Paul Cotter scored 1:59 into overtime to give the Vancouver Canucks a 6-5 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Edmonton’s home opener at Rogers Place on Tuesday night. Cotter finished with two goals, capping a game in which Vancouver built a three-goal lead before Edmonton tied it late in regulation. Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the game.

Marco Rossi, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Max Sasson and Elias Pettersson also scored for Vancouver, which opened the season 1-0-0. Kevin Lankinen stopped 32 shots for the win. The Canucks were coming off a last-place finish in the NHL last season, with a 25-49-8 record.

Evan Bouchard scored three goals and added two assists for Edmonton, while Vasily Podkolzin scored twice. Tristan Jarry made 17 saves for the Oilers, who are 0-0-1. The teams were tied 2-2 entering the third period before Pettersson completed a three-goal Vancouver run at 5:15, putting the Canucks ahead 5-2.

Podkolzin scored at 8:56, and Bouchard added his third goal 24 seconds later. Podkolzin scored again with 43 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime. Cotter then lifted a backhand shot for the winner 1:59 into the extra period.

Cotter joined Vancouver as a free agent after spending the previous two seasons in New Jersey. He became the first player in Canucks history to score a short-handed goal in his debut with the team. Bouchard became the first defenceman in Oilers history to record a multi-goal game in a season opener and the third defenceman in NHL history to score a hat trick in a season opener. He was also the third blueliner in the past 30 years to record a four-point game in a season opener.

Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra became the fourth person to represent the team as both a player and head coach. Marc Crawford, Pat Quinn and Orland Kurtenbach had done so before him. Vancouver and Edmonton are scheduled to meet again Thursday in Vancouver. The Canadian Press first published its report on Sept. 29, 2026.

Based on reporting by Global News Edmonton.