Edmonton Oilers' Vasily Podkolzin (92), Evan Bouchard (2) and Leon Draisaitl (29) celebrate a goal against the Nashville Predators during third period NHL action, in Edmonton on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

EDMONTON — Seeing the Nashville Predators on the calendar seems to always give the Edmonton Oilers and their star players some extra jump.

Connor McDavid scored three goals, including one on a penalty shot, and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists as the Oilers came away with a 6-2 victory over the Predators on Tuesday.

In their last 16 games against Nashville dating back to the 2019-20 season, Edmonton has gone 14-1-1 and have outscored the Predators 72 to 36.

“It was a good start for us and we kind of rode it all the way through. We were solid all the way through,” said McDavid, who had 10 shots on the night. “A little bit of a lapse there early in the third, but I thought we did a good job regaining it.”

McDavid was awarded a penalty shot with 4:07 left in the second period after defenceman Adam Wilsby interfered with him on a breakaway opportunity and made the most of it, taking his time coming in on Juuse Saros before chipping it into the top corner for his second goal.

McDavid added a third late in the game to give him 28 on the year and 17 goals in his last 16 contests.

“It feels like there is always another level that somehow he gets to,” said linemate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who picked up his 500th career assist on McDavid’s hat trick goal. “He is playing some phenomenal hockey right now. We’re trying to keep up, (Zach Hyman) and myself on that same line, it’s not always easy."

McDavid extended his points streak to 16 games during which he has posted 39 points (17G, 22A). It is his fourth points streak of 16 games or more, tying Denis Savard for the fourth most in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky (16 times), Mario Lemieux (five) and Peter Stastny (five).

“Is anybody surprised here that this guy is doing this stuff?” said Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen, who had a goal and an assist in his first game back in the lineup after missing the last 36 games with injury. “I’ve been watching it because I’ve been hurt and it’s remarkable what he can do with his speed and his hands. He just sees everything out there. I’m just happy to be on his side.”

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Kapanen was definitely a positive presence in his first game since Oct. 19.

“The guys are so happy for him,” Knoblauch said. “Here’s a guy that worked incredibly hard to get back in the lineup and here he comes back in his first game and gets a goal and an assist.

"We knew that he was going to help us. Not necessarily on the score sheet, but his physicality and just all-around game. That’s what we expect from him. And after taking almost three months off, we were not expecting that, but he put in the work.”

Curtis Lazar also scored and Vasily Podkolzin had a pair of assists for the Oilers (21-16-6), who snapped a two-game losing skid.

Draisaitl has feasted on the Predators in recent years. With his goal and two assists on Tuesday, the German phenom has recorded 22 goals and 42 points in his last 16 games against Nashville

Connor Ingram put together a 24-save performance to earn the win in net for Edmonton.

A couple of crazy stats surrounding Edmonton and opening goals — the team that has scored first has emerged victorious in the last 20 Oilers’ games, with Edmonton now sporting an 18-1-3 overall record when getting the game’s first goal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2026.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2026