The Edmonton Oilers landed in Pittsburgh for the third game of their five-game road trip, only four days after making the trade that sent Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak to the Penguins in exchange for Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin. And with both goalies still wearing helmets from their former organizations, all eyes were on the crease for the second-career head-to-head between Tristan Jarry and Stuart Skinner. Unfortunately, it was bad news for the latter as his former friends lit the lamp five times before wrapping things up with an empty-netter to close out a 6-4 win.

Outside the strange goalie-wife-swap situation with Jarry and Skinner still wearing helmets for their old teams while starting for their new teams, the other big story was Leon Draisaitl’s pursuit of 1000 points. Sitting at 999 career points through 823 games, it was a matter of when and not if Draisaitl would become the 103rd player in NHL history to reach the milestone, but to hit the mark against his former teammate only four days after the trade is a twist no one would have predicted back in the summer. Did I mention Brett Kulak was in the penalty box for delay of game? Yeah, that happened too. It’s one of those wild stats that will end up as a future trivia question in bars around this city for decades to come. An unbelievable achievement by a world-class player, with the added bonus of a fun little side quest tacked on as the accoutrement.

It’s been such a pleasure to watch Leon Draisaitl go from being a third overall pick (!!!) to being one of the best hockey players on the planet. I remember the talk around Drai’s draft year being that he was too slow and didn’t score enough, which seems almost insane with the benefit of 11 years of hindsight. The guy is one of the premiere goal scorers in the NHL and has been for a while, and he’s collected almost every piece of individual hardware that you can for regular season success. It’s such a blessing that the Oilers were able to pick up such a stud in the year before the grabbing Connor McDavid with the golden ticket. We’ve been so blessed to have these two guys leading the charge over the last decade, and it was no surprise to see them connect on Draisaitl’s big moment. Draisaitl to McDavid to Hyman and in? Sounds about right for the occasion. Just like it was when Leon set Connor up for his 1000th point last season. These are the good old days, my friends.

It was weird seeing Stuart Skinner in a Penguins jersey. After being drafted by the Oilers in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft, Skinner spent the last eight years in his hometown organization, and it was a story that was almost too perfect. Hometown kid develops into the team’s starting goalie? How can you not love that? The problem, of course, is that Skinner ended up as the start in the most Oilers way possible. Ken Holland went and signed Jack Campbell to a five-by-five, and it blew up in face almost immediately. Instead of having years to develop slowly behind a capable 1A, Stu was thrust into the starter’s role years earlier than he should have been. Even so, the guy was able to backstop the Oilers (most of the time) to the Stanley Cup Final two years in a row. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bum me out to see the story end the way it did. He was one win away from being a legend in this city. Damn.

But with Stu playing for the other side and the Oilers in need of points, it didn’t matter what could have or should have happened. Our former friend was now the enemy, and while it felt weird to see him in another jersey, I was also hoping the Oilers would use what they know about him to collect the win. As hoped, they did just that. Edmonton torched the Penguins for three goals on the power play, and it could just be me, but it seemed like the boys were especially aware of where they wanted to put the puck. Mix in Matt Savoie’s softy that slipped through the wickets and Vasily Podkolzin’s ninth of the year, and you’ve got the makings of a rough night for our moustachiod ex. But if I’m being honest, I felt bad for him. It was sad to watch. To get shelled in his first game with the Penguins like that had to be rough, and I feel for him. In the end, Skinner allowed five goals, stopped 17 of 22 shots, and finished with a .773 save percentage. At the other end, Jarry finished with 26 saves and a .867 save percentage.

Remember NBA Jam? Back in the day, my buddies and I used to play NBA Jam on the SEGA Genesis for hours and even days at a time. If you’re not old enough to know what I’m talking about, it was a two-on-two basketball game where the players would literally be set on fire if they got hot enough. Go on a heater, and Penny Hardaway would graze the roof on his dunks with a trail of fire following behind as he did it. It was awesome, and that’s what this Connor McDavid run reminds me of right now. Our man is a cheat code set to max power, and there is nothing anyone has been able to do about it lately. With the two goals and pair of helpers he picked up against the Penguins, No. 97 has put up a ridiculous 26 points (11G, 15A) in his last 13 games. Not only is that two-point-per-night pace almost alien in nature, but this heater actually pushed him past Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL lead in points. Remember, Nate was up like 10 points not that long ago.

When McDavid is running on full cylinders like this, the best thing any of his teammates can do is get him the puck and keep their stick on the ice. The turnaround has been incredible after a “slow” start to the season had him with “only” 14 points in his first 12 games, and it won’t be long before everyone else is in the rearview mirror if he keeps this run going for any length of time. But right now, it’s just such a blessing to be watching McDavid do his thing at such a high level. The guy has supernova, and I’m using this as yet another reminder to us all that nights like these aren’t normal. What Connor McDavid does on a nightly basis is worth cherishing. Case in point: Tuesday’s four-point night was the 44th of McDavid’s career, putting him one ahead of Sidney Crosby in only his 746th NHL game compared to 1384 games for Sid. And to do it on a night when he’s playing Crosby? How can you not be romantic about hockey?

We’re heading back to Las Vegas for the next Nation Vacation, March 24–27, and you’re invited to join the ultimate hockey fan getaway. Trip packages start at $2,400, with the option to secure your spot for just 20% down. Enjoy roundtrip flights, a premium three-night stay at Circa Resort & Casino, access to Stadium Swim, exclusive watch parties, a Nation Citizens pool party, a party bus to T-Mobile Arena, and food and drinks included at the Edmonton vs. Vegas game. Multiple travel options mean you can book the trip your way—so lock in your spot now at nationgear.ca and come be part of the chaos in Vegas!