Vancouver @ Edmonton preview
Rogers Place
Last Meeting ( Oct 11, 2023 ) Edmonton 1, Vancouver 8
Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers have found the positive of their season-opening debacle and are ready to make amends when they play host to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
The Canucks handed the heavily favored Oilers an 8-1 drubbing in Vancouver in the first half of the home-and-home set. Now, the Oilers will set out to prove their mettle in their home opener.
"Obviously, we didn't want that to happen, no doubt about it, but we did and we'll learn from it and we'll move on," Draisaitl said. "Sometimes it's good to get smacked a little bit and get back to work."
Draisaitl, who has collected at least one point in 19 consecutive games against the Canucks (netting 14 goals and 17 assists in that streak), added: "They're going to see a different team from us."
While Draisaitl meant his club will provide a better performance, the Oilers expect a noteworthy change to their roster, as well. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm missed the opener due to a hip flexor issue that nagged him through training camp, but appears ready to take his spot on the top pairing with Evan Bouchard.
In turn, the Oilers will be able to team Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci as another pairing and place Brett Kulak and Philip Broberg together for the third duo.
"I think part of us holding him back from the last game was more just us trying to get as smart as possible getting Mattias what he needs in order to feel ready to play," coach Jay Woodcroft said.
The Canucks are kicking off a five-game road trip and looking to build off the good vibrations of their victory, which tied a franchise record for most goals in a season opener.
While Vancouver is pegged to be at best a bubble team in the playoff chase, the win is a huge confidence boost, especially for Brock Boeser.
Boeser, who has struggled the past few seasons due to injuries and personal issues, collected a natural hat trick en route to the first four-goal game of his career and tied the record for most by a Canucks player in a season opener (Greg Adams on Oct. 8, 1987, and Rick Blight on Oct. 6, 1976).
"I got to that mindset in the summer where I've got to be a better hockey player and really work hard," said Boeser, who is trying for the first 30-goal season of his career. "I came back and it continues every day. I've got to have that same mindset tomorrow, the next practice, the morning skate, I've got to keep it going."
J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson both scored one goal in four-point outings, and captain Quinn Hughes collected three assists in the lopsided victory.
Now, the pressure is on to drum up another win against an Oilers squad out for revenge.
"We didn't give them many opportunities," Miller said. "It means a lot. ... We knew this matchup was probably coming and when you go against the best in the world (Connor McDavid and Draisaitl), it's very exciting and challenging."
The Canucks, whose lineup was one player short for the season opener, will add forward Jack Studnicka. Vancouver remains without forwards Teddy Blueger and Ilya Mikheyev as well as defensemen Guillaume Brisebois and Carson Soucy.
--Field Level Media