The Edmonton Oilers put together a convincing appearance to make up for losing control of the season opener. The match could have easily been 6-1 were it not for the Canucks goaltender standing on his head through most of the night.

The first action of the night came from Alec Regula, who sent a shot in from the Vancouver blueline that was deflected past Thatcher Demko by Darnell Nurse. The goal was immediately called off due to high sticking and the game remained scoreless.

Edmonton would be held off the scoresheet for the next twenty minutes. Noah Philp drove into the Canucks end through center ice with Kapanen on his wing. After a quick give and go play Philp fired a wrist shot past Demko’s glove side for his first career NHL goal, and Edmonton’s first goal of the night.

Mangipane extended the lead to 2, beating Demko through the legs after Vancouver turned over the puck in their own end during a 4-on-4. Mangiapane had time and space in the slot, and he wasted no time capitalizing.

Vancouver struck back early in the third period. Brock Boeser beat Calvin Pickard with a spin move in the left circle to cut Edmonton’s lead down to one.

The former Oiler Evander Kane got into a bit of trouble with two seperate questionable hits on Alec Regula. Kane seemed apologetic to his former squad, but he plays a heavy game, and he didn’t back away from his former comrades out of friendliness. No fights came out of his scrambles, though it got close.

Demko robbed Draisaitl of a power play goal with a desperate glove save on a wide open net for his best save of the night, and it was almost enough to steal Vancouver the win.

The Canucks went to the powerplay in the dying minutes after a fed up Noah Philp cross checked Evander Kane. Vancouver came within millimeters of tying the game, but Pickard was up for the task and kept the Oilers in it long enough to strike back while short handed. Vancouver pulled their goalie to make their powerplay a 6-on-4, but it wasn’t enough. Mcdavid was able to wrangle the puck to Leon Draisaitl who back handed the puck from center ice to put the game out of reach.

The final score was 3-1, and it would have been a blow out were it not for the Vancouver netminder. Demko saved 34 of 36 shots faced, and kept Edmonton scoreless through five power plays; there’s room for improvement.

Edmonton played a great defensive game that smothered the Canucks offence. Pickard only had to face 15 shots through the night, saving 14.

The Oilers are now preparing for a five game road trip, starting Tuesday against the New York Rangers.