GAME RECAP: Canucks 4, Oilers 3

EDMONTON, AB – The Edmonton Oilers received three points from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and doubled up their opponents 40-16 in shots, but the Blue & Orange couldn’t find the third-period goal they needed in a 4-3 defeat to the Vancouver Canucks in their 2023 Home Opener at Rogers Place on Saturday night.

“There were four moments in the game that we would’ve liked to have back, but at the same time, you’ve got to look at 60 minutes and the effort and it’s a long season,” Mattias Ekhom said. “I think if we keep the shot clock that lopsided in most of our games this year, I think we’re going to end up on the winning side. We didn’t tonight, so we’ll learn from it and move on.”

Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring just 42 seconds into regulation with his second goal of the season as part of a high-flying first five minutes for the Oilers before the Canucks came up with two deflected goals before the first intermission to take a 2-1 lead – once on the power play through Andrei Kuzmenko and again at even strength via Nils Hoglander.

With the score all square at 3-3 through 40 minutes thanks to power-play goals from Connor McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins, it was Sam Lafferty notching the game-winner with a far-side shot on Stuart Skinner after cutting back inside on Mattias Ekholm off the rush inside the first three minutes of the third period.

“I think just we have some lapses in our game that are self-inflicting, and I think it’s important that you need to clean those up early,” Zach Hyman said. “When that happens the shots may be low, but you’re still giving up opportunities that are hard to save.”

Casey DeSmith stood tall between the pipes for Vancouver in a First-Star performance with 37 saves, and Stuart Skinner stopped 12-of-16 shots for Edmonton in the defeat after being the victim of some well-taken goals from the visitors.

Ekholm returned to the lineup and played 15:47 after missing the entire preseason with a hip flexor injury, while Adam Erne made his Oilers regular-season debut in the defeat after signing a one-year, two-way contract with the club on Friday.

The Oilers now hit the road for a two-game road trip that begins Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators with a 0-2-0 record.

“I thought today was much better than last game, but the same result,” Hyman said. “Obviously we’ll regroup and have a good road trip.”