A big game awaited the Edmonton Oilers last night, as they carried on with a road trip that began Saturday night in Toronto. This game was equal parts revenge game, superstar showdown, and milestone watching. If there hadn’t been a home game for the Pittsburgh Steelers the night before, this matchup with the Penguins would have been the biggest billing of the week in Steeltown.
On one hand, you had former Oilers Brett Kulak and Stuart Skinner making their Pens debuts against their old team. On another hand, no matchup of trios in the NHL today is as good as when these two teams hook up. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard up against Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. It’s as fulfilling as a Pittsburgher sandwich (this observer has had one before, and can attest).
But most importantly, Draisaitl’s chase of 1000 points continued after he was held off the scoresheet last game against the Montreal Canadiens. For the Penguins’ part, Sidney Crosby came in needing just three points to make history of his own. Pittsburgh legend Mario Lemieux’s all-time franchise record for points sat right in front of Crosby entering this night.
Ultimately, the Oilers made this their night in more ways than one. Leon Point number 1000 was taken care of halfway through the first period, McDavid magic happened again immediately thereafter, and from there the Oilers largely had control of the whole game. Though the Pens did try twice to erase a two-goal Edmonton lead, the response from the Oilers always followed. Some separation in the third period helped affirm the visitors’ dominance on this night. And not even a four-minute Pens’ power play could help them attempt one more rally.
Oilers win 6–4.
This team can’t win three games in a row to save their souls, yet they’re 5–1–1 in their last seven games. What a wacky season this is. Here’s the game story.
Not only did Draisaitl get to 1000, he decided to go higher (and higher)
The Penguins initially put the first puck past a goaltender, doing so on their initial attempt with the power play. However, the Oilers got a fortunate break, as it was challenged and called back for offside. Then, Pittsburgh decided to do something about as rare as what the Canadiens did the other night. Kulak of all players ended up putting a puck out of play during an active five-on-three, extending it.
The Oilers, having obviously read this observer’s and other pundits’ articles about how they were getting too cute on the five-on-three against Montreal, learned some lessons and this time, just simply played a normal game. Lo and behold, Zach Hyman finishes off a beautiful passing play. The primary assist to McDavid, and the secondary assist… Draisaitl.
With point number 1000 out of the way, Draisaitl treated the rest of the game like a Christmas shopping trip to Southgate Centre or West Edmonton Mall. You got the big, fancy present taken care of; might as well go buy chocolates, pick up some comfy sweaters, and stop at the Miniso store for the heck of it. Draisaitl added three more assists on this night, to finish at 1003 points.
Shown above, he let McDavid be McDavid, because he’s a gentleman who doesn’t hog the spotlight. He then followed it up with an additional power play assist in the second period. Oh, and for good measure, he helped get linemate Vasily Podkolzin yet another goal on the season.
In the spirit of the holidays, Draisaitl was in a giving mood tonight. But this will go down as his night, when all is said and done. He is just the 103rd player in NHL history to reach the 1000-point milestone. Congrats, Draisaitl!
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The Oilers ensure Crosby’s slice of history doesn’t come at their expense
Not to be outdone, Crosby entered play with 1,721 points of his own, two back of the Penguins’ all-time mark of 1,723 set by Mario Lemieux. Side note, Lemieux’s NHL career was just 915 games long. It is one of the greatest travesties in NHL history we didn’t at least get an extra couple seasons of prime Mario.
For a moment, it looked like this night would see Crosby have his own taste of history. He assisted on Erik Karlsson’s second-period power play goal that made it 3–2. That gave him point number 1,722.
With over half the game still to play, Crosby getting one more point felt somewhere between possible and inevitable. It’s like being somewhere between Argyll Road and Whyte Avenue. Either you escape the milestone and get to go have fun on the town, or you fall into the ravine that is Crosby overshadowing Draisaitl.
Thankfully, the Oilers’ aforementioned second-period power play goal came right after, to make it 4–2, taking the wins out of the Penguins’ sails. And when Pittsburgh did get two late goals, Crosby did not get onto the scoresheet on either one. He wasn’t even on the ice for the 6–4 goal.
So, Crosby’s history has to wait one more game. With all due respect to the three-time Stanley Cup Champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, that is a preferable outcome. One player making history is enough for this evening.
In the “Traded Goalies Cup,” Jarry emerges the winner
Normally, when you have both Crosby and Draisaitl on the verge of history, the goalies are mere bit players in that game. The exact opposite was the case on this evening. Skinner made his Penguins debut, and Jarry made just his second start in Oiler colours. This all following the trade involving them, made a mere four days prior.
Both goalies were drafted by their prior clubs in the 2010’s; Jarry a 2013 second-round pick, Skinner a 2017 third-rounder. Jarry owns a 2017 Stanley Cup ring for having played his first NHL game during the 2016–17 season. Skinner, of course, backstopped the Oilers to consecutive Western Conference titles. Note the wording- yes, Skinner did. Just ask the Dallas Stars, and Jake Oettinger.
How you evaluate a goaltender’s performance is entirely your prerogative. For this game, we’ll start with stats. Skinner finished with a dismal .773 save percentage, allowing five goals on 22 shots. The Penguins’ penalty kill did, however, get eaten alive by a motivated Oilers power play. Meanwhile, Jarry was on pace to finish an even .900, stopping 27 of 30 shots, before Danton Heinen potted a goal deep into stat-pad time. So Jarry settled for an .867 save percentage.
Jarry also didn’t allow an absolute clunker like the goal Matt Savoie scored, without Draisaitl’s assistance, to make it 3–1:
At the end of the day, Jarry wins the ’bout by unanimous decision. But it would be really nice if Chris Paul moments could stop happening against the Oilers in the final minute of games. Apparently, it is something the team’s leadership core isn’t happy with, so hopefully it’s getting addressed.
Thank goodness Lazar was able to return to this game
Curtis Lazar left the game in the second period after an awkward fall into the end boards. After getting tangled up with youngster Jack St. Ivany, Lazar’s whole body basically fell on top of his left leg. Play had to be stopped, and trainer T.D. Forss, along with teammates, had to assist Lazar off the ice.
That kind of ugly moment usually indicates a significant injury for the player, and it seemed academic that Lazar’s night would be over. Not so, it turned out, as Lazar checked back in to the game in the third period. Hockey players are just an entirely different specimen.
There is no immediate word postgame on Lazar at the time of writing. So we’ll only deduce that nothing was broken or sprained. That’s some mercy shown by the Hockey Gords on Lazar who has already dealt with injury this season. The Oilers also already have other forwards shelves due to injury. They can’t afford to lose another.
Player perspective: milestone edition
“It was a dream that was really far away at some point, so, very proud and happy- I know how many people are part of accomplishments like that.” -Leon Draisaitl on reaching the 1000-point milestone
Shipping up to Boston for the last Eastern road game of this season
The most difficult parts of the schedule are almost all said and done. The current five-game road trip carries on in Boston on Thursday night, and then… No more. No more games out East this season; the road trip itself wraps up in Minnesota on Saturday.
For the fans, it will be a relief no longer worrying about 5:00 PM weeknight starts that force some to listen to the game during the drive home. For the players, the travel shortens significantly after this week. That will be a boon to a team coming into its own as of late, very well still in the mix for the franchise’s first division title in nearly four decades.
Either way, hang in there, folks. One more 5:00 PM weekday start, and then no more in 2026. This observer’s going to be out one last time, and then back on Saturday to cover all the remaining 2025 games.
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