The Edmonton Oilers survived another turbulent third period from Stuart Skinner—even in the virtual world.
According to NHL 26, Edmonton escaped with a 3–2 overtime victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night at Rogers Place. Connor McDavid delivered the decisive goal early in the extra frame, igniting the home crowd after Vancouver erased a two-goal deficit late in regulation.
Quinn Hughes led the Canucks’ comeback effort with two third-period goals, both assisted by Elias Pettersson. Tyler Myers also picked up an assist, while Thatcher Demko turned aside 22 shots in a composed performance.
For Edmonton, McDavid finished with two points, while Vasiliy Podkolzin and Matthew Savoie tallied second-period goals. Skinner made 29 saves overall, though a shaky third period nearly cost him the win.
First Period
McDavid wasted no time asserting himself, charging the net on Edmonton’s opening shift, but Demko was sharp, steering the chance aside. Skinner responded in kind, calmly covering Vancouver’s first shot moments later.
Leon Draisaitl soon carried the puck up the ice and set up McDavid for a one-timer in the left circle, only for Demko to make another poised stop. Vancouver’s defensive structure held strong early, as Filip Hronek—playing alongside Quinn Hughes—broke up a dangerous Draisaitl-to-McDavid connection.
By the midway point of the period, the Canucks began to dictate puck possession, hemming Edmonton in and generating sustained pressure. Towering defenseman Tyler Myers (6-foot-8, 229 pounds) hammered a one-timer from the point that deflected off a stick and soared over Skinner’s net.
Despite the late surge, neither side broke through, and the first period ended scoreless. Edmonton held an 11–9 edge in shots.
Second Period
Demko continued to frustrate McDavid early in the middle frame, denying a heavy slap shot from the left circle with a confident stick save.
Edmonton finally broke through just under ten minutes into the period. Podkolzin ripped a shot from the left circle off a feed from McDavid, beating Demko cleanly to make it 1–0.
The Oilers doubled their lead barely a minute later. Savoie was credited with the goal after redirecting a blistering point shot from Ty Emberson past Demko. In an instant, a scoreless stalemate became a 2–0 Edmonton advantage.
Evan Bouchard tried to extend the lead late in the period with a one-timer from the point, but Demko turned it aside. Meanwhile, Skinner remained composed in net, blanking the Canucks through forty minutes.
Third Period
Skinner’s strong outing unraveled in the final frame. With 10:24 left in regulation, Hughes ended the shutout bid by blasting a slap shot from just behind the right circle that sizzled top shelf, over Skinner’s blocker. Myers initiated the play, carrying the puck down the left wing and sliding it across to Hughes, who had briefly been shaken up earlier in the shift but recovered in time to score.
Minutes later, Hughes struck again to tie the game. His second goal, a 95 mph slap shot, beat Skinner high glove side—less powerful than his first (which clocked in at 102 mph) but just as effective. In a span of roughly three minutes, Vancouver matched Edmonton’s earlier scoring burst, knotting the game at two with under seven minutes to play.
Mattias Ekholm tested Demko with a point shot in the final minute, but the Vancouver goaltender snared it cleanly with 45 seconds remaining. Twenty seconds later, McDavid delivered a hard check on former teammate Evander Kane, setting a physical tone as the horn sounded to end regulation. Overtime loomed.
Overtime
It didn’t take long for McDavid to put his stamp on the extra frame. Forcing a turnover at center ice, he accelerated on a breakaway and executed a dazzling forehand–backhand–forehand sequence to beat Demko and secure the 3–2 victory. Rogers Place erupted as the Oilers escaped with the win.
The Real Deal
The real matchup between the Canucks and Oilers takes place tonight at 8 p.m. local time.