GAME RECAP: Canucks 5, Oilers 4

EDMONTON, AB -Connor McDavid scored a spectacular solo goal, but the Edmonton Oilers were beaten 5-4 in pre-season action by the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night in Abbotsford, BC.
The Canucks went 3-for-8 with the man advantage, receiving a pair of power-play goals from Elias Pettersson, to help earn their first exhibition victory of their pre-season schedule.
McDavid ended the night with a goal and assist, while Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and James Hamblin each got on the scoresheet with goals for Edmonton in the defeat. Goaltender Stuart Skinner played the full 60 minutes for the Oilers and made 18 saves on 23 shots.
These two Pacific Division rivals will meet again, this time with real points on the line, when the Canucks visit Rogers Place for next Wednesday's regular-season opener.

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FIRST BLOOD

Skinner made the first stop off a hard point shot from Oliver Ekman-Larsson just as Darnell Nurse was exiting the penalty box inside the final five minutes of the first period, but forward Nils Hoglander was the quickest to react to the rebound and bat the puck in from a tight angle after escaping the reach of Philip Broberg in front.
The Canucks took a 1-0 lead and a 12-9 shot advantage into the first intermission.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Connor looks to be hitting his stride at the right time with the start to the regular season just one week away.
McDavid created one of the nicest pre-season goals you'll ever see after a quick pass from Nurse set the captain off through the neutral zone. The captain split the first line of defence from Conor Garland and Jason Dickinson before breaking over the blueline, burning defenceman Quinn Hughes wide and lifting his shot over Spencer Martin's left shoulder into the short side of the net for a spectacular equalizing goal.
It was McDavid's first of the exhibition slate and there's not much else he needs to show when it comes to being ready for the regular season.

NOT 'SHORT' OF BREATH

Hyman provided an early glimpse of his prowess on the penalty kill by giving the Oilers lead shorthanded.
With Nurse in the box for a double-minor highsticking call, Nugent-Hopkins cleared the puck as Hyman recognized the space and darted up the ice in pursuit with one Canucks defenceman looking to intercept him. But Hyman had plenty of speed to beat the defender and fool Martin with a forehand-to-backhand move that involved some good fortune after the puck bounced up off his stick and over the Canucks goaltender.
Hyman's shorthanded goal temporarily gave the Oilers a 2-1 lead before Tanner Pearson tied things back up less than a minute later on the extended power play.

BEND BUT DON'T BREAK(AWAY)

The Canucks had their chances one-on-one against Skinner on Wednesday night, but Big Stu wasn't having any of it.
The 23-year-old netminder made three stellar break-away saves over the 60 minutes, first looking off Petterson's in-alone opportunity in the opening minutes of the hockey game. Nils Oman had a half-break early in the second period and tried to sneak a forehand shot under his left arm, but Skinner stood tall.
Skinner's sharpest break-away stop came in the final minute of the second frame with the game tied at two when Bo Horvat tried to dangle and slide his shot under the netminder, but Skinner flashed the right pad to keep things tied through 40 minutes.

PENALTY TROUBLE

Any time you take eight minor penalties, you're fighting an uphill battle. The Oilers were forced to play a man down for nearly a full period of game time, including an extended four-minute high-sticking penalty from Nurse in the second period that saw Hyman score shorthanded and Pearson answer back with Vancouver's first power-play goal.
Petterson added two PPG's that were vital to the final scoreline in the third period as the Canucks were able to utilize the man advantage to go 3-for-8 in an eventual 5-4 loss for the Oilers. The Oilers have now taken a total of 38 penalties in seven pre-season games.

"When you give their skill that much time, especially 5-on-3, it's asking too much. It's a bridge too far," Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said. "For us, it's an area that we're going to have to clean up going forward. We were one of the most-disciplined teams in the League last year, we're going to need that going forward, and we want to make sure we're the team drawing penalties and not taking them."

PARTING WORDS

Hyman on tonight's defeat:
"Not a lot of rhythm. It was kind of a speacial teams game for a lot of it. Just have to be sharper."
Coach Woodcroft on the positives from the defeat:
"What I really liked, and I'm going to go back to it, was our compete level. We weren't out of it all the way until the end. I thought our leaders really dug in. It's a pre-season game, but it was important to make sure we put our best foot forward. I thought we did, found a way in a game where we took 10 penalties, to score four goals and be right in it until the very end. There were some good things, but some stuff that needs to get cleaned up."

Hamblin provides his thoughts on the game:
"It was definitely a battle. I felt like there were times where we really pressed hard, and I felt like there were times where they really pressed hard as well. Obviously there are things that we want to do better, and when you give up five goals, that's not a winnign recipe. I think we can be better in that area."
Hamblin on the areas the Oilers need to work on heading into the regular season:
"It kind of seemed like we turned a few pucks over that led to a couple outnumbered rushes and a couple breakaways. Obviously, you don't want that happening once in a game, let alone three or four times. Simple plays like that and just making sure we're bearing down at both bluelines."