The Vancouver Canucks defeated the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 in overtime.
The Vancouver Canucks kicked off the 2026-27 campaign with a 6-5 overtime victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Paul Cotter had a debut to remember as he scored Vancouver's first goal of the season as well as the game-winner in overtime. Marco Rossi, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Max Sasson and Elias Pettersson also found the back of the net, while Kevin Lankinen made 31 saves in the victory.
The best way to describe Tuesday's win is chaotic. The Canucks built a three-goal lead in the third, only to see it disappear before regulation ended. In the end, though, Cotter delivered for his new team, beating Tristan Jarry in the extra frame to push Vancouver's record to 1-0 to start the year.
One of the reasons the Canucks were able to leave Rogers Place with a victory was the play of Lankinen. The Finnish goaltender made some highlight-reel saves and was able to start the game strong, stopping 12 of the 13 shots he faced in the first. While there were some scrambly moments in the crease, Lankinen found a way to keep Vancouver in the game all night.
As for the team in general, the Canucks looked on the same page for the majority of the game. They were able to create chances off the rush and took advantage of turnovers. Ultimately, there were some defensive mistakes, but it is clear that the players actually understand the game plan, which is something that could not be said last season.
Tuesday's victory was historic as Manny Malhotra picked up his first win as an NHL head coach. It has been a long journey for the 46-year-old, who now joins an exclusive list of people to play and serve as head coach for the franchise. Overall, Malhotra's first game plan was successful, as his team found a way to pick up the two points.
"Not the way we drew it up for sure," said Malhotra after his first career win. "Obviously, a lot of really good things to score five goals in a game. Obviously, we don't want to give up three in the third period. That's something that we definitely need to work on. But just the resiliency to stay with it for us was a huge factor in the game. Then the guys stepping up in different ways. Lanks (Lankinen) made some key saves, especially down the stretch there. Our kill did a job throughout the course of the game. Obviously, elite power play and kind of limiting them to as much as we did. It was good, but the overall joy of winning a game takes precedence right now.
In the end, wins like the one on Tuesday are important not just for the team, but for the fanbase. Fans across social media platforms were engaged from start to finish, as there was plenty of excitement on the ice. Overall, it was a strong start to the season, as Vancouver took down a team many believe is a Stanley Cup contender.
Stats and Facts:
- Paul Cotter scores his first career shorthanded goal
- Filip Hronek's 132nd point moves him past Bob Dailey and into a tie with
- Brock Boeser passes J.T. Miller and into sole possession of 10th all-time in franchise history for power play points
- With his 37th win, Kevin Lankinen moves past Kay Whitmore and into 12th all-time for wins in franchise history
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
9:51- VAN: Paul Cotter (1) (SHG)
16:26- EDM: Evan Bouchard (1)
2nd Period:
2:07- VAN: Marco Rossi (1) from Liam Öhgren and Filip Hronek
14:34- EDM: Evan Bouchard (2) from Connor McDavid and Alex Formenton
3rd Period:
1:10- VAN: Jonathan Lekkerimäki (1) from Jake DeBrusk and Jamie Oleksiak
2:55- VAN: Max Sasson (1) from Drew O'Connor and Linus Karlsson
5:15- VAN: Elias Pettersson (1) from Filip Hronek and Brock Boeser (PPG)
8:45- EDM: Vasily Podkolzin (1) from Evan Bouchard and Ryan Shea
9:20- EDM: Evan Bouchard (3) from Connor McDavid
19:17- EDM: Vasily Podkolzin (2) from Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard (PPG)
Overtime:
1:59- VAN: Paul Cotter (2) from Max Sasson
Up Next:
Thursday, October 1 vs Edmonton Oilers
Sep 29, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Paul Cotter (47) scores the game winning goal during overtime against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn ImagesMake sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Hockey News