What Happened
Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the season and added four assists as the Edmonton Oilers outlasted the Vancouver Canucks 9-7 on Thursday in Vancouver. Evan Bouchard had a goal and two assists, becoming the first defenceman in NHL history with eight points through his team's first two games. Leon Draisaitl scored twice and added an assist for Edmonton, which improved to 1-0-1. Marco Rossi scored twice for Vancouver, which fell to 1-1-0.
Key Details
- Oilers won 9-7; McDavid had one goal and four assists.
- Bouchard's eight points (four goals, four assists) in two games are an NHL first for a defenceman.
- Draisaitl scored twice and added an assist; Podkolzin and Kapanen each had a goal and an assist.
- Owen Michaels scored his first NHL goal; Ryan Shea scored his first as an Oiler.
- Devon Levi made his first NHL start since Jan. 20, 2025, stopping 15 of 22 shots.
- Canucks' Lankinen made 12 saves on 20 shots before being pulled; Merilainen stopped 10 of 11 in relief.
What It Means
The Oilers' offence carried them to a second straight high-scoring game against Vancouver, after the Canucks won 6-5 in overtime on Tuesday. Bouchard's record start gives Edmonton early production from the blue line. Vancouver's goaltending struggled, with Lankinen pulled midway through the second period, and the team needed a third-period surge from Rossi and Pettersson to make it close.
What's Next
Both teams continue their early-season schedules; no specific upcoming games were detailed in the source.