Oilers HC Reacts to Leon Draisaitl's Barely-Missed Shot

The Edmonton Oilers entered yesterday's game as the clear favorites for the night. Between them being undefeated at the Rogers Place for the last six games and the New York Islanders struggling, many assumed it would be an easy job for Kris Knoblauch's men.

Instead, the game surprised both fans and critics as both goaltenders brought their A-game, with the Islanders narrowly edging past the Oilers with a 1-0 victory. Leon Draisaitl had the chance to change that outcome with just 30 seconds remaining.

But his shot hit the far post to the right of goaltender Ilya Sorokin. But instead of being upset, the Oiler's head coach found humor in the heartbreak.

Knoblauch Remains Cool

The Oilers head coach offered a tongue-in-cheek explanation for why the puck stayed out. "The puck might have gone in if his skates were behind the goal line," Knoblauch said with a smile. "The angle was too good. He has scored so many goals from that area and he just got unlucky."

Draisaitl's near-miss represented one of two posts the Oilers hit in the final minutes. Earlier in the third period, Evan Bouchard appeared to give Edmonton a 1-0 lead just 32 seconds into the frame on the power play. His wrist shot from the left dot beat Sorokin but hit the inside post and bounced out, with video review confirming no goal.

Positive Takeaways

Despite the frustrating result, Knoblauch praised his team's overall performance against a disciplined Islanders team that came ready to defend. The Oilers outshot New York 35-17 and generated numerous quality scoring chances throughout the night.

"I liked how we played tonight," Knoblauch said. "I liked our decision-making with the puck." Edmonton controlled play for long stretches, particularly in the second period when they outshot the Islanders 13-4. The team created good looks at five-on-five, on the power play, and during a late six-on-five push with the net empty.

Costly Outcome

The loss had significant consequences beyond the standings. Connor McDavid's career-high 20-game point streak ended after he recorded 46 points with 19 goals and 27 assists since December 4. He joined Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey as the only three players in Oilers franchise history to reach a point streak of at least 20 games.

“The puck might have went in if his skates were behind the goal line. The angle was too good (smiles). He has scored so many goals from that area and he just got unlucky. I liked how we played tonight. I liked our decision making with the puck, “ Knoblauch on Draisaitl hitting…
— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) January 16, 2026

Had Draisaitl's shot found the net, McDavid would have been credited with an assist to extend the streak to 21 games. Anthony Duclair scored the game's only goal on the power play with 6:18 remaining in the third period after Draisaitl took a tripping penalty.

Sorokin was brilliant throughout, making 35 saves for his NHL-leading fifth shutout of the season. On the opposite end, Connor Ingram stopped 17 shots in a strong performance for Edmonton but was outdueled by the Islanders' netminder.

The Oilers fell to 23-17-8 on the season as they prepare for a weekend back-to-back beginning Saturday night at Rogers Arena against the Vancouver Canucks. Despite the disappointing result, Knoblauch's comments reflected a coach satisfied with the effort and execution even when the bounces didn't go their way.

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