The Edmonton Oilers threw everything, including the kitchen sink, at Vancouver Canucks goaltender Spencer Martin Tuesday night – 50 shots, to be specific.
It turns out shot no. 50 was the one that made all the difference.
Connor McDavid scored late in overtime on a pass from Darnell Nurse giving the Edmonton Oilers a 3-2 road win over the Vancouver Canucks, their second-straight victory.
“He was amazing,” McDavid said of Martin’s play after the game.
“We had to work for our goals.”
Vancouver Canucks ‘Quinn Hughes (43) dives to reach the puck against Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (97) in front of Vancouver goalie Spencer Martin (30) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, January 25, 2022
THE CANADIAN PRESS / Darryl Dyck
The first period was scoreless with the Oilers applying a ton of pressure in the final two minutes. They finished the frame with 15 shots on Martin, who was making his second start of the season for the Canucks.
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With the teams playing four-on-four in the second, Canucks forward Elias Pettersson wired a long wrist shot past Oilers goaltender Mikko Koskinen. It was the 25th time in the last 29 games the Oilers have allowed the first goal.
With the Oilers on the power play late in the second, McDavid had a look at an open net, but his shot was blocked by Vancouver forward JT Miller. Seconds later, the Canucks’ Tyler Motte tallied on a shorthanded breakaway to make it 2-0.
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The Oilers broke through six-and-a-half minutes into the third when Ryan McLeod beat Martin short side. Four minutes later, just after a power play expired, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins fed Leon Draisaitl, who blasted home his 29th goal of the season.
The pass from Nugent-Hopkins to Draisaitl caught the Oilers’ coach’s attention and praise.
“He’s still getting up to speed when you miss that much time, but he played a real strong game,” Dave Tippett said after the game.
After a frenzied overtime, the game finally ended with just over 23 seconds to go, when Nurse rushed in down the right side. He threw a pass in front to McDavid, who flipped in his 20th.
“I thought we were strong the whole game,” Tippett said.
“We had lots of chances to win it and I was glad to see the final one go in.”
Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid, back center, is mobbed by his teammates after scoring the winning goal during overtime NHL action against the Vancouver Canucks in Vancouver, on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.
THE CANADIAN PRESS / Darryl Dyck
Koskinen, who stopped Motte on another shorthanded breakaway in overtime, made 25 saves for the win.
Martin made 47 saves.
The Oilers (20-16-2) will host Nashville on Thursday.
–With files from David Boles, 630 CHED
Vancouver Canucks’ Nils Hoglander, left, of Sweden, skates with the puck around the back of the net behind Edmonton Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen, of Finland, during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, January 25, 2022 .
THE CANADIAN PRESS / Darryl Dyck
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