McDavid’s season-opening point streak hits 20, Oilers top Flyers in OT

EDMONTON -- Connor McDavid had an assist to extend his season-opening point streak to 20 games for the Edmonton Oilers, who defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in overtime at Rogers Place on Wednesday.

McDavid became just the fourth different player in NHL history to earn at least a point in each of the first 20 games of a season, joining Wayne Gretzky (three times, including a record 51-game point streak to open the 1983-84 season), Mats Sundin (30 games in 1992-93) and Dany Heatley (22 games in 2005-06). McDavid leads the League with 49 points (11 goals, 38 assists) this season.

Evan Bouchard scored 47 seconds into overtime to win it, taking a pass across the crease from Leon Draisaitl and sending it short side, off the right post and in.

"Obviously we weren't as ready as we should have been,” Edmonton coach Mike Babcock said. “You have to give Rick (Tocchet, Flyers head coach) credit, I thought his team played hard, they played fast. I thought Hyman was a star. I thought (Jason Dickinson’s) line did a good job, but we didn't have enough.

“I can't go through it and say we had everyone going in the right direction, but good teams, what they do is find ways to win. They rely on their structure even when it's a disaster. You're five tight (around the net) and doing good things.”

Zach Hyman scored twice, and Bouchard also had an assist for the Oilers (14-3-3), who won their third straight and have points in 11 of their past 13 (9-2-2). Tristan Jarry made 30 saves.

“The guys obviously did a good job with rebounds. A lot of the bulk of the shots were just straight on, and I was able to see a lot of them,” he said. “We're obviously trying to do a good job just defending the middle and keeping everything to the outside, and boxing out and getting rebounds.”

Tyson Foerster and Travis Sanheim scored for the Flyers (5-10-6), who have lost four of their past five (1-2-2). Dan Vladar made 21 saves.

“We played a great hockey game -- I’m really proud of the guys -- it was a really good hockey game,” Tocchet said. “I think the last two or three weeks, we’re kind of almost playing like last year, structure-wise, the last half of the year.

“A lot of things, more focus, more diligence, getting more guys getting involved. I think a lot of different things.”

Hyman put Edmonton ahead 1-0 at 4:13 of the second period. A slap shot from the point by Mattias Ekholm missed the net on one side, and bounced right back to Hyman on the other for the finish into open space behind Vladar.

Hyman then made it 2-0 on the power play at 14:03, jamming in a rebound from in close off a shot by McDavid.

“The key to goal-scoring the longer that I play is just don’t worry about it,” Hyman said. “Just stay consistent and continue to work and do the right things, and don’t lose confidence because they’re not predictable when you’re in front of the net. I got a shot off the back wall tonight, so just go to the net and work hard, and the key thing is that the team wins.

“You never complain about wins. Wins are hard to come by in this league. Every team, it doesn’t matter where they are, the margins are so thin.”

Foerster’s power-play goal cut it to 2-1 at 16:49. He took a pass across the slot from Owen Tippett and scored on a wrist shot high glove side from just inside the right circle.

Philadelphia outshot Edmonton 13-6 in the first period, and 15-7 in the second.

“I thought we played a really good game, we were above them, ready to battle,” Flyers forward Sean Couturier said. “They play more of a north-south game now, so we knew we had to be ready to compete along the way and recover pucks on dump-ins and chip-ins.

“I thought for the most part, we did a good job and created some chances, and unfortunately they got that extra opportunity.”

Sanheim tied it 2-2 at 11:42 of the third period, taking it from the right wall, cutting in along the goal line and slipping the puck between Jarry’s pads.
The Oilers challenged for goaltender interference, but were unsuccessful following video review and the play was upheld.

“Just a great net drive from him,” Flyers forward Noah Cates said. “I liked the pressure, we kind of kept the puck in their zone. I was a little worried about the goaltender interference honestly, but the puck got by into the net, you just have to get there and jam away and we have to do a little bit more of that.”

NOTES: McDavid recorded a 20-game point streak for the second time in his career, following 2025-26 (46 points; 19 goals, 27 assists in 20 games). He became the eighth player in NHL history with multiple streaks of 20-plus games alongside Wayne Gretzky (seven times), Mario Lemieux (two times), Guy Lafleur (two times), Patrick Kane (two times), Steve Yzerman (two times), Brett Hull (two times) and Adam Oates (two times). ... Draisaitl extended his point streak to seven games (six goals, seven assists). … Flyers forward Noel Acciari left with an upper-body injury in the second period and did not return after tripping on Jarry’s stick and going hard into the boards. Tocchet did not have an update.