McDavid, Draisaitl show they're 'elite of the elite' for Oilers

EDMONTON -- After Connor McDavid had an NHL career-high six points and Leon Draisaitl set his with five in the
Edmonton Oilers' 6-2 win
against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, the third member of the line, Zack Kassian, said he couldn't find much that was unusual about it.

"Nothing. That's what's crazy," Kassian said. "Absolutely nothing. It's just another day at the office for them. They're probably thinking in that second period, 'Hey, let's go get eight.' Or, 'I can get nine.'
"They're wired differently. They're the elite of the elite. Edmonton is spoiled to get to watch these two guys every night."
McDavid, who had his second hat trick in three games and three assists, is second in the NHL with 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists), behind Draisaitl's 41 (15 goals, 26 assists). He has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in the past three games (6-4) and eight goals and six assists during a six-game point streak.
Draisaitl had five assists to extend his point streak to 11 games (nine goals, 16 assists).
"It's fun, it's real fun to play with Leo," McDavid said. "We've been playing together for a long time now. So these nights are fun to do it together."
Kassian was wearing a black leather vest, one of the Oilers' postgame awards for providing "juice." It was as much for knocking down Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon with a hit 28 seconds into the game as it was for scoring his seventh goal.
Kassian marveled about what he's witnessing from McDavid and Draisaitl.
"There's not a day I take it for granted," Kassian said. "You don't think about it much right now, but when you sit back, I'm going to be watching them for many years when I'm done playing. It's pretty special.
"I've been around them for a while now, but every day, they still seem to surprise you with what they can do out on the ice."
McDavid, who became the fifth player in Oilers history to score at least six hat tricks (Wayne Gretzky leads with 43), said he didn't feel anything extraordinary before the game.

"You do have those days, but you try to prepare the same way each and every night, and some nights feel great, some nights feel terrible," McDavid said. "It's funny that way. Tonight wasn't one of those nights, it just felt good as the night went on."
He said his increasing chemistry with Draisaitl is a factor most nights.
"We know usually what the other one is thinking, and he's obviously such a special player, and then when you throw in a guy like [Kassian] who opens up so much ice and plays so hard and gets in the forecheck, it only adds to it," McDavid said.
The Oilers took advantage of 22-year-old Avalanche goalie Adam Werner, who was making his first NHL start. He allowed Edmonton's first five goals, including each of McDavid's goals, before being relieved by Antoine Bibeau at 8:32 of the second period.
"[Stuff] happens," Werner said. "That's the thing about this sport. Some nights, you have the bounces with you, and some nights, it's on the other side.
"Some of [the goals], I can do a better job at. I have to learn and do better. All you can do is get back to work and try to do better."
Each of McDavid's goals came on the power play, and Edmonton scored four times on six opportunities.
Draisaitl said that it's probably tough for opponents when McDavid is that dialed in.
"I wouldn't want to be on the other side, but sometimes there's just nothing you can do," Draisaitl said. "[McDavid] is just too good. I'm not taking anything away from those guys over there, but sometimes it's just unstoppable."