Edmonton Oilers' Connor Brown was all smiles after first career OT winner
The Edmonton Oilers secured a 3-2 OT victory over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night and the hero came from an unlikely source.
Instead of the usual suspects of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, or Evan Bouchard getting the job done, veteran Connor Brown netted the winner. For some reason, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch felt the need to put the 31-year-old out on the ice in a three-on-three situation, and it immediately paid off.
He got some help from an excellent defensive play by Bouchard to kick off the winning rush as well as a beautiful assist from McDavid, but in the end, it was Brown who was able to beat Jordan Binnington and secure the victory.
Funnily enough, despite having played over 550 NHL games, it was the first OT winner of Brown’s NHL career.
“I tried to get open and it worked,” laughed Brown in a postgame interview with Sportsnet’s Gene Principe. “That was a nice little treat for me.”
Pure filth from Connor McDavid to feed Connor Brown his first career OT winner 🚨 pic.twitter.com/pcAahmI0rf
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 5, 2025
Being on the ice with two of the league’s best OT players will make the offence seem a bit easier for a player like Brown. It’s been a tough stretch for the Toronto native as he hasn’t scored a goal in his past 22 games.
Draisaitl wasn’t involved in that particular goal, but he helped make it happen by tying the game late in the third period with his league-leading 37th of the season.
“He was good, Brownie always plays well for us,” Draisaitl told reporters after the game. “He’s a great player and it’s nice for guys like that to get rewarded in big moments.”
"He was good, Brownie always plays well for us. He's a great player & it's nice for guys like that to get rewarded in big moments."
Leon Draisaitl on Connor Brown's first career overtime goal to lift the #Oilers past the Blues. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/oWSmWTakpJ
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 5, 2025
It is still a bit shocking to hear that this is Brown’s first-ever OT goal throughout his NHL career. He has been in the league since the 2015-16 season and has 102 goals under his belt. Only this one came after the regulation time.
That includes the 39 playoff games he has played.
“I think I might’ve been cheating for defence a little bit in overtimes in the past,” Brown said. “So it was nice to get out there for a goal.
“Hopefully not the last.”
"I just tried to get open and it worked."
The OT hero for the Oilers in St. Louis chats with @GenePrincipe. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/WxxsPZZ320
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 5, 2025
Brown’s goal helped propel the Oilers into sole possession of the Pacific Division lead. With the Vegas Golden Knights losing in regulation to the New York Islanders on Tuesday, Edmonton now holds a two-point lead over them.
That can increase to a four-point cushion if Brown and the Oilers find a way to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks later on tonight.