Longtime sportswriter Cam Tait joins EdmontonOilers.com to deliver his eight (Motown-themed) thoughts on Sunday night’s overtime win over the Red Wings, which was highlighted by Leon Draisaitl on his 29th birthday. Living with cerebral palsy his entire life, Cam didn’t let his condition stop him from enjoying a successful 45-year career as a sports writer, with bylines published in the Edmonton Journal and the Edmonton Sun.

8. Go on the move

Both teams came out of the door humming. It was understandable for the Oilers: They arrived in Detroit on Saturday afternoon and had a good sleep at the hotel. Red Wings? They played the Sabers in Buffalo on Saturday, losing 5-3, then had a 1-hour, 15-minute flight home. But both teams were flying, end to end, before an offside blow caused the game to explode 3:02 into the first whistle.

7. Ball of confusion

Calvin Pickard had no chance on the Red Wings’ first goal – a smart pass behind the Oilers net from Patrick Kane, who took maybe half a second before firing a shot past JT Compher for a shot by -over Pickard’s left shoulder during Detroit’s first goal. game plan. One shot, one goal for Detroit.

Then, after the Oilers tied the game later in the second period, the puck deflected off Andrew Copp’s stick to give the Red Wings another goal just 42 seconds after Draisaitl scored his first of two in the evening.

For the rest of the game, the man they call Picks was solid, finishing with the win and 24 saves – including the final eight that followed Copp’s go-ahead midway through the third.

“He was great tonight,” said birthday boy Leon Draisaitl, who turned 29 on Sunday.