McDavid’s Hat Trick Powers Oilers Past Predators, 6-2

Draisaitl, Kapanen, and Nugent-Hopkins add to Edmonton’s strong showing

Connor McDavid put on a show for the ages, notching a hat trick and sending the Edmonton Oilers soaring to a 6-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. The man’s on fire—McDavid stretched his point streak to a jaw-dropping 16 games, racking up 39 points with 17 goals and 22 assists along the way. Performances like this are exactly why Edmonton continues to be mentioned among the early contenders in broader 2025–26 NHL season outlooks and fantasy discussions. Talk about carrying the team on his back! Performances like this only heighten anticipation for the league’s brightest stars as they prepare for their long-awaited Olympic return.

Leon Draisaitl was right there in the thick of it, chipping in a goal and two assists like it was just another day at the office. Kasperi Kapanen, back in action after a 36-game injury hiatus, wasted no time making his presence felt with a goal and an assist. Curtis Lazar got in on the fun with a goal, and Vasily Podkolzin played the role of generous teammate, handing out two assists for Edmonton. Meanwhile, Connor Ingram stood tall in net, turning aside 24 shots. Depth performances like these often separate teams riding momentum from those stuck searching for answers, as seen recently in games such as Carolina’s decisive win over Dallas during the Stars’ skid. That momentum is even more crucial given Edmonton’s tight roster math amid the ongoing Oilers cap situation.

On the other side of the ice, Ryan O’Reilly and Nick Blankenburg managed to light the lamp for the Predators. Juuse Saros, bless his pads, faced a barrage and finished with 37 saves for Nashville. Nights like this underline how quickly matchups can tilt when elite scorers find space—something teams across the league are constantly adjusting for, especially clubs juggling lineup changes and injury concerns similar to those affecting Colorado in recent weeks. Nashville has felt that swing firsthand, most recently during a dramatic Stamkos comeback that flipped a game against Ottawa.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins hit a major milestone, notching his 500th assist—a number that deserves a standing ovation and maybe a slice of cake. This game also put a period at the end of Nashville’s grueling seven-game road trip. Whew, what a journey!

With McDavid leading the charge and the whole roster pitching in, the Oilers are picking up steam—and if they keep this up, who knows how far they’ll go?