Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman celebrates after scoring a goal in the first period of an NHL game against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minnesota. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
The Edmonton Oilers continued their dominant streak with a thrilling 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night, marking their seventh win in eight games. Connor McDavid stole the spotlight, scoring twice and assisting another goal, while Vasily Podkolzin netted the decisive third-period tiebreaker.
The Oilers displayed resilience, overcoming an early 2-0 deficit. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins contributed a goal and an assist, while Zach Hyman ignited the comeback with his 15th goal of the season. Goalie Calvin Pickard delivered 31 critical saves, ensuring Edmonton's momentum stayed intact.
Minnesota’s Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi, and Ryan Hartman found the net, but their efforts fell short as the team grappled with injuries to key players. Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson also recorded 31 saves in a valiant but unsuccessful attempt.
The Wild struck first, with Boldy scoring his 17th goal of the season on a power play just over three minutes into the game. Rossi doubled their lead with another power-play goal, also his 17th. However, McDavid quickly turned the tide, netting his first goal on the power play before the end of the opening period.
The game saw its share of controversy when Wild forward Marcus Johansson exited in the second period after a high elbow from McDavid went unpenalized. Despite the setback, Minnesota couldn’t capitalize further.
Key Moments
- Hyman’s Timely Strike: Just 21 seconds after Minnesota extended their lead to two goals, Hyman answered with a goal, injecting life into Edmonton’s offence.
- McDavid’s Milestone: With his remarkable performance, McDavid surpassed Jari Kurri to claim second place on Edmonton's all-time scoring list with 1,044 points. He now trails only the legendary Wayne Gretzky, who has an astonishing 1,669 points.
Team Outlook
Oilers: Edmonton's top line of Hyman, Nugent-Hopkins, and McDavid is on fire. Nugent-Hopkins has six goals in his last 10 games, while Hyman has scored in two of the last three, making the Oilers a formidable force.
Wild: Struggling without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov and key defencemen Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, and Brock Faber, Minnesota has lost three of their last four games. Kaprizov, however, has begun skating, offering hope for a return soon.
With the Oilers surging and McDavid continuing his historic run, Edmonton looks poised to maintain their winning streak. Meanwhile, the Wild must overcome their injury woes to regain form.
