Canucks farmhands come up short against powerful Oilers
Edmonton still perfect in pre-season after topping collection of future Comets
Kailer Yamamoto and Iiro Pakarinen both scored two goals as the Edmonton Oilers emerged with a 5-3 NHL preseason victory Friday against the Vancouver Canucks.
Leon Draisaitl also scored for the Oilers, who are perfect in preseason play with a 4-0 record.
Michael Carcone, Anton Rodin and Jalen Chatfield replied for the Canucks (2-3-0), who dressed what is primarily their American Hockey League roster with the bulk of the big-league team in China to play the Los Angeles Kings.
After Edmonton had a goal by defenceman Keegan Lowe called off because of a Canuck dislodging the net, Vancouver was able to take a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal with seven minutes remaining in the first period.
Carcone skated in from the point with the man advantage and beat Oilers goalie Laurent Brossoit to the glove side.
The Oilers tied it with 25 seconds remaining in the opening period, as Milan Lucic sprung Draisaitl on a breakaway and he buried it past Vancouver goalie Richard Bachman.
Edmonton went up 2-1 five minutes into the middle frame when Chris Kelly sent a pass across to Yamamoto and the Oilers’ 2017 first-round draft pick made no mistake, scoring his third goal of the pre-season, and earning his fourth point in three exhibition games.
The Oilers added to their lead midway through the second when Pakarinen scored on a short-handed breakaway.
The Canucks pulled within one four minutes into the third period, as Rodin picked off a pass and went in alone, beating Brossoit with a wrist shot.
Edmonton responded quickly as Pakarinen rifled in his second of the game from the top of the circle.
The Oilers padded their lead with a power-play goal as Draisaitl found Yamamoto at the side of the net for his second of the contest.
Vancouver got one back with six minutes left, as Chatfield scored on a point shot.