Tyler Myers scored a third-period game-winning goal and Thatcher Demko was outstanding with a 34-save performance as the host Vancouver Canucks claimed a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.
Bo Horvat also scored for the Canucks, who have won four of five games.
With the score tied and overtime looming on the horizon, Myers took a pass at his point position, stepped into the right circle and blasted a top-corner slap shot for his fourth goal of the season with 10:37 remaining in regulation.
From there, Demko held the fort while under siege as the high-octane Oilers pushed for the equalizer but couldn't find it. Edmonton could not take advantage of a late power-play it turned into a six-on-four advantage with the goalie pulled for the extra attacker.
Mikko Koskinen made 26 saves for the Oilers, who had their four-game winning streak snapped and blew a chance to pull within two points of top spot in the North Division.
Following a scoreless first period, the rivals traded second-period power-play goals.
After his team withstood the Oilers' attack in a one-sided first period that saw the visitors outshoot them 13-4, Horvat opened the scoring with a wild goal.
During a chaotic crease-crashing akin to a rugby scrum, the captain pushed the puck over the line with 7:01 remaining in the second period.
Exactly four minutes later, Leon Draisaitl set up beneath the right face-off dot, and blasted a one-timer set up by Connor McDavid to tie the game.
The tally runs Draisaitl's goal-scoring streak to four games and has him riding a six-game point streak in which he's netted six goals and 11 points, while McDavid is on a five-game run with three goals and 12 points.
But that's not all the goal created for the dynamic duo. McDavid's league-leading 52 points are the most recorded by a player within their team's first 30 games of a season since Mario Lemieux posted 55 for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2002-03.
Further, Draisaitl and McDavid became the first set of teammates to reach 45 or more points in their team's first 30 games of a season in consecutive seasons since Wayne Gretzky, Bernie Nicholls and Luc Robitaille starred for the Los Angeles Kings in 1988-89 and 1989-90.
--Field Level Media
Edmonton | Vancouver | |
Leon Draisaitl 1 | Points | Bo Horvat 1 |
Leon Draisaitl 1 | Goals | Bo Horvat 1 |
Connor McDavid 1 | Assists | Jordie Benn 1 |
Leon Draisaitl 1 | Power Play Goals | Bo Horvat 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Mikko Koskinen .929 | Save Percentage | Thatcher Demko .971 |
Mikko Koskinen 26 | Saves | Thatcher Demko 34 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Edmonton | 35 | 1 | 1-4 | 1-2 | 4 | 23 |
Vancouver | 28 | 2 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 8 | 34 |