Oilers beat Canucks 9-7 as Bouchard sets NHL defenseman record for points
Edmonton evened the two-game season series with Vancouver, and defenseman Evan Bouchard became the first defenseman in NHL history with eight points through the first two games of a season.
What we know
- The Edmonton Oilers beat the Vancouver Canucks 9-7 at Rogers Arena, and the season series is tied 1-1. [1]
- Connor McDavid, named first star, finished with five points: a goal and four assists. [1] [2]
- Evan Bouchard had a goal and two assists and, according to the AP, became the first defenseman in NHL history with eight points in his first two games of a season. [2]
- Edmonton led 8-2 in the second period before Vancouver scored four straight goals to get within 8-6. [1] [2]
- Not yet confirmed: The ESPN injury report lists Jack Thompson, Akil Thomas and Mackenzie MacEachern for the Canucks and Alec Regula for the Oilers as 'Undisclosed', so those injuries are not specified, nor is whether they are tied to this game.
The Edmonton Oilers beat the Vancouver Canucks 9-7 at Rogers Arena, evening the two-game season series at 1-1 after Edmonton lost the season opener 6-5 on Tuesday. [1][2]
Connor McDavid, the game's first star, had a goal and four assists for five points, according to the box score. Leon Draisaitl, the third star, scored twice. [1]
Evan Bouchard had a goal and two assists. According to The Associated Press, that made Bouchard the first defenseman in NHL history to record eight points (four goals, four assists) in the first two games of a season. [2]
With the Canucks on a power play midway through the second period, McDavid and Kasperi Kapanen scored short-handed breakaway goals 34 seconds apart to put Edmonton ahead 8-2, according to the AP. Edmonton had scored four goals in the first period and four in the second. [1][2]
Vancouver then scored four straight goals, and Elias Pettersson's power-play goal 7:37 into the third period made it 8-6, the AP reported. Draisaitl ended the run with a power-play goal less than two minutes later. [2]
Marco Rossi, the second star, scored twice and had three points for the Canucks. Pettersson had a goal and two assists. Goalie Devon Levi stopped 15 shots for Edmonton in his first NHL start since Jan. 20, 2025, the AP said. [1][2]
Kevin Lankinen made 13 saves for Vancouver before being pulled midway through the second period, according to the AP. Leevi Merilainen stopped 10 of 11 shots in relief. The AP said Edmonton played without forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman. Both are on the Oilers' injury report. [1][2]
Both teams play at home Saturday. Vancouver hosts the Calgary Flames, and Edmonton hosts the Seattle Kraken. [2]