Kiefer Sherwood delivers overtime heroics as the Canucks narrowly defeat the Oilers 4-3, overcoming a night they didn't have Quinn Hughes in the lineup.
The line juggling for the Edmonton Oilers continued as they took on the Vancouver Canucks Sunday night at Rogers Arena. The Canucks were without Quinn Hughes, which was a huge break for the Oilers.
Connor McDavid started on the top line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Andrew Mangiapane. The blue line pairing that started the game was Darnell Nurse with Evan Bouchard.
Edmonton was looking to rebound from a loss the night before to the Seattle Kraken. The last time the Oilers played the Canucks, it was arguably Edmonton's most complete effort as a team. It was only because of Thatcher Demko that the Canucks were in that game. Demko was in goal for the Canucks tonight.
First Period:
The game began without much to talk about on either side. A few minutes in, Conor Garland took an early penalty for roughing after ripping Andrew Mangiapane’s helmet off. What the Oilers would have liked to have been an opportunity to puck some pucks on net wound up being a plus for the Canucks. Edmonton gave up a shorthanded chance against—a bad habit they’ve developed lately—forcing Calvin Pickard to make a strong save on Kiefer Sherwood. It was a solid penalty kill by Vancouver and a rough power play for the Oilers.
Both teams struggled with turnovers, and while there weren’t many end-to-end chances, the game lacked flow for much of the first period.
A quick transition led to the opening goal. Evander Kane picked up the puck along the boards and backhanded it toward Brock Boeser, who was driving to the net. Boeser’s backhand fooled Pickard, giving the Canucks a 1–0 lead. That's nine goals for Boeser in his last eight games against Edmonton.
Edmonton’s best look came when rookie Ike Howard took a sharp feed from David Tomasek on a two-on-one, but Thatcher Demko turned him aside. The pace picked up in the final few minutes, but the Canucks carried their 1–0 lead into the intermission.
Oilers Struggling In The Pacific
The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Edmonton Oilers</a> are 4-4-1 through their first nine games, which puts them in the middle of the pack in the Pacific Division. That's not panic-inducing on its own—it's early, there's time to figure things out, and the season is long. But here's what should concern anyone paying attention: the Oilers are already struggling against the teams they'll be battling all season long for playoff positioning.
Second Period:
A turnover by Brett Kulak created the first chance for the Canucks in the second period. Kiefer Sherwood got a break, and Brock Boeser drew a slashing penalty, giving Vancouver a power play. The Canucks cycled the puck until Elias Pettersson blasted a one-timer past Pickard.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins generated Edmonton’s first real chance, receiving a nice feed from Leon Draisaitl. He tried to elevate a backhand, but Thatcher Demko made the save. That was the Oilers’ first shot of the period, four minutes in.
Edmonton took another penalty, a slashing call. The Oilers killed it, allowing significant zone time but just one shot from Vancouver. The Canucks appeared to score on a drop pass to Sherwood, but the Oilers successfully challenged for offside — Tyler Myers had indeed entered the zone early, nullifying the goal.
For a disjointed and seemingly lethargic team, this sequence could have served as a wakeup call. Signs of life emerged as Nugent-Hopkins fired another shot, and Connor McDavid weaved through multiple Canucks before trying to shovel one past Demko.
Edmonton finally struck when Draisaitl scored on a breakaway, thanks to a brilliant end-to-end feed from Evan Bouchard. The goal brought the Oilers within 2-1 and marked Draisaitl’s 800th career game. He capitalized on a poor line change by Vancouver to create the opportunity.
But any momentum the Oilers might have felt was short-lived. Sherwood toe-dragged past Mattias Ekholm and picked his spot, scoring in the final 40 seconds of the second period. Vancouver restored their two-goal lead at 3-1, leaving Edmonton frustrated as they headed into the final period.
It’s clear the Oilers still haven’t found lines and chemistry that work. Bobbled pucks and incomplete passes are becoming common, as players seem unsure of where their linemates are going. Knoblauch went back to Draisaitl and McDavid late in the period and would predictably go back to them in the third as the team was down by two. Confidence appears to be lacking, and a late goal in the second for the Canucks wasn't likely to help.
Third Period:
Jack Roslovic finally broke through, scoring his first goal of the season and his first as an Oiler. He stole the puck from Tyler Myers, then walked in and snapped a wrist shot over Demko’s shoulder. It was a smart, well-timed play by Roslovic, who had been generating chances and arguably played his best game on Saturday against Seattle.
The goal gave the Oilers the start they needed, but the Canucks immediately pushed back, applying heavy pressure on Edmonton. The Oilers narrowly avoided letting Vancouver reclaim a two-goal lead.
Partway through the period, it was revealed that defenceman Victor Mancini would not return to the game.
Edmonton tried to claw back, but Vancouver clogged the lanes and forced the Oilers to the outside. Time seemed to be running out for the equalizer. With 5:30 remaining, the Oilers drew a penalty, giving them a power play. They capitalized quickly: Connor McDavid threaded a perfect pass to Leon Draisaitl, who hammered the puck past Demko. David Tomasek did a great job screening in front of Demko without interfering or getting hit. The game was tied 3–3.
The Canucks responded with strong early pressure after the goal, but the Oilers generated the final good chances of the period. Regulation ended with the score knotted at three apiece.
Overtime:
No Quinn Hughes for the Canucks in 3-on-3 overtime was a big hit for Vancouver. They made it work without him.
The Oilers started with possession and danced around, but didn't create many chances. The change brought on Nugent-Hopkins, Nurse, and Mangiapane. Boeser took a shot from below the blue line that Sherwood tipped home to give the Canucks the 4-3 win. Mangiapane failed to tie up Sherwood, who made a skilled play for the winner.
The Oilers stuck around for a bit thinking they might challenge for a high-stick. Eventually, the Oilers left the bench having secured one point.
Sherwood was the Oiler killer on Sunday night. He had two goals and earned third star honors.
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