Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm each scored and contributed a helper for Vancouver, while J.T. Miller and Conor Garland also found the back of the net. Carson Soucy registered a pair of assists
The Oilers took a 4-2 lead into the final frame, thanks to two goals from Zach Hyman, and one each from Mattias Ekholm and Cody Ceci. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl both had two assists.
After registering just five shots in the first period, Vancouver outshot the visiting side 19-7 across the second and third.
The Canucks got 13 saves from rookie goalie Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner stopped 19 of 24 shots for the Oilers.
Edmonton was coming off of six days rest after ousting the L.A. Kings in a five-game, first-round series. Vancouver eliminated the Nashville Predators in Game 6 on Friday.
An early penalty proved costly for the Canucks. Vancouver was called for too many men just 40 seconds into the game and Edmonton’s potent power play got to work.
Nugent-Hopkins sent Hyman a pass across the top of the crease and the winger unleashed a one-timer from a sharp angle, tucking the puck in under the crossbar for his eighth goal of the post-season.
The stakes are high for the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers, but the teams aren’t the only ones hoping for a win. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi have their own wager, with the losing city set to fly the rival team’s flag at city hall.
Edmonton was 1 for 1 on the power play and Vancouver went 0 for 3.
The Canucks had a prime opportunity minutes later when Garland sprinted down the ice on a breakaway and tried to chip a backhanded shot up and over Skinner’s pad. The goalie read the play and poked the puck out of harm’s way.
Edmonton went up 2-0 midway through the opening frame after Vancouver’s Ian Cole tried to bank a pass off the end boards, only to see Draisaitl scoop up the puck instead.
Draisaitl delivered a pass to Ekholm and the veteran defenceman launched a shot from…
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