March 16, 2024 by Eric Friesen

Rarely is the seventh goal in a 7-2 blowout the moment of the game in the NHL, but that’s what occurred at Rogers Place on Wednesday night.

Connor McDavid became the first NHL player to record consecutive 80-assist seasons since Joe Thornton in 2005-06 and 2006-07, and extended his home point streak to 26 games. Leon Draisaitl recorded his 490th career NHL assist to pass Glenn Anderson for fifth on the Edmonton Oilers all-time assists list.

Zach Hyman scored his fourth hat trick of the season (second natural hat trick) and matched Wayne Gretzky’s franchise record for longest home goal streak at 10 games. Stuart Skinner made a couple spectacular saves on Alex Ovechkin’s dangerous chances.

However, it was Connor Brown’s first goal of the season at the 11:00 mark of the third period in a 7-2 victory over the Washington Capitals that was the most memorable moment of the night. It snapped his 72-game goalless drought that went back nearly two calendar years to March 24, 2022.

“It felt good,” Brown told Oilers TV after scoring his first goal as an Oiler on Wednesday. “It’s just kind of nice to have it behind me. It’s nice to get one and contribute offensively.”

After being snake-bitten all season, Brown finally got a fortunate bounce in his 55th game in an Oilers’ uniform when Evander Kane threw the puck across the crease and it redirected off Brown’s skate and past Capitals’ goalie Darcy Kuemper. The 30-year-old greatly appreciated the standing ovation he received from the 18,347 fans in attendance at Rogers Place in what was one of the memorable moments of the Oilers season thus far.

Related: Oilers will target Connor Brown in free agency

“It meant a lot to me,” said Brown. “When you play in a big market like this, they’re aware of the storylines. And it means a lot. Obviously, it’s been a struggle offensively, I haven’t been able to get one to go in. So, obviously, for their support to shine through there, and they’re rooting for me, it was a good feeling.”

The Toronto, Ontario native missed all but four games with the Washington Capitals last season due to a torn ACL that required surgery to repair. Though it has taken longer than anyone expected for Brown to rediscover his scoring touch, Head Coach Kris Knoblauch never doubted that Brown would eventually hit the scoresheet, because he continues to go the areas where goals happen night-after-night.

“Everyone [on our team] is so happy for him,” Knoblauch told Oilers TV on Wednesday. “He’s worked hard, he’s played really well, he’s probably the most unlucky player in the NHL. The number of goalposts he’s hit, the chances just haven’t been able to go in, and tonight he drives to the net and it goes off his skate. He did score score, and I’m very happy for him about that, but I thought he played a really good game, even if he hadn’t had the goal.”

Brown, who has scored 20 goals twice and double-digit goals five times in his career, likely won’t reach either of those marks this season. Still, he hopes that getting the first one out of the way will help improve his offensive confidence down the stretch drive and into the playoffs.

“I believe in myself,” said Brown. “I know that was just focused on feeling better, getting faster, getting stronger, playing better. I know that I’m around the net enough that one is going to pop in, and then I know that I can build from that, and gain some confidence with the puck in scoring areas. So, it’s nice to get that now, in the right time of year, and get rolling.”