With just under 14 minutes remaining in the second period and the Oilers on the power play, McDavid took the puck near his own net with every single player on the ice between him and the Toronto Maple Leafs net, except for his own goalie.
And just waltzed up the ice and scored like it was nothing.
McDavid spun around Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman exiting his own zone but still had three men to beat. He avoided a poke check from defenseman Justin Holl and split defenseman Jake Muzzin and forward Mitchell Marner before beating goalie Frederik Andersen high on the stick side.
"I think you just have to isolate guys," McDavid said Sunday. "There is obviously four of them out there and they try to keep it pretty tight. But you can turn it into a 1-on-1 just by going at someone. I definitely had my looks with Toronto, we played them four times already and they've done a great job of denying entry a couple of times. So I was just trying to be creative through there."
The entire sequence took less than seven seconds.
"He's a special player, and when he gets that time and space, he's very dangerous and honestly that's one you shrug off and you say, 'He's a great player,'" Holl said.
Oilers defenseman Tyson Barrie said, "That's just what he does. He's been doing it since he came in the League, it's incredible. I think that's the second time he's done something like that already this season], if not more. It's just something he does, it's pretty impressive."
The goal wowed people across the NHL, including the Ottawa Senators, who were watching ahead of their game against the Oilers on Sunday.
"It was pretty incredible," Senators defenseman Josh Brown said. "I think he's been scoring goals like that since he was a little kid. It's almost gotten to the point where it happens all the time. I don't think anyone [else] in our game can wind it up like he can starting in his own end ... it was a pretty incredible goal."
Ottawa forward Drake Batherson said, "Me and the boys kind of just looked at each other. He's scored a bunch of great goals throughout his career, but that one was special to see."
Oh, by the way, McDavid also scored
[the game-winner in overtime
.
"What impresses you the most about Connor when he does that is at the speed he carries the puck," Oilers coach Dave Tippett said. "There are a lot of fast players, but to do it carrying the puck and have control of the puck, that's what makes him so dangerous. He's coming as fast or faster than anyone in the League and I would dare to say he's the fastest guy by a wide margin carrying the puck, and it's hard to defend."
NHL.com independent correspondent Derek Van Diest contributed to this report
