The Canadian Press
Kelsey Patterson
MONTREAL–With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on a 2-on-0 breakaway in overtime, it looked like the Edmonton Oilers were destined to snap their four-game losing skid.
But Draisaitl’s bobbling pass hit McDavid’s skate and the opportunity was lost.
On the very next shift, Jonathan Drouin went end-to-end for the overtime winner as the Montreal Canadiens came from behind to beat Edmonton 4-3 yesterday afternoon.
“We just didn’t connect clean,” McDavid said of the breakaway chance in overtime.
“It was a little too far in front of me. I couldn’t get to it,” he noted.
“They had a chance, we had a couple chances, and the last goal wins, obviously, and they were able to find it.”
Just 30 seconds into the extra frame, Draisaitl carried the puck across the blueline with McDavid to his right.
Draisaitl slowed down just enough to be caught by Jeff Petry, who got his stick on the pass to McDavid.
Carey Price then stopped a weak shot by the Oilers’ captain, a slapshot by defenceman Darnell Nurse, and a wrister by Draisaitl to keep the game tied at 3-3.
“I was a little worried, obviously,” said winger Brendan Gallagher. “It was nice when you saw McDavid slow down and Draisaitl try to compose the puck.
“Not exactly what you want to give up but we found a way,” he added.
“Price made a save, calmed things down, and Drouin went the other way to win the game.”
After the Canadiens won the ensuing face-off, Drouin took the puck from behind his own net, gave a burst of speed in the neutral zone, and then cut back around Oilers’ defenceman Kris Russell before beating Mikko Koskinen 58 seconds into overtime for his 15th goal of the season.
“We had a little bit of luck on that,” conceded Canadiens’ coach Claude Julien. “There’s no doubt about it.
“But a lot of times that’s what you need to win hockey games,” he reasoned.
“Luck was on our side this afternoon.”
Down 3-2 in the third period, the Canadiens (29-18-6) sent the game to overtime when rookie Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored with 6:25 left on the clock–his second goal in as many games.
It was a mirror image of Saturday’s matinee game, when Montreal squandered a third-period lead in a 3-2 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils.
The Oilers (23-24-5), who got two goals from Draisaitl and another from McDavid in regulation time, now have given up 24 goals during their five-game skid.
Koskinen stopped 23-of-27 shots in defeat.
Edmonton also lost 5-4 in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon.
“I’m not happy at all,” said coach Ken Hitchcock. “We had a lead in the third period in both games.
“These are points that sometimes come back to haunt you.
“It’s disappointing to play this well on this road trip,” he added. “We pretty much maxed out.
“We need wins, not one-pointers.”
Back in goal after serving a one-game suspension for missing the all-star game, Price stopped 21-of-24 shots for his fifth win in a row.
Elsewhere in the NHL, Calgary beat Carolina 4-3 and Boston nipped Washington 1-0.
