Thursday, December 27, 2018 09:00 PM (ET)

Canucks start quickly, overpower Oilers

Field Level Media
Dec 27, 2018

Elias Pettersson and Antoine Roussel each had a goal and an assist as the visiting Vancouver Canucks cruised to a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.

After being shut out in their final game before Christmas, the Canucks scored four goals on their first six shots and rarely looked back.

Vancouver posted its seventh win in the past 10 games (7-2-1), while the Oilers took their fourth consecutive loss (0-4-0).

Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 of 32 shots as he posted his seventh win in his past eight outings. Edmonton starting goaltender Mikko Koskinen logged only 20 minutes while posting just two saves on six shots. He was pulled after the Oilers outshot the Canucks 11-6 in the first period but trailed 4-1 at the initial intermission.

His replacement, Cam Talbot, stopped all 14 shots he faced.

Tyler Motte and Brock Boeser also scored for the Canucks, and Nikolay Goldobin supplied two assists.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl replied for the Oilers, and Draisaitl also logged an assist. Connor McDavid assisted on the two goals, which both came on power plays.

The Oilers converted two of their three man-advantage opportunities, while the Canucks were blanked on just one.

There were concerns that the Canucks, who traveled during the day, would again have trouble scoring after losing 1-0 to the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 22. However, Motte opened the scoring just 3:48 into the game as he put home a shot from the high slot following a turnover in Edmonton's end.

Boeser gave the Canucks a 2-0 lead less than three minutes later as he put in a pass from Pettersson on a two-on-one.

Nugent-Hopkins reduced Edmonton's deficit on a power play at 10:24 of the first, converting a pass from McDavid. Pettersson restored Vancouver's two-goal lead at 18:48 with what proved to be the winning tally, electing to shoot instead of passing again to Boeser.

Roussel put the Canucks ahead 4-1 with 11 seconds left in the opening session as he wired in a shot from close range after another turnover in Edmonton's end.

Draisaitl reduced Vancouver's lead to 4-2 on another power play 7:05 into the second period after taking McDavid's long diagonal pass.

The Oilers lost winger Alex Chiasson in the first period after he took a shot from teammate Adam Larsson on the right knee.

--Field Level Media

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