Leon Draisaitl makes feelings known about goalie Calvin Pickard flexing his hockey sense with OT winner assist in win over Islanders

Leon Draisaitl led the Edmonton Oilers to a 2-1 overtime win against the New York Islanders on Friday. He scored both goals, including the game-winner in overtime, to extend his point streak to 17 games. Goalie Calvin Pickard assisted on the winning goal and made 24 saves.

Draisaitl praised Pickard’s play.

"I mean, his effort, his performance, and his pass," Draisaitl said. "You know, he started the whole play. It’s great hockey sense, goes unnoticed by a lot of people probably, but that’s elite hockey sense right there. So, yeah, he was obviously amazing all night."

Pickard hadn't played since March 4, when he was pulled after allowing four goals on 11 shots. He bounced back against the Islanders with a GAA of 0.94 and a save percentage of .960. Draisaitl said that the team has a much better chance to win games with Pickard in the net.

"Yeah, like I said, he was great," Draisaitl said. "He gives us a chance every single time he's in net. So, you can't ask for more than that. We love playing for him — I think that's very obvious. And just, yeah, a bit of our heart and soul guy."

Leon Draisaitl has completed 100 points this season, marking the fourth straight time he achieved the feat. He also leads the ;eague in goals (49). TSN ranks him as the league’s top player in its mid-season rankings.

Meanwhile, Pickard could play a big role in the Oilers' upcoming games. And if he's delivering the same performance in every game, he could get more starts for the Oilers.

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Leon Draisaitl talked about the Oilers' struggles

The Edmonton Oilers have struggled to score lately, losing eight of their last 12 games. They outshot the Islanders 35-25 but won only 34.8% of face-offs. Both teams failed to score on the power play.

Leon Draisaitl shared his thoughts on the team's performance. He said that the win was important for the Oilers, who had been struggling.

"Yeah, a lot," Draisaitl said. "I mean, obviously, we've been struggling, and we've been struggling to score, we've been struggling to defend hard and put points in the bank. And I thought for the most part tonight, we were really good."

The Oilers created chances but didn’t score as many as they would have wanted to. Leon Draisaitl still saw progress:

"Yeah, I think we created a lot more. I agree. Sometimes, obviously, right now, it’s not falling, it’s not going in, but sometimes you need a game like that just to grind one out and get going."

The Oilers had a strong first period, outshooting the Islanders 17-6. Draisaitl felt that effort set the tone:

"Yeah, we were really good in the first. Their goalie made some really good saves, and I think it kind of kickstarted our night a little bit."

Leon Draisaitl also liked how the team played despite being on a back-to-back, having lost 3-2 to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

"Yeah, all around really good," Draisaitl said. "Great road game, especially on a back-to-back."

With the win, the Oilers snapped a two-game losing streak. The Oilers will try to build on this win as they continue their season, having gone 37-24-4, ranking third in the Pacific.