Boeser sets the pace as Canucks spoil Oilers’ opener
EDMONTON — Brock Boeser and the Vancouver Canucks took advantage of the Edmonton Oilers’ defensive lapses to win their opening game of the NHL season late Wednesday.
Boeser scored twice in the third, including the winner, in the 5-3 win in front of no fans and canned crowd noise at Rogers Place.
Bo Horvat, Adam Gaudette, and rookie Nils Hoglander also scored for Vancouver. Braden Holtby made 28 saves for his first win as a Canuck.
Kailer Yamamoto, Darnell Nurse and Adam Larsson replied for Edmonton. Mikko Koskinen stopped 30-of-35 shots for the loss.
“Obviously, there are still things we got to clean up but for the most part I thought the guys battled really hard,” said Horvat.
“We kept our game simple fairly early and let our skill take over after that.”
Vancouver head coach Travis Green said Boeser’s game has gone up a notch this year.
“Even the second goal, I don’t know if he scores that goal a year ago,” Green said. “His release point, he can change it a little bit better. But it’s not just the goals. I thought his two-way game was solid tonight."
Edmonton head coach Dave Tippett didn’t mince words on his team’s performance.
"Poor puck play and poor reads led to Grade-A chances against. Give enough of them and they're going to capitalize," said Tippett. "If we want to be harder team to play against, those are the ones that have to come out of our game."
The Canucks won despite not having winger J.T. Miller in the lineup. Miller, their top scorer from last season, and depth defenceman Jordie Benn had to sit out as per COVID19 protocol.
Oiler captain Connor McDavid, playing on his 24th birthday, was held scoreless but buzzed around the net, driving on Holtby relentlessly and drawing multiple penalties.
Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl, the reigning Art Ross Trophy winner as the league's top point getter, registered one assist.
The two teams played again in Edmonton Thursday night in what will be a 56-game regular-season sprint over 115 days, but a score was not available at press time.