'From another planet': Connor McDavid hits new heights with 4 goals against Tampa

With apologies to Red Smith, if the art of fiction is truly dead, then we must turn to science fiction to explain the otherworldly talents Connor McDavid displayed on Monday night.

The fastest skater in the world scored four goals in four utterly different ways to lead the Edmonton Oilers to an improbable 6-2 victory over the best team in the NHL.

"It seems like he's from another planet," teammate Leon Draisaitl said after it was all over. "Like, it's not fair, really. It's not just a given talent. He works hard … and that's what makes him so good."

For anyone who missed the action against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the recount would look like this: McDavid scored on a deflection, on a shot from an impossible angle, on a breakaway, and finally on what looked like a lucky bank shot off an opponent's leg.

'I had a good nap'

"I think when you're as good as he is, there's no such thing as luck," Draisaitl said. And who could argue with him. "You create your own bounces. He just has that ability to take the game over. There are very, very few players in this world who can do that."

Indeed. From the start, McDavid showed off his speed and puck handling skills. He is fast every night, but on Monday he seemed, if possible, faster than usual.

"I just felt good," said the Oilers captain, who had nine shots on the night and recorded an assist to go with his four goals. "I had a good nap [in the afternoon]."

There it is: the secret to success lies with a good nap.

• McDavid scores twice, but special teams find ways to lose as Oilers buried 4-3 by Avalanche
• Edmonton Oilers dogged by questions about work ethic and effort

On Monday, the Oilers couldn't have asked for a better start.

Tampa's two offensive superstars got their names on the stat sheet in the first period — both times in the column where they list penalties. The Oilers, uncharacteristically, made the Lightning pay twice.

The league's top scorer, Nikita Kucherov, took a slashing penalty less than 90 seconds into the game. On the power play, the Oilers moved the puck crisply until Ryan Strome finally made a shot-pass through the slot that Connor McDavid tipped into the net to make it 1-0.

Oilers power play scores twice

Not long afterward, Tampa tied the score on a fairly routine play in the offensive zone. Lightning forward Yanni Gourde made a backhand pass that went off the stick blade of Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse. Alex Killorn flipped the loose puck past Cam Talbot to even the game at 1-1.

Late in the period, Bolts captain Steven Stamkos took a tripping penalty. Again the Oilers' power play moved the puck sharply and again Ryan Strome started the scoring play. He made the cross-crease pass that Leon Draisaitl chipped under the pads of Bolts goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Two goals on two shots for the league's 30th-place power play.

To say the Oilers dominated the second would be like saying Edmonton's climate is more temperate than Tampa's. The Oilers outshot the Lightning 13-4 in the period and scored the only two goals.

McDavid made it 3-1 when he skated down the left side and got off a shot six inches from the red line that somehow found it's way over Vasilevskiy's shoulder.

Iiro Pakarinen made it 4-1 with his first goal of the season on a wrist shot from the circle the Tampa goalie should have had.

Tampa scored early in the third period.

• Connor McDavid suits his actions to his words in thrilling shootout win
• Edmonton fans join Oilers in Las Vegas for McDavid's 21st birthday

Then McDavid put on the rest of his show. On his third goal, he stole the puck at his own blue line and had a clear breakaway from centre ice. He deked and put the puck high to make it 5-2. It took several minutes to clear the hats off the ice.

Seven minutes later, McDavid closed out the night from behind the net, with a pass or shot that deflected off a Tampa player into the net.

"He's the best player in the world for a reason," Strome said. "He's a helluva player, and it's a privilege to watch every day."

The 23-24-4 Oilers are 11 points out of a wild-card playoff spot. They now head out on a three-game road trip to California, for games against division rivals Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose.