BUFFALO, N.Y. — Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored twice to push his NHL-leading purpose complete to 54, and set a profession excessive with 124 factors, throughout a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night time.
McDavid continued making a case to win his third Hart MVP Trophy in eight seasons together with his twelfth multi-goal sport of the yr, serving to the Oilers to a pivotal two factors in a clogged Western Convention playoff race.
“The end was all-world,” Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft mentioned of McDavid scoring the go-ahead purpose on the fly by beating Craig Anderson by way of the legs 3:23 into the third interval, and fewer than two minutes after the Sabres tied the sport at 2.
McDavid’s 124 factors in 65 video games are yet another than the career-best he set in 80 video games final yr, and the All-Star middle prolonged his factors streak to 11 video games, by which he has 12 objectives and 15 assists.
“I noticed somebody that was aggressive proper from the puck proper from the puck drop,” Woodcroft mentioned. “Connor’s at a distinct evolutionary stage in his sport proper now, and I believe everybody noticed that right here tonight.”
A crowd from an Jap Convention metropolis that does not typically get to see McDavid in particular person, appeared to have gotten their cash’s value, although the hometown Sabres failed to select up two factors of their combat for a wild-card berth.
“Who’s extra prone to make a giant play than him?” requested teammate Zach Hyman. “He is the perfect participant on this planet, and he is pushing his personal boundaries. He is been driving the bus for a very long time and continues to get higher.”
Derek Ryan additionally scored and Stuart Skinner stopped 37 photographs for the Oilers, who improved to 5-4-3 of their previous 12, and bounced again from a 7-5 loss at Winnipeg on Saturday.
Jeff Skinner and Dylan Cozens scored for the Sabres, and Anderson stopped 34 photographs.
In dropping to 6-4 in its previous 10, Buffalo continued its season-long struggles at dwelling in dropping 5 of its previous seven.
Buffalo (32-26-4) is within the midst of an NHL-worst 11-season playoff drought, however stays within the combine and has video games in hand on most of its competitors. The day started with 4 factors separating the seventh-place New York Islanders, and ninth-place Buffalo, which was locked in a four-way tie with groups with 68 factors.
Earlier within the day, Sabres coach Don Granato, declined to say whether or not he thought of McDavid to be a step above everybody else within the league out of deference to his younger stars. Afterward, Granato had no alternative however to reward the Oilers’ captain, who scored twice on three photographs on web.
“He is acquired 50-plus for a cause, he does not want many (photographs),” Granato mentioned. “He is completed that to a lot of groups and goaltenders, and he was prepared for his alternatives. That is what makes him particular.”
The Oilers (35-22-8) moved right into a tie with Seattle for third within the Pacific Division.
After opening the scoring within the first interval, McDavid scored the go-ahead purpose early within the third interval, shortly after Cozens tied the sport.
Warren Foegele drove up the left wing to achieve the Sabres zone after which spun to hit McDavid in stride slicing up the center. McDavid veered to his left to get by defender Jacob Bryson, and snapped a shot in although Anderson’s legs.
It was McDavid’s ninth game-winning purpose of the season, after he started the day in a four-way tie for second and one behind teammate Leon Draisaitl.
McDavid and the Oilers will subsequent tackle the NHL-best Boston Bruins on Thursday night time.
The Related Press contributed to this report.