CALGARY — The Edmonton Oilers continue to dig themselves out of their early-season hole with Leon Draisaitl wielding a big shovel in the absence of captain and NHL star Connor McDavid.

Draisaitl’s second three-point night since McDavid was sidelined with an ankle injury lifted the Oilers to a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames on Sunday in Toronto’s only visit. Edmonton at the Saddledome this season.

Draisaitl scored twice and had an assist in Edmonton’s 5-1 win in Nashville, the day after McDavid was ruled out for two to three weeks.

Draisaitl pushed the Oilers out on Sunday by scoring 20 seconds after the opening faceoff with a deft backhand against Flames goaltender Dan Vladar.

The German forward assisted on Zach Hyman’s game-winning power play goal and Mattias Janmark’s empty-netter in the third period.

“He’s really driving the bus right now for our team and in all areas of the game,” said Hyman, who scored his second goal in as many games after totaling 54 last season.

After the Oilers’ 0-3 start, last season’s Stanley Cup runner-up began to recover, but lost McDavid, winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, to a ankle injury during the 10th game of the season in Edmonton.

But Draisaitl, who signed an eight-year, $112 million contract extension with the Oilers, was already in great shape before McDavid’s injury.

Draisaitl has five goals and three assists in four straight away games for Edmonton (6-5-1), which has won four of its last five games.

The 29-year-old’s quick goal Sunday was the fourth-fastest goal by an Oiler in a “Battle of Alberta” against the Flames behind Petr Klima in 1991 (0:09), Craig MacTavish in 1989 (0:09). 12) and Marty McSorley in 1986 (0:14).

Draisaitl also assisted on Viktor Arvidsson’s goal just 37 seconds into the win over the Predators.

“Unbelievable,” said Oilers defenseman Mattias Eckholm. “Sometimes I think he gets overlooked when Connor is doing his thing.

“There are nights where he should have maybe bigger highlights and a bigger spotlight than he actually does when Connor is there and he’s doing his thing.”

Draisaitl has averaged a point per game in 56 career games without McDavid since the latter was drafted first overall by the Oilers in 2015, according to NHL statisticians.

“He’s the best player in the world, but they probably have the second best player in the world as well and he just elevates his game when his partner isn’t there,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska said after the Sunday morning training.

After losing the Battle of Alberta season opener 4-1 at home on October 13, Edmonton led 2-0 at 8:12 of the first period thanks to Jeff Skinner’s goal.

Calgary (6-5-1) fought back in front of an announced sellout of 19,289 at the Saddledome with Anthony Mantha’s goal in the second period and Yegor Sharangovich’s goal in the third to tie the Flames.

Edmonton’s power play, which has been slow to get going this season, scored on the second of three power play chances in the third period to give the game the go-ahead lead.

Calgary’s too-many penalty with just over two minutes left hampered the Flames’ chances of sending the game to overtime.

Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner stopped 29 shots for the win and Vladar 27 in the loss.

The Oilers lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers on June 24. McDavid was the first skater from a losing team to win the Conn Smythe since 1976.

The Oilers want their captain back in the lineup as soon as possible to take them deep into the playoffs again, but Draisaitl has more than filled the void.

“He’s skating really well right now and he’s stealing, he’s hitting, he’s making good plays,” Stuart Skinner said. “He also guides us off the ice. It was nice to just watch him.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 3, 2024.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press