Oilers Shock Canucks in 4-3 Comeback Win

The Edmonton Oilers took home a thrilling come-from-behind 4-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. The team overcame an early 3-0 deficit in the first to storm back in the third period with four unanswered goals.

Dominik Kahun was stellar with two goals on the night while Mike Smith rebounded from a tough first period to improve to 5-0-0 on the season.

It was a game up low lows and high highs for the Oilers but it ultimately landed in their favour. I got the complete recap of tonight’s rollercoaster right here...

First Period:

This wasn’t the kind of period the Oilers wanted to have to start off their road-trip. Mike Smith was in peak form as Bo Horvat beat him on the game’s first shot from an impossible angle. The water was still wet and the Canuck’s had an early 1-0 lead.

Edmonton would get a good chance off the stick of Evan Bouchard a few minutes later but would be fought off by Thatcher Demko. That would bite the Oilers as Tyler Myers extended Vancouver’s lead to 2-0 at the eight-minute mark with a bomb from the point.

Things went from bad to worse as Pettersson beat Smith in front of the net to give the Canuck’s a 3-0 lead. Smith was struggling but Edmonton’s defensive play was absolutely abysmal. They were sloppy and had a hard time against a determined Vancouver forecheck.

It wouldn’t be all bad for the boys in blue and orange. Dominik Kahun would get the Oilers on the board late in the period as his shot from the bottom of the circle squeaked through the arms of Demko.

It was an ugly one, but the Oilers were only down by two as they headed into the intermission down 3-1.

Second Period:

The Oilers were able to calm the storm in the middle frame. Smith started to actually make stops and the team generated some more chances.

That isn’t to say it was a perfect period. The Oilers failed to capitalize on two power-plays and barely survived two penalties against. The worst chance against came on a short-handed break from Antoine Roussell that Smith had to bail Barrie and McDavid out on.

Edmonton would come close to cutting into the lead with a pair of posts from Nugent-Hopkins and McDavid, but it wouldn’t go. The effort was definitely there but the goals were hard to come by.

The score remained 3-1 at the end of 40 minutes.

Third Period:

Things started off with a bang in this frame.

Less than a minute into the period, Kahun picked up his second of the game on a slick one-timer to cut the lead to 3-2. Just like that, the Oilers had the rest of the period to overcome a one-goal deficit. And it didn’t take long for them to do it.

Edmonton would get their third chance on the PP a few moments later and they wouldn’t squander this one. They won the faceoff and a beautiful passing play ended in McDavid tying things up as he had a wide-open net. The Oilers erase a 3-0 hole. 3-3 game early into the period.

The Canucks would press a bit but it was clear that the momentum was in Edmonton’s favour. McDavid hit a post on the shift after the tying goal and the Oilers were buzzing in the Vancouver end.

Mike Smith made an enormous breakaway stop on Horvat to keep things tied up. It would be a big one as Tyler Ennis would score Edmonton’s fourth consecutive goal to give the Oilers their first lead of the game. It was a fluky one that bounced off the skate but, after a trio of posts, you take what you can get. 4-3 Oilers.

Takeaways:

• The Oilers put on their best Jekyll and Hyde performance tonight. They looked absolutely awful in the first period in all ends of the ice. Mike Smith was awful, the defensive zone coverage was non-existent and the offence was stymied. This all reversed around the halfway point of the second as they scored four unanswered goals to win this one. A gutsy effort but a win is a win and you love to see it.
• Leon Draisaitl had a great game tonight. He had assists on three goals and they were some beautiful passes. It’s nice to see him have a good one after a few underwhelming games against the Flames.
• Speaking of Draisaitl, his linemate Dominik Kahun looked fantastic. He was given back his role on the second line tonight and he showed why he deserved it tonight. He’s been snakebitten this year so seeing him get a couple is encouraging.
• Mike Smith continues to confound me. He was terrible in the first period but was arguably the best player in the last 40 minutes. There is no average Mike Smith, he is either god-like or garbage. Good fight from him after letting in those first three.
• A few defencemen that had a rough night were Tyson Barrie and Kris Russell. I thought they struggled mightily in their own end and made too many mistakes. If Rousell scores on that shorthanded turnover by Barrie I would be more vocal.
• A few defencemen that had a good night were Caleb Jones and Evan Bouchard. They move the puck better than any other defender and deserve to play each and every night. PLAY THE KIDS.
• HUGE win for the Oilers tonight as they improve to 13-8-0 on the season and regain a three-point lead on the third-place Winnipeg Jets. In the same vein, they inch closer to the Leafs as they are now four points behind the division leaders. They will try to improve to five straight wins on Thursday as they take another run against the Canucks!