When in doubt, outscore your goaltending problems.
On Thursday evening, the Edmonton Oilers played their second game of the 2026-27 season, enacting their revenge over the Vancouver Canucks with a 9-7 victory. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one.
The game started great for the Oilers, taking a 1-0 lead midway through the first period thanks to Vasily Podkolzin’s third goal of the season, this one coming on a power play. Five minutes later, Owen Michaels scored his first NHL goal, receiving a nice behind-the-net pass from Mathieu Joseph, his first point as an Oiler and his 100th career assist.
Owen Michaels lights the lamp for the first time 🚨 #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/ewo2xLsAmX
- Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 2, 2026
It took just 16 seconds for the Oilers to extend their lead to three, as Evan Bouchard’s shot from the point took a few bounces and found its way into the back for his fourth goal of the season. In the final minute of the first, Ryan Shea picked up his first goal as an Oiler.
Sneaky Shea 😏 #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/vr22riOuUM
- Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 2, 2026
Then, in the first minute of the second period, Leon Draisaitl scored his first of the season, with Bouchard picking up an assist. Four minutes later, the Canucks got on the board thanks to Paul Cotter’s third of the season, but Trent Frederic responded with his first of the season just over 30 seconds later.
Freddy finds the quick answer #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/vaWH9p90cG
- Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 2, 2026
The scoring continued, as Brock Boeser rifled a puck past Devon Levi off the post and in, 43 seconds after Frederic’s goal. On his next shift, Frederic took a penalty, but that worked out well for the Oilers as they scored two short-handed goals on that penalty, first Connor McDavid, then Kasperi Kapanen. It was both their first goal of the season.
Kappy & you know it 😃 #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/QhmbKfCd9E
- Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 2, 2026
But the Canucks showed some fight. With 0.2 on the clock in the second period, Arshdeep Bains made it 8-3. Then that line scored two minutes again into the final frame, as Marco Rossi got on the board. Three minutes later, Rossi scored again, then Elias Pettersson (the forward) scored to make it 8-6.
TEE IT UP PETEY ON THE POWER PLAY! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/NcWkAfEbv2
- Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 2, 2026
Thankfully, the Oilers buckled down and got an insurance goal, as Draisaitl scored his second of the goal midway through the third, this one coming on a power play. That insurance goal was enough, as the Canucks answered back with 72 seconds remaining, but couldn’t find the back of the net again.
Another one #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/YGJSeW2iin
- Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 2, 2026
WATCH POSTGAMING LIVE
Takeaways…
Was this game entertaining? Absolutely. Can I say it was a good game for the Edmonton Oilers? Absolutely not. Between the two games, the Oilers may have scored 14 goals, but they also allowed 13. A lot of that falls on their netminders, of course, but there are underlying issues with the skaters as well.
Between the pipes, Devon Levi allowed seven goals on 22 shots for a .682 save percentage, somehow worse than Tristan Jarry’s .739 save percentage in the series opener on Tuesday. The Oilers need goaltending better than that if they wish to even make the playoffs, much less win the Stanley Cup.
There were a lot of positives from this game, but the third pairing of Shakir Mukhamadullin and Jake Walman was not positive. Mukhamadullin finished as a minus-4 in 10 minutes of ice time, while Walman finished as a minus-3 in 13:02 minutes of ice time. Expect Ty Emberson and potentially even Spencer Stastney in the lineup on Saturday.
Evan Bouchard scored a goal and picked up two assists, giving him eight points this season. His point total is the most for any defenceman in the first two games of the season in NHL history. He, Ryan Sea, and Mattias Ekholm finished with plus-3; they weren’t the problem.
Connor McDavid had a good game, scoring a goal and picking up four assists for a five-point night. Leon Draisaitl scored twice, while Vasily Podkolzin picked up a goal and an assist. Those four players essentially make up their top six at this point.
Owen Michaels scored his first career goal, which is always nice to see. Trent Frederic and Isaac Howard had a bounce-back game playing alongside the recently recalled Josh Samanski. The trio finished with 64.5 per cent of the expected goal share according to HockeyStats. Trent Frederic is already a quarter of the way to matching his goal total from last season.
The Oilers’ next game is on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. MT, as they return home to host the Seattle Kraken. Expect some fireworks in that game following Ryan Lindgren’s hit on Evan Bouchard back at the 2026 IIHF World Championship.
Cynthia Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for DFOEdmonton, DFOCalgary, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on X at @CynthiaRDelaney.
PRESENTED BY STAKE