In a stunning turn of events that will either the Edmonton Oilers shell-shocked or totally motivated for Game 2, the Vancouver Canucks staged a remarkable comeback to snatch a 5-4 victory from the jaws of defeat in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series. Dakota Joshua emerged as force, with J.T. Miller having a big game during Vancouver’s third-period surge. Connor Garland scored the game-winner as Vancouver took an early series lead. Connor McDavid was held without a shot on goal in a playoff game for the first time in his career.
The Canucks comeback began right around the time Leon Draisaitl went to the locker room with an injury scare. He didn’t return for the second but came out for the third. He wasn’t the same and that uncertainty seemed to shift the tide as the Canucks put their foot on the pedal and the Oilers failed to register a shot in over 20 minutes of play.
What will irk the Oilers the most is that they came out to a strong start and held a 4-1 lead. It was 4-2 going into the final frame and the game slipped from their grasp as the Canucks mounted an impressive offensive onslaught. Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm contributed to the Canucks’ scoring spree, with crucial goals also coming from Miller and Garland late. Carson Soucy played a facilitating role with a pair of assists.
The Oilers, with goals by Zach Hyman (two), Mattias Ekholm, and Cody Ceci, appeared poised to secure a Game 1 victory. However, the Canucks relentlessly pressed forward, outshooting Edmonton 19-7 in the second and third periods combined. Despite a promising start with 14 shots in the first 33 minutes and 20 seconds, they managed just two shots in the final 26 minutes and 40 seconds, including a staggering 22 minutes and 34 seconds without a single shot. Stuart Skinner said of the loss, “We definitely gave them this one.”
Coach Kris Knoblauch cited cramping and equipment issues as factors contributing to Leon Draisaitl’s reduced minutes during the third period. Oilers fans can only hope that’s all that is bugging him.
Oilers Know They Blew It, Canucks Feeling Good About Comeback
In post-game reflections, both teams acknowledged the emotional rollercoaster of playoff hockey. Ekholm expressed disappointment in the team’s inability to maintain their performance in the final minutes, while acknowledging the need to regroup for the next game. “They get three quick ones and that’s the game right there. I think we can be encouraged by the way we played the first 50 minutes. A little bit of a disappointing ending.” Meanwhile, Joshua said of the Canucks’ win, “The patience. The resiliency. The ‘stick-with-it’ paid off.”
With Game 2 looming just two days away, the Oilers will need to address their lapses and regain control of the series before it slips further from their grasp. The Canucks need to keep up the level of confidence they now feel knowing they can come back from three down and shut down an offensively potent team like the Oilers.
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