EDMONTON — The Edmonton Oilers have looked like a team with a new lease on life since making a coaching change last week and letting Dave Tippett go.
Leon Draisaitl had a pair of goals as the Oilers remained a perfect 4-0 under new head coach Jay Woodcroft, coming from behind to thump the Anaheim Ducks 7-3 on Thursday to sit third in the Pacific Division.
Woodcroft ran the Oilers’ AHL team in Bakersfield before getting moved up to Edmonton last Thursday.
Evander Kane, Derek Ryan, Jesse Puljujarvi, Warren Foegele and Zach Hyman also scored for the Oilers (27-18-3) who have gone 9-1-2 in their last 12 outings.
“I think everybody's engaged,” said Kane, who also had an assist. “I think everybody's contributing. There was probably no better example in this four-game winning streak probably than tonight.”
Oilers starter Mike Smith made 27 saves. Connor McDavid and Ryan McLeod each chipped in a pair of assists.
Veteran Derek Ryan, who also had a two-point night, said it really feels like the Oilers are playing as a more complete team than they were before.
“I feel like we feel that everyone is getting a chance and an opportunity to provide help,” he said. “Obviously we can’t rely on Leon and Connor to do everything. We need support for those guys and for everyone in the top six. I think it has been good for myself to get some confidence built up to play more and to get more of an opportunity offensively.”
Adam Henrique, Sonny Milano and Trevor Zegras replied for the Ducks (23-19-9) who have lost four in a row. Goalie John Gibson allowed seven goals on 41 shots.
“We were simply outmatched by a team,” said Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins. “We’re coming on a back-to-back and we were not prepared depth-wise to take on a team like that.”
Anaheim grabbed the lead with a power-play goal 4:39 into the opening period as Henrique tipped a Cam Fowler shot past Smith. It was the 32nd time in the last 39 games that Edmonton has allowed the game’s first goal.
The Ducks got another power-play marker with six minutes left in the first period, as a Zegras shot was redirected into the net by Milano, his 11th. It was the fifth time in Smith’s last eight starts that he allowed two goals on the opposition’s first six shots.
Edmonton got on the board with a power-play goal of its own with 1:14 left in the first as Kane sent a wrist shot past Gibson for his fourth goal in nine games as an Oiler.
After likely catching a break when a video review denied an Anaheim goal, the Oilers pulled even four minutes into the middle period as Ryan tipped a long Cody Ceci shot into the net.
Edmonton made it 3-2 7:26 into the second period as Puljujarvi scored his 12th, flubbing a shot off his own skate and past Gibson. Puljujarvi was injured on the play and ended up leaving the game.
The Oilers onslaught continued with another goal just past the mid-mark of the second as a nice feed from McLeod allowed Draisaitl to tap home his league-leading 34th.
Edmonton scored its fifth consecutive goal 4:21 into the third on a wicked one-timer by Foegele.
Anaheim got one back midway through the third when Zegras lifted a beauty of a shot up high from in tight over Smith.
Draisaitl quickly restored the three-goal lead, stripping a puck and then sending home his second of the match — his 12th multiple-goal game of the season.
Just over a minute after that, Hyman was left alone in front and scored his 16th on a backhand.
Both teams are back in action Saturday as the Oilers are in Winnipeg, while the Ducks close out a three-game trip in Vancouver.
NOTES: Forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins passed Wayne Gretzky in all-time games played for the Oilers, moving into ninth at 697… Out with injuries for the Ducks were Ryan Getzlaf (lower body), Max Jones (upper body) and Josh Manson (finger)… Missing for the Oilers were Kris Russell (undisclosed), Zack Kassian (fractured jaw) and Duncan Keith (upper body).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 17, 2022.
Shane Jones, The Canadian Press
