Connor McDavid extended his NHL-record season-opening assist streak to 14 games by setting up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ second goal, as the Edmonton Oilers began their road trip with a 4-0 victory against the New York Islanders on Saturday.
Edmonton’s Offensive Dominance
Nugent-Hopkins scored on a power play during the third period to secure McDavid’s league-leading 29th assist of the campaign. McDavid holds a commanding lead in total points with 37 and remains on pace to surpass the 200-point mark.
Longtime teammate Leon Draisaitl added two assists, highlighted by a seamless skate-to-stick maneuver that set up Vasily Podkolzin for an easy goal into an open net. Ilya Sorokin faced a similar disadvantage on Nugent-Hopkins’ point-blank shot following a pass from Kasperi Kapanen just 68 seconds prior.
Solid Goaltending and Special Teams
Edmonton goaltender Tristan Jarry turned aside all 18 shots to secure his second straight shutout, while Jason Dickinson added an empty-net goal to secure the win. The Oilers have now claimed victories in 10 of their opening 14 matches under the guidance of coach Mike Babcock.
Despite Sorokin stopping 20 shots, the Islanders saw their two-game winning streak halted. Top defenseman Matthew Schaefer was whistled for two of the team’s five minor penalties, and forward Emil Heineman received an ejection less than two and a half minutes into the contest for a knee-on-knee hit on Isaac Howard. Howard required assistance leaving the ice without putting weight on his left leg and did not return to the game.
The Islanders also played without defenseman Ryan Pulock, who consulted a physician after exiting Thursday night’s game in Minnesota due to an upper-body injury.
The Oilers continue their three-game area trip by facing the New York Rangers on Sunday, while the Islanders return to action on Thursday night to host the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
