‘Two best players in the world’ lift Oilers to convincing win over Maple Leafs

TORONTO — Death by McDrai.

With a fresh new goalie in their net, the Edmonton Oilers buried the Toronto Maple Leafs the way they’ve clobbered so many opponents over the years: with a pair of three-point nights — and general domination — by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in a 6-3 win on Saturday.

McDavid opened the scoring with a highlight-reel rush, and had his three points before the 40-minute mark. Draisaitl took over late, notching three primary assists in a 2:26 span wrapped around the second intermission, turning a 2-2 nail-biter into a 5-2 blowout.

“You’re happy you’re on the right side of it,” said goalie Tristan Jarry, who was excellent in his maiden start as an Oiler. “I’ve been on the wrong side of that a lot.”

“When you have (the) two best players in the world, they can take over games,” said Zach Hyman. “Good for us.”

There was a lot to get to in a game where Jarry (25 saves) and defenceman Spencer Stastney (four shots in 16:22 of ice time) made their Oilers debuts, Vasily Podkolzin’s hot streak continued (two goals), and a handful of Ontario kids came home to play in front of mom and dad on Hockey Night in Canada.

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“I grew up 45 minutes from here (in Hamilton), and I used to be able to go watch a few games (here),” said Darnell Nurse, who rifled home a beautiful Draisaitl feed late in Period 2. “When you grow up and go to games in this building, and then you’re able to score, it’s always a good feeling.”

Folks here in Toronto, they know the game.

So, when McDavid turned on the jets and ripped through four Maple Leafs to score, his burst was met with an audible gasp from the 19,023 in attendance. He was crazy fast, a warp speed that is unmatched in hockey history — OK, maybe Pavel Bure comes close.

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“He’s got jump, obviously. He’s fast, no matter what,” Hyman said. “But when he’s really feeling it and he’s on his game, you can’t stop him. He was flying tonight.”

McDavid drove the zone on Nurse’s goal, creating all night long against a Leafs defence that simply did not have the means to deal with hockey’s best player performing on Canada’s ultimate hockey stage: a Saturday night in Toronto.

Then it was Draisaitl’s turn, taking the McDavid drop pass and setting up Nurse for the 3-2 goal at 19:29 of the second period. He set up the two Podkolzin goals at 1:21 and 1:55 of the third, distancing Edmonton from the Leafs while closing in on career point No. 1,000.

With the Oilers in Montreal for a date with the Canadiens on Sunday night, Draisaitl sits at 999 points.

He fed McDavid for what should have been point 1,000 and a hat trick for No. 97, off a two-on-one in garbage time Saturday. But somehow the puck hopped over the captain’s stick, leaving Draisaitl’s points chase to resume in the hallowed hall of hockey known as the Bell Centre in Montreal.

“The game Connor and Leon had, Connor early in the game and then Leon in the second half,” marvelled head coach Kris Knoblauch. “What a one-two punch.”

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How good is Draisaitl, at age 30?

With five more goals he will have more goals, assists and points than any player in Maple Leafs history, a more productive player than this Original Six franchise has produced in all of its many years.

His pet project, Podkolzin, is learning to be to Draisaitl what Hyman is to McDavid. The young Muscovite has buried four goals in his last five games, and has eight goals already this season after scoring just eight times in 82 games a year ago.

“He’s always had a good shot, but now he’s just driving the net a little bit more and trying to get available,” Knoblauch said. “And if you’re playing with a guy like Draisaitl, he’s going to find you.”

Then there was Jarry, who had a lovely, two-goal outing going until a late spoiler in the 59th minute by Steven Lorentz.

Jarry was dealt to Edmonton from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday morning. He wore his Penguins mask Saturday, but within 24 hours he had new Vaughn pads and gloves in Oilers colours delivered from their London, Ont. factory, with one morning skate to break it all in.

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“It’s a lot of emotions,” he said of his first trade as a professional. “You never really think this would happen, and you’re shocked when it does. Last game I played was in Pittsburgh, so you never really think that’s going to end.

“There’ll be some adjustment time, but it’ll be nice to lay down tonight and just reflect.”

OIL SPILLS — Alec Regula earned his first point as an Oiler with an assist on Podkolzin’s first goal … With his 279th even-strength goal, McDavid passed Glenn Anderson and sits third in Oilers history. Next up, Jari Kurri at 336 … No morning skate for the Oilers on Sunday, while Montreal also played Saturday, losing 5-4 in OT to the Rangers in New York.

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