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This series is going the distance.
The Edmonton Oilers got two quick goals from Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard in the second period, and that was all they needed as they beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6.
Welcome back to the goal column, Zach. š«” pic.twitter.com/gIeuUpeAAC
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 19, 2024
Bouch bomb alert ā¼ļø pic.twitter.com/48K4o0icX1
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 19, 2024
It was the first time this series that the winning team picked up the victory by more than a goal.
After an uncharacteristically quiet Game 5, Connor McDavid was back to his old ways, registering three primary assists in the victory. He currently leads all NHL skaters with 19 assists in 11 postseason games thus far.
Leon Draisaitl had the primary assists on Edmonton’s other tallies. Dylan Holloway, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evander Kane registered those other goals for the Oilers.
WHAT A GOAL BY DYLAN HOLLOWAY š± pic.twitter.com/AolOHnHnR7
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 19, 2024
Nils Hƶglander picked up the lone goal for the Canucks, his first of the postseason.
HOGLANDER TIES IT šØ pic.twitter.com/0tjDbkpWdU
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 19, 2024
Game 7 takes place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Monday at 6:00 pm PT.
“It’s a Game 7,” Rick Tocchet told reporters postgame. “People would kill to be in this situation.”
āWeāre disappointed right now but we are a good bounce-back team. That’s the way I look at it. Our job right now is to flush this game. Some guys know they have to play better but we have 48 hours to get our energy back.”Ā
“I expect us to have a bounce-back. Weāll get some better effort from some guys, I really believe it.”
The Oilers are 1-1 in Game 7’s during the McDavid/Draisaitl era. They lost in Game 7 of Round 2 to the Anaheim Ducks in 2017 during their first playoff run. In 2021, they beat the Los Angeles Kings in Game 7 of Round 1.
“It’s a great challenge,” McDavid told Sportsnet’s Gene Principe when asked about the impending Game 7. “Two good teams going at it that are both playing real good hockey.”
“We’re in enemy territory. You know, it’s fun. It’s great chance for our group to come together and get it done.”
Edmonton is 7-4 all-time in Game 7’s.
For the Canucks and this core with J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, they ended up losing the only Game 7 they’ve played in. That loss occurred during the bubble playoffs in Edmonton, when the Vegas Golden Knights beat them 1-0 in Game 7 of Round Two.
Vancouver has played in more Game 7’s than the Oilers, however they’ve picked up fewer wins. The Canucks are 6-6 all-time in the penultimate playoff contest.
“I don’t know if it’s necessarily what you dream about as a kid, but it’s a great opportunity for our group,” Brock Boeser told reporters following the loss.
“It’s gonna be a hell of a Game 7 back at Rogers.”
Canucks fail to test Skinner
If the Canucks want to shock the hockey world and win Game 7, they’ll have to do a much better job of testing Oilers’ netminder Stuart Skinner.
Skinner had allowed 12 goals on 58 shots in this series heading into Game 6, meaning he’d stopped less than 80% of all shots from the Canucks.
If there was a goalie that should have been tested early and often, it was Skinner. Instead, the Canucks had just nine shots after two periods, and only 15 shots overall.
Canucks captain Quinn Hughes didn’t have an answer for his team’s shooting struggles.
“Good question,” Hughes said when asked about the lack of shots postgame. “We’re going to have to try and get more offence next game.”
Hughes, who had a career-high 17 goals during the regular season, has no goals in these playoffs (nine assists through 12 games).
Boeser elaborated on his team’s shooting struggles, albeit marginally.
“We didnāt shoot enough pucks and get enough bodies there,” Boeser said.
His simple point is astute. On the Canucks only goal from Hƶglander, the feisty winger had enough time alone in front of Skinner to bang home his own rebound. That could have been inspiration for the Canucks. Instead, Vancouver got outworked, especially in the second period when they got outshot 14-5.
The Canucks have recorded 253 shots in these playoffs, which is the second-lowest total through 12 games in NHL playoff history.
Regardless, the Canucks have a chance to get to just their fourth Conference Finals in their 54-year history with a win on Monday. The Oilers should also be hungry to win Game 7, as Edmonton has surprisingly yet to win a Conference Finals game in the McDavid/Draisaitl era.
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