EDMONTON, Alberta — In an impressive performance, Zach Hyman netted two goals and provided an assist, while Leon Draisaitl contributed with one goal and two assists, leading the Edmonton Oilers to a commanding 6-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday evening.
Alongside Hyman and Draisaitl, Adam Henrique, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Kasperi Kapanen also found the back of the net for the Oilers, who have now triumphed in nine of their last 12 matchups. Goaltender Calvin Pickard made 24 saves to secure the win.
The Canucks saw Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek score in response, but the team has struggled, losing eight of their last 10 games. Goalie Thatcher Demko managed to make 28 saves in the loss.
This game was a rematch of just five days prior, where the Canucks edged the Oilers 3-2 in a physical contest played in Vancouver.
Notably, Edmonton’s star player, Connor McDavid, and Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers were both sidelined for this game after receiving three-game suspensions due to cross-checking incidents in that previous matchup.
Takeaways from the game showed that Demko is far from his impressive Vezina finalist form from the past season, dropping his record to 3-5-3 following this defeat.
On the other hand, Draisaitl continued to shine, extending his point streak to eight games overall and an impressive 17 games at home. He has managed to score at least one point in 22 of his last 23 games, showcasing his elite skill.
One of the crucial moments came late in the first period when the Oilers went up 2-0 on the power play with just 5:38 remaining. Nugent-Hopkins emerged from behind the net, relaying a pass to Draisaitl, who unleashed a powerful shot for his league-leading 35th goal of the season. Just 20 seconds later, Mattias Ekholm set up Henrique behind the net, allowing him to score his seventh of the season.
A key statistic highlights the Canucks’ struggles, as they have only outperformed their opponents at even strength in three of their last 16 games. They have not achieved back-to-back regulation wins since late November.
Looking ahead, the Canucks will host the Washington Capitals on Saturday night, while the Oilers will face off against the Buffalo Sabres at home the same evening.
