Could there be a better opportunity for the Oilers to finally lock down their first three-game win streak of the season than on a night when the rival Los Angeles Kings were in town? I didn’t think so. If Edmonton couldn’t get fired up for their first matchup of the season against a tired Kings team on the second half of a back-to-back, then maybe they’ll never be able to win three in a row. Unfortunately, the pursuit of an extended winning streak will have to wait, as the Oilers blew two separate leads on their way to a 4-3 shootout loss.

For the eighth time this season, the Oilers had a chance to win three games in a row, and for the eighth time, they came up empty. I don’t know why the Hockey Gords are punishing us like this, but it’s a trend that’s as annoying as it is puzzling. And to make matters worse, Saturday night felt like the perfect time to get the job done. The Oilers had two separate leads, goals from Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, and an overtime that looked like it was only a matter of time before the Oilers ended it without having a review wave the goal off. The opportunities were there, and somehow the third win still wouldn’t stick. Give the Kings credit for grinding through the second half of a back-to-back, but from Edmonton’s side, this one feels like a missed opportunity and another confusing stop on a plot line we’ll be forced to revisit a few days from now.

And that’s where the frustration mixes with a bit of hope, because it’s not like the Oilers are falling behind because of their inability to get a streak going. They’re right in the mix for the division, and it’s only a matter of time before the dam breaks. Eight attempts at a third straight win and eight misses is wild, especially for a team that has the talent Edmonton does. Grabbing a point is fine, I guess, but no one’s walking away feeling good about leaving that second, critical point on the table, especially with the Oilers now 0-3 in the shootout. Add in the fact that the boys have now lost three of their last four games at home, and it’s clear there are a couple of things that need tightening up. The encouraging part is that most of this feels fixable. The confusing part is why it keeps needing to be fixed in the first place.

If you want yet another example of how lucky we are to have Leon Draisaitl as an Edmonton Oiler, it’s the fun fact that he had already picked up 17 points in the time between when he registered his 1000th point and his long-awaited tribute and ceremony. On the broadcast, Jack Michael mentioned it took some time to line up travel schedules for Draisaitl’s parents, but that didn’t stop him from piling up points in the 10 games it’s been since Pittsburgh. And with his parents finally in town, Leon got his ceremony, his gold stick, his tribute video, and kicked off the game with his 22nd goal of the season just past the midway point of the first period. Not done there, he added goal 23 at 1:07 of the second period as the business end of a set play that put the puck on a tee for him in his office in the circle.

As far as individual nights go, it couldn’t get much better for Leon than cashing in two goals, six shots, and a +2 rating in 27:27 of TOI. While Connor McDavid is getting all of the attention for his 18-game point streak, the other half of the Dynamic Duo has quietly put up six goals and 20 points over his last 12 games. Not too bad for a guy some folks around here believe isn’t doing enough. Those lofty expectations are yet another reason why we’re so spoiled to have a second star player like Draisaitl in the lineup, because even when he has a stretch where he’s not scoring like we’re used to seeing, he’s still scoring points at a clip most players could only dream of. And while the Oilers couldn’t get the job done on the scoreboard, one of the highlights we can certainly take away is how our big German king performed in front of his family on his big night.

Was anybody surprised that Corey Perry found his way onto the scoresheet in his first game back to Edmonton after signing with the Kings as a free agent on July 1st? No. That’s the answer. The guy has been a menace in the NHL for two decades, and I’ve hated him for 95% of that time. But in his two years with the Oilers, Corey Perry was still the same annoying prick, but he was doing it on the right side for once. He was a pretty damned good player here, scoring 27 goals and 43 points in 119 regular-season games and adding 11 goals and 17 points in 41 playoff games. Unfortunately, being a good player despite being the proud owner (probably) of a Humpty’s seniors card gave him the opportunity to cash in somewhere else. And on Saturday night, Perry was back in Edmonton for the first time since securing the bag in L.A., and it didn’t take long for the vet to pop one of his vintage goals from outside the crease.

There’s a part of me that can’t help but wonder where we’d be if the Oilers had signed Perry instead of Andrew Mangiapane, and we didn’t have to go back to hating the Worm again. I can’t be the only one who thinks about it. But once the bonuses were laid out and Perry’s contract started creeping past $4 million, it became a pretty expensive bet for the Oilers to put on a guy who remembers what life was like before the internet. Edmonton gambled that Mangiapane’s legs and upside would outweigh Perry’s edge and experience, and at least for the moment, it looks like that choice is blowing up in their face. Maybe that changes after the Mangiapane trade goes down, but right now it’s hard not to see Perry score a goal against us in a Kings jersey, being annoying and effective all over again, and think the Oilers might have let the wrong guy walk.

Take $20 off your first Vivid Seats order of $200+ using promo code OILERSNATION (new customers only, $200 USD minimum before taxes & fees).