Draisaitl scores twice as Oilers edge Canucks

[December 02, 2019]  Leon Draisaitl's second goal of the game early in the third period was the winner as the visiting Edmonton Oilers beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Sunday in the second half of a home-and-home series on consecutive nights.

Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen made 30 saves and earned the victory thanks to Draisaitl's marker 46 seconds into the final frame, his second power-play goal of the night. While the defenders were focused on his teammates, Draisaitl found a soft spot at the bottom of the right circle and quickly released the shot after taking a feed.

Draisaitl and Connor McDavid -- who collected two assists -- both reached the 50-point mark. They are the first Oilers teammates with 50 points prior to the 30-game mark since Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri in the 1984-85 season.

Alex Chiasson also collected two assists for Edmonton, which was without goalie Mike Smith (leg), forward Zack Kassian (back) and defenseman Kris Russell (personal), from Saturday's game. Defenseman Matt Benning returned to the lineup after missing five games due to a concussion, but was hit in the head by a puck late in the first period and didn't return.

Despite the Canucks holding the early advantage in play, Edmonton's Josh Archibald scored his first goal of the season when he redirected Darnell Nurse's shot-pass from the point at 9:09 of the first period.

In turn, the Canucks took a 2-1 lead. Brock Boeser put the hosts on the board with five minutes remaining in the opening frame. Boeser netted his 70th career goal in his 168th game, the third fastest ever that a Canucks player reached that mark behind Pavel Bure and Tony Tanti, by redirecting a cross-ice pass from Quinn Hughes.

Oilers goaltender Mikko Koskinen (19) blocks a shot on net by the Vancouver Canucks during the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Leivo then put the Canucks ahead at 12:06 of the second period by pouncing on a loose puck for his fourth goal of the season. But Draisaitl's power-play goal 105 seconds later equaled the score at 2-2. Draisaitl set up shop near the right faceoff dot and one-timed the pass from McDavid for his 17th of the season.

Jacob Markstrom stopped 25 shots for Vancouver, which was without defenseman Alex Edler, who was injured in Saturday's game. Oscar Fantenberg made his regular-season debut in his place.

--Field Level Media

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