EDMONTON, AB – Hold this 'L' for us, would you?
The Edmonton Oilers earned retribution against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night by defeating their Pacific Division rivals 6-2 at Rogers Place, exacting revenge for their captain Connor McDavid and getting payback for their defeat on the West Coast this past weekend.
"A big team win," Zach Hyman said. "With Connor out, everybody needed to step up, and I thought it was a good four-line performance. All the D contributed, and then Picks played great, so it was a good team win. Coming off two losses, you want to nip it in the bud I thought we did a really good job."
Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman had big nights, posting three points apiece in the victory and helping the Blue & Orange jump out to a 3-0 lead in the opening frame with goals along with forward Adam Henrique's seventh goal of the campaign.
Draisaitl had a goal and two assists, extending his NHL lead for goals with his 35th of the season while pulling to within one point of Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon for the League lead with 74 points in 48 games.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored one of Edmonton's two power-play goals on four opportunities on Thursday to go along with an assist before winger Kasperi Kapanen rounded out his team's performance with his sixth goal of the season during the third period.
Centre Noah Philp recorded his second career NHL assist as one of 11 different Oilers who found the scoresheet, while goaltender Calvin Pickard held down the Oilers crease with 24 saves to earn his 12th victory of the campaign.
"It was a great game from us," said Corey Perry, who had a vintage performance with an assist and getting under the skin of the Canucks. "We found a way to put the puck in the back of the net tonight and capitalize on our chances."
The Oilers continue their season-high six-game homestand at Rogers Place on Saturday with a matinée matchup against the Buffalo Sabres.