the dressing room after the performance.

“I feel very privileged,” said Draisaitl. “Of course I’m very happy about it, but this is my job, this is what I get paid for. And I couldn’t do it without one of these guys here.”

The last two-season run where teammates were the first players to reach 100 points in the NHL was 1973-74 and 1974-75, when Hockey Hall of Famers Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr did so for the Boston Bruins.

“For those guys to be in the company of those Boston Bruins, Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr, those are two good names to be associated with,” Woodcroft added.

Derek Ryan, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nick Bjugstad also scored for the Oilers, and Stuart Skinner made 29 saves.

Tim Stutzle scored twice for Ottawa to give him 34 for the season. Brady Tkachuk added his 27th goal and Mads Sogaard stopped 27 shots. Ottawa has lost three in a row.

Nugent-Hopkins gave the Oilers a 3–2 lead on a power play at 5:39 of the second period. He has scored 31 goals this season.

Bjugstad also struck with one second left in the period for Edmonton. But the evening belonged to Draisaitl, who made it 4-2 with 3:43 left in the period.

“He’s the epitome of hockey spirit,” Woodcroft said. “He is the definition of what the modern power forward looks like, or should look like.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.