The McDavid and Draisaitl reunion has the desired winning effect for the Oilers.

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Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl joined the hip on every Edmonton Oilers power play, typically over 90 seconds.

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But working together 5 on 5 as a nuclear option has long been the old deal: “OK, desperate times need desperate means.”

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catch-up games, etc.

But even though the Oilers have done it all too often in their first 22 games, it’s been a long time since coach Jay Woodcroft held them together from start to finish with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins as second-line center. Only two games.

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“We’re trying to win,” said Woodcroft.

Also, the Oilers have won two in a row, so the coach has points for the team’s four wins. However, no one knows how long it will last.

“We live our daily lives. We are not committed to keeping them together,” he said.

This season, McDavid and Draisaitl were evenly matched in 95 minutes of ice time. Woodcroft kept them on the same line in Monday’s home game against Florida, where Panthers captain and Selke Award winner Sasha Barkoff is sick and not playing. McDavid could have had a dry sightle against young Anton Randell – two obvious mismatches on paper. But he didn’t. Chicago will have Jonathan Toos and Max Domme as top-two centers on Wednesday, and we’ll see how Woodcroft plays.

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After replacing Dave Tippett last season, Woodcroft held the two together averaging 1:33 in a 5-on-5 game. Tippett was 5.24. Everyone’s strokes are different, but they’re a big headache, much like Jesse Purjujärvi, who started Monday’s game on the right wing before Zach Hyman, who was clearly feeling it, took the position.

Hyman had 3 assists, 5 shots on the night, and kicked the puck past Spencer Knight, causing the goal to be disallowed.

Purjujärvi had some good moments both offensively and defensively, but his woes continued when he was alone in the high slot when he received a pass from Dry Saitle and a shot jammed into Knight’s pad. For Purjujärvi, who moved to the Nugent-Hopkins line on Monday, it’s all about confidence. 15 games in a row (22 shots) without conceding a goal.

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During the season, he had one goal and that was to chip in against St. Louis on October 26th.
But Woodcroft kept Purjujärvi on ice late as the Oilers tried to bring the game to OT on Monday, so there’s some credibility there.

“They’re going to worry if they don’t get scoring chances,” Woodcroft said. We are confident that Jesse will play a good player. He turned on at the last minute and worked hard at the net to give Hyman a good scoring chance. he does a lot of good

“It was just a feel[running Hyman with McDavid and Drysitel]. I did it in New York too. I’m using my eyes[as a coaching staff]and that line was really good in the third period. rice field”

But we’re talking about Dry Saitle and McDavid, who are hockey’s Batman and Robin.

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“We saw so much in the Winnipeg-Edmonton playoff series and overtime,” said Florida coach Paul Morris behind the Jets’ bench. “Obviously it’s a luxury[for the Oilers]. We need to be prepared for both (separately or together).

“Obviously you try to limit them…it’s the old time and space. Then let’s get started. What’s the best way to play them? You have a pack.

Woodcroft was Detroit’s video coach, and the Wings had Pavel Dachuk and Henrik Zetterberg trailing 1-2 in midfield.

“We played with them often and that made us (the Wings) a dangerous team. People,” said Woodcroft.

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“I don’t know if one put off the other, but they are like us (McDavid and Draisaitl). If the play was a shot, they made it. The play passed. In the case they succeeded, they had a really good complement in Thomas Holmstrom (Netfront, releasing the puck off the board like Hyman).”

Why Woodcroft chose to pair with Florida…

“We’re trying to find consistency[in team production]and we’re willing to do whatever it takes to find a win,” Woodcroft said. “We put them together in New Jersey and Long Island because he was losing the game and felt he needed a jump start.

“Throughout their careers, our coaching staff probably played very little with them.”

They were always together in 3-3s in overtime, taking 22 seconds to finish Monday’s 2-1 in a 4-3 win over Florida. McDavid has his 29 career points and Draisaitl has his 28in overtime record. McDavid has 14 of his GWG, Draisaitl 11.

this and that

Oilers winger Crim Kostin won’t be playing in Chicago Wednesday because he had to go to Calgary Tuesday morning to get permanent residency so he can travel across the border. He was scheduled to temporarily play in New York, New Jersey and Long Island last week. These things take time, so Kostin, who appeared in seven games (he averaged nine minutes of ice time), may also miss Thursday’s game in Minnesota. Left winger Tyler Benson, who performed well against Florida, is expected to take the spot.