The Vancouver Canucks (18-19-5, 7th Pacific Division) welcomed the Edmonton Oilers (20-16-2, 6th Pacific Division) to Rogers Arena Tuesday night in the third of four meetings this season.
The Oiler entered the game 1-4 in their previous five games, while the Canucks were 2-2-1 their last five starts. Vancouver was looking to get back on the winning track at home after a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday night; Edmonton wanting to end their losing streak on the road at two games.
Spencer Martin once again was the Canucks starting goalie after clearing COVID-19 protocol, while the Oilers countered with Mikko Koskinen.
J.T. Miller returned to the Vancouver lineup from the NHL COVID-19 protocol, and was a welcome addition against their Pacific Division foes.
Canucks got goals from Elias Pettersson and Tyler Motte.
Spencer Martin stopped 47 shots for the Canucks for a .940 save percentage (SV%), and was the 1rst Star of the game.
Canucks were outshot 50-27.
THE GAME
In the opening period both teams generated offensive time in each others end, and as the first half of the period was nearing, the Canucks were able to pepper Koskinen with some good shots, and move the puck around the Oiler defensive end.
Vancouver received the first penalty of the game as Brad Hunt called for holding on Connor McDavid but the Oilers were held off the score sheet.
In the last minute and a half of the period, the Oilers plastered Canucks goalie Martin with some good shots, threatening to score but Martin and the Canucks closed out the opening period scoreless.
- Oilers outshot the Canucks 15-10
- Canucks 7 for 16 on faceoffs: Miller 0 for 6; Lammikko 4 for 5
- Vancouver 1 for 1 on penalty kill
- Tyler Motte, J.T. Miller and Nils Hoglander with 2 shots each
- Vancouver 2 for 7 on faceoffs in the their end of the ice
The second period began with a sense of urgency and speed by both teams and continued through the first half of the middle frame with both goalies making good stops on good scoring chances by both teams, with Canucks outshooting Edmonton 5-1 with half a period left.
Kailer Yamamoto had a great chance for Edmonton within an open net, but could not put the puck in the net, as he deflected the puck off the post behind Spencer Martin who was out in front to cut off the angle of a Connor McDavid shot.
With both team playing 4 on 4, Elias Pettersson (10) took what seemed a harmless shot on Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen, unassisted at 14:26, to give the Canucks a 1-0 lead. The opening goal was the 10th straight game that Edmonton allowed the opening goal of a game.
At 15:21 the Oilers received a power play against Canucks Juho Lammikko for holding against Leon Draisaitl. But a save by Canucks J.T. Miller to the side of the Canucks net would lead to a shorthanded goal by the by Tyler Motte (5), assisted by Miller (28) at 17:13, to put Vancouver up 2-0.
A late push by Edmonton in the last half minute of the period would lead to a scrum in front of the Canucks net after the period ended but no further goals.
- Oilers outshot Canucks 11-7 in the middle period.
- Tyler Motte had two shots, five players a shot each in the period.
- Quinn Hughes, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Vasily Podkolzin, Jason Dickinson no shots in game
- Canucks 7 for 14 in faceoffs in the period
- Vancouver 2 for 6 on faceoffs in their end of the ice
With a two goal lead entering the final period, the Canucks were looking to add this game to the win column, their 19 of the season and leap frog over the Oilers into 6th place in the Pacific Division but first they had to beat Edmonton.
The Canucks weren’t resting on their two goal lead, as they continued to get shots on the Oiler goalie, while at the other end, Edmonton was doing the same on Canucks goalie Spencer Martin.
The Oilers finally would get on the scoresheet at 6:33 as Oiler Ryan McLeod (5) would pull Edmonton to within a goal at 2-1.
The Oilers would get their third power play of the game, Canucks would get a breakaway on Mikko Koskinen but were unable to score. The Oilers would continue to get the tying goal to even up the game at 2-2 but were unable to score.
As the play continued in the Canucks end after the penalty ended, the Oilers put shot after shot in front of the Canucks net, and finally Leon Draisaitl (29) buried the 2-2 goal for Edmonton at 10:24.
Canucks received their first man advantage of the game for interference against Jesse Puljujarvi at 12:23, needing that 3-2 goal, but were unsuccessful with the man advantage.
A television timeout with 4:17 left provided the Canucks time to collect themselves and come out and play with desperation to get that next goal.
Neither team could decide the game in regulation though, so off to overtime the two teams went, with each team picking up at least a point in the standings.
Connor McDavid would score the winner for Edmonton. 3-2 Oilers in sudden death, on their 50th shot of the game, at 4:36.
MATCH-UP INFO
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