The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination on Saturday night, defeating the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 to tie their second-round playoff series 3-3. Game 7 will be played in Vancouver on Monday.
“It was a good win, but it only gets us one more game,” said Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse. “We have to approach it as a new game and take it one at a time.”
Edmonton Defeats Canucks to Extend Series
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for Edmonton and came after a disappointing performance in Game 5. Goalie Stuart Skinner had a strong game in his return to the net, and forward Dylan Holloway got the Oilers on the scoreboard early.
“The series has been tight,” said Oilers captain Connor McDavid. “I expect another close game in Game 7. Both teams will be better than they were in the previous game.”
McDavid had three assists in the win, and teammate Leon Draisaitl reached a playoff points milestone with two assists. Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also had big games for Edmonton, with a goal and two assists each.
With the series tied, all eyes are on the crucial Game 7. The winner will advance to the Western Conference Finals to face the Dallas Stars.
“There’s no time to celebrate,” McDavid said. “We just bought ourselves another day. We expect Vancouver to play their best game, and it should be a great Game 7.”
