NHL: Draisaitl paces Oilers to win over host Predators [Video]

Leon Draisaitl had two goals with an assist and the visiting Edmonton Oilers looked solid minus injured superstar Connor McDavid, beating the Nashville Predators 5-1 on Thursday night.

With McDavid out two to three weeks after sustaining an ankle injury Monday at Columbus, the Oilers didn’t look dejected en route to their highest-scoring game of the season. Draisaitl, the Hart Trophy winner (NHL MVP) in 2019-20, extended his team-leading goal total to eight and recorded his second three-point effort in three games.

Meanwhile, ex-Predator Viktor Arvidsson, Corey Perry and Zach Hyman also scored while Calvin Pickard made 26 saves for the Oilers, who have won three of four. It was also Edmonton’s second victory this month at Nashville, which managed only Filip Forsberg’s fifth goal while losing its second straight (0-1-1) after winning three in a row.

• Visit our Oilers page for the latest stories, videos and more

Not smarting …