During the last pre-season match of the 2025-26 season, the Edmonton Oilers went to Vancouver with a mainly complete range to face the Vancouver cannucks. Stuart Skinner was absent because of the disease, Jake Walman was still not ready and Mattias Janmark was injured, another week. Of course, there was still no Zach Hyman. Meanwhile, the cannucks also ice most of their starters, so it was as close to a real match as the pre-season would offer.
The question for cannucks would be if they could contain the upper line of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Trent Frederic, who combined for seven points in the previous pre-season match between these two teams.
The cannucks allowed Draisaitl to get one on the power game, but they did a much better work limiting the chances of the upper line. The oilers increased by 2-1, but the Canucks marked two, including a winner in overtime by Conor Garland to give the Canucks the 3-2 victory.
EDM lineage against Van:
Draisaitl – McDavid – Frédéric
Podkolzin – RNH – Mangiapane
Henrique – Philp – Savoie
Howard – Tomasek – Kapanen
Ekholm – Bouchard
Nurse – Stecher
Kulak – Emberson
Pickard
Tomkins
Screenings of the Oilers season at the beginning of 2025-26: the guards
Projections of the Oilers season at the beginning of 2025-26: the attackers
Screenings of the Oilers season at the beginning of 2025-26: Defense
First period:
The opening period was played quite evenly, Vancouver holding a slight advantage in the shots. It was the last plan of the period which was the best of the first 20 minutes, and it gave Vancouver an advance in the intermission.
The cannucks have generated the most dangerous looks.
The oilers won the first power game when Kiefer Sherwood was called upon to trip. David Tomasek took on the role of the front of the net and almost converted on a smooth flow of McDavid, but Thatcher Demko dismissed him. The second unit of Edmonton had trouble supporting the momentum, with Ike Howard Fanning on a pass that blocked the sequence.
Outside the box, Sherwood almost created a chance in the other direction, but Calvin Pickard came out aggressively to deny it.
At 5:48 p.m., Kasperi Kapanen was whistled for interference, sending Vancouver to his first advantage. Former oil Evander Kane forced Pickard to a solid backup, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has generated a digital disadvantage look. But with 9.3 seconds in the context, Jonathan Lekkerimäki won a high shot on the Pickard glove to break the dead end. Braeden Coots picked up the assistance, giving the Canucks an advance of 1-0.
Second period:
Leon Draisaitl opened the second period with substantial change, presenting his skills to protect the washers. He considered that he should have taken a penalty when he was withdrawn, but he did not receive the call. The first whistle did not come before 3:12 am, and through the first five minutes, neither parts generated a lot of offense because the game remained blurred.
Edmonton finally rejected with a certain time of prolonged zone, highlighted by a pair of chances, the best of Andrew Mangiapane. Vancouver managed to survive pressure. In an additional four minutes, checked before the next stop, during which Teddy Blueger forced Calvin Pickard in a solid backup.
The cannucks started to take momentum, but he was quickly interrupted when David Tomasek took Kasperi Kapanen on the race. Kapanen hammered a single Demko anemier and changed games in favor of Edmonton.
A few moments later, the pressure of Noah Philp, Matthew Savoie and Adam Henrique aroused a maintenance penalty, sending the Oilers to the power game. Edmonton has lost a short time to convert – Evan Bouchard’s shot produced a rebound that landed on Draisaitl’s stick, which he buried to give the oilers an advance of 2 to 1.
Third period:
Defender Elias Pettersston did not return to start the third period after having shot the chin of his teammate Vasily Podkolzin, but he joined the game around the 2:30 am, indicating that it was good to continue.
The oilers opened the frame with an early chance by Andrew Mangiapane, who could not quite draw the washer from his backhand to tighten the forehand on Thatcher Demko. Vancouver responded with a strong change around the three -minute brand, Ourlant Edmonton, before the oilers postponed with a few dangerous looks, led by Mangiapane.
Mattias Ekholm took the first penalty of the period, and the cannucks made it pay. Jonathan Lekkerimäki exploded his second goal at night at home, wiring a stopwatch in front of Calvin Pickard to do it 2-2.
The game opened halfway, with chances at both ends. Edmonton encountered penalty problems shortly after, while Mangiapane was called upon to shake and Leon Draisaitl for removing the Pettersson helmet, placing the two men. Evander Kane then stumbled Ty Emberson, leading to a brief situation of 4 against 3 after a dead time of the Canucks. Remarkably, the Oilers killed the three penalties.
While time ended, several Edmonton rushes were interrupted before being able to develop. Connor McDavid tried to generate speed through the neutral area a few times, but has been refused each time by the defense of Vancouver.
In the last minute, the Oilers instructed their higher line to the winner’s search, but could not break through. The regulations ended with the teams in the dead end of 2 to 2, sending the match to the overtime.
Over time:
The cannucks checked the game during the first 90 seconds of extension, pulling the washer in and out of the area. Conor Garland finally danced around a tired trio of McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard. He passed it in front of Pickard and the cannucks won the victory.
There were light points for the Oilers, including Tomasek, who had a lot of opportunities to be a difference manufacturer. There was a solid mangiapane agitation and a notable speed of Savoy.
Edmonton will now finalize his list cuts and prepare for the season’s opening match on Wednesday, October 8.
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