TAIT'S EIGHT: Motorin' out of Motor City with two points

Long-time sports journalist Cam Tait joins EdmontonOilers.com to deliver his eight thoughts (Motown-themed) surrounding Sunday night's OT victory over the Red Wings, which was highlighted by Leon Draisaitl's three-point night on his 29th birthday. Living with Cerebral Palsy his entire life, Cam hasn't let his condition prevent him from having a successful 45-year career as a sports writer, with bylines seen in the Edmonton Journal and Edmonton Sun.

8. Going On A Go-Go

Both teams came out of the gate humming. It was understandable for the Oilers: they arrived in Detroity Saturday afternoon and got some good sleepy-byes at the hotel. The Red Wings? They played Saturday against the Sabres in Buffalo, losing 5-3, then had an hour and 15 minute flight home. But both teams were flying, going end to end before an off-side blew the play down 3:02 into the game for the first whistle.

7. Ball of Confusion

Calvin Pickard had no chance on the first Red Wings' goal – a smart pass from behind the Oilers net from Patrick Kane, who took perhaps half a second before he fired one over to J.T. Compher to one-time over Pickard’s left shoulder on Detroit’s first shot of the game. One shot, one goal for Detroit.

Then, after the Oilers had tied the game later in the second period, the puck deflected off Andrew Copp's stick to put the Red Wings up another goal only 42 seconds after Draisaitl scored his first of two on the night.

For the rest of the game, the man they call Picks was solid, finishing with the victory and 24 saves – including the last eight that followed Copp's go-ahead goal in the middle frame.

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

6. Where Did Our Love (Shot Attempts) Go?

After registering the game’s first shot just 15 seconds in, when the birthday boy Leon Draisaitl put one against his former Oilers teammate Cam Talbot, the Oilers had trouble generating any type of offence and didn’t put Talbot to work again until 12:58 when Friday night's hero Viktor Arvidsson snapped one.

The Red Wings led 10-1 in shots midway through the opening period when Pickard made a key save on Alex DeBrincat that could've doubled Detroit's early advantage.

5. This Old Heart of Mine

Corey Perry, the elder Oilers statesman at 39 years old, showed his verteran experience and took on a 'leadership role' before the first period was over by dropping the gloves with Joe Veleno. After Veleno rammed Derek Ryan into the boards from behind during the first period, drawing no call, Perry would make him answer for it near the intermission with a spirited scrap the Oilers bench loved.

4. Really Got a Hold of You

After finding their way, the Oilers impressively had two shifts in the third period where they threw the puck around the Detroit offensive zone with crisp, creative passing. Their first stint of keep-away in the Detroit zone was a puck possession stint of 1:04. A few shifts later, the Oilers had another that was 1:12 long, helping create the chances that led to Evan Bouchard tying the game on a slap shot with 9:13 left.

3. Just a Little Miss Understanding

Coach Kris Knoblauch recognized the Oilers were out-shot in the first period. But he quickly pointed out the Oilers had given up 28 shot attempts. Adding to that many attempts in 20 minutes is something that perhaps motivated the come-from-behind win from his team.

"Just some things to focus on and what we needed to do and what we didn't do," Knoblauch said of the intermission talk. "Really simple. It's not like we're gonna re-invent our forecheck or our breakouts or anything like that. It's the finer details. And in the second and third, give them credit. They did it and we were able to fight back."

2. I Heard it Through The Grapevine

Not yet. But it's coming for Zach Hyman. Has to be.

Hyman still doesn’t have a goal through nine games … yet. But like Grandma Anderson frying bacon in the morning, we sure can smell it. Sunday night, Hyman had 11 shifts and 19:03 of ice time and was plus-2 and two shots on net. It's coming for the 56-goal scorer last season.

1. Happy Birthday, Stevie Wonder style

What a last-minute birthday gift for Leon Draisaitl after Mattias Ekholm gave him a present in overtime with a back-door pass the German deflected in for the 3-2 victory. Cake all around. On the short flight into Columbus, chances are, Drasaisaitl hand-delivered Ekholm’s piece himself. The Oilers defenceman faked a shot and sent a backhand to Draisaitl with what he attests was one of the best passes he’s ever received.