The Oilers extinguish the Canucks

Mangiapane's lone snap keeps Edmonton burning

Two first nights, both dark

The Edmonton Oilers knew how qualification night could end. In 2024-25 the Calgary Flames snuffed them on the first night. In 2023-24 the Minnesota Wild did the same. The Vancouver Canucks came in with better Gauntlet memories, a quarterfinal run last time out and a round of 16 trip the year before. At Rogers Place, one candle on the West shelf would go dark before the tournament had properly begun.

Demko bends, then breaks

Thatcher Demko kept the Oilers off the board through a scoreless first and well into the second. Then, at 12:21 of the middle period, Noah Philp snapped one past him, set up by Kasperi Kapanen and Vasily Podkolzin. With 51 seconds left before the break, Andrew Mangiapane snapped another home, alone, with no assist. That goal stood as the winner. Demko finished with 34 saves on 36 shots, and it wasn't enough.

Boeser answers, Draisaitl seals

Vancouver struck back 47 seconds into the third, Brock Boeser wristing in a feed from Quinn Hughes and Jake DeBrusk. After that, Calvin Pickard shut the door, finishing with 14 saves on 15 shots. Philp went off for cross checking at 16:55, but Leon Draisaitl closed it at 18:47 with a backhand into the empty net, set up by Darnell Nurse and Connor McDavid. The Canucks' flame went cold. Edmonton burned on, one of 17 still lit.