Coming into game six, Connor McDavid had only one point in the last three games. That changed on Saturday night in game 6. McDavid had three points as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 to force a game seven in the Western Conference Semi-Finals.
“I was just hoping to be part of a win. We had all 20 guys going,” McDavid said. “We’re looking forward to it [game 7]. We’re both playing really good hockey right now, in enemy territory; it’s a great chance for our guys to come together and go in there and get it done.”
Leon Draisaitl had two points. He’s the 3rd fastest player to 100 career postseason points, behind only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux
The Oilers Shut the Door in the Third
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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins gave the Oilers a 4-1 lead early in the third period. Connor McDavid got his third assist. Evander Kane got the fifth goal right off a faceoff late in the period.
“We have to flush this game. We’ve got 48 hours to get your energy back.” Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tochhet said, ” You know, it’s game seven. People would kill to be in our situation right now.”
Tocchet said it “would be a stretch” to have starting goaltender Thatcher Demko back from his injury and ready to play on Monday night.
Oilers Build 2-Goal Lead in the Second Period
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Zach Hyman gave the Oilers the lead, standing alone in the slot off a pass from Connor McDavid. It was Hyman’s tenth, and he leads the NHL in post-season goals. It was 2-1 Oilers about eight minutes into the second.
Evan Bouchard put the Oilers up 3-1 on a pass from Connor McDavid. Bouchard is the number-one scoring defenseman in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Canucks kept themselves in the game, killing off a 55-second five-on-three late in the second period. They failed to score on their own two-man advantage as the second period ended.
Stuart Skinner was back in the net for the Oilers after sitting for game 5. He faced just nine shots through 40 minutes. “We never had a doubt, he’s a battler, he’s always been a battler,” McDavid said of Skinner. “Our team always responds, and he’s no different, he responded and gave us a great performance.”
Late Edmonton Goal Waved Off in the First
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Edmonton took the lead about halfway through the first period. Dylan Holloway beat Arturs Šilovs five-hole to give the Oilers a 1-0 lead.
Vancouver answered quickly to tie the game at one on a goal from Nils Hoglander. He was left alone in the blue paint, and he pushed it past Skinner. It was the first playoff goal for the Swede on a great pass from fellow countryman Elias Pettersson.
Evan Bouchard beat Šilovs with under a minute to play, but the official immediately waved it off. Referee Chris Rooney said there was incidental contact on the goaltender, and he couldn’t make a play on the puck, and it stayed 1-1.
There were just eight total shots and eight total penalty minutes in the first period.
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Bradley Tachco is a career journalist. I spent 12+ years at CNN as a writer and producer. My sports are the NHL, MLB, and NFL. My goal: unique content. And my teams are the Buffalo Sabres, Buffalo Bills (yes, I’m a masochist), and the Los Angeles Dodgers. I have been a Dodgers fan since I was old enough to think. I have gone through decades of despair with all three franchises. You can follow Bradley on X @p09691
