The Edmonton Oilers (4-3-1) hosted the Montreal Canadiens (6-3-0) in an all-Canadian game on Thursday evening (October 23). The Oilers returned home for a quick one-game stop after a 3-2 overtime victory against the Ottawa Senators to conclude their long five-game road trip. Meanwhile, the Canadiens were in the second half of a back-to-back, beating the Calgary Flames 2-1 with an overtime win of their own. This was a wild one like the Oilers came away with the 6-5 victory in a back-and-forth affair. Here is your game overview.
Summary of the game
Montreal opened the scoring 7:28 into the first period after a strong forecheck, forcing a turnover. Lane Hutson funneled the puck to the net, and Alex Newhook pounced on the loose puck and buried it, past goaltender Calvin Pickard, for his second of the young season.
Edmonton tied the game thanks to David Tomasek’s first NHL goal (16:12) in the opening frame. His slap shot hit Newhook’s skate and passed goalkeeper Sam Montembeault. The game was tied after the first period, despite Montreal having the better scoring chances and shooting out to a 12-6 lead.
Related: Projected lineups for Oilers vs Canadiens – 10/23/25
The Oilers took the lead 10:27 into the second period. Jake Walman’s point shot was redirected by Adam Henrique in the high slot, through the five hole, for his second goal of the campaign. Then Andrew Mangiapane made it 3-1 for his third of the season (13:28 into the period). Off the cycle, Connor McDavid’s pass to Darnell Nurse went off the end boards, but Nurse’s pass found Mangiapane in the slot, and he made no mistake.
After another strong cross, Montreal made it 3-2 16:57 into the period. Jake Evans’ tenacity forced a turnover and found Josh Anderson in the slot, who buried it upstairs. Moments later, the Canadiens tied the game. Cole Caufield received the cross-seam pass, dangled around the defender and tucked it past Pickard. Then Caufield gave them the lead with another quick one. Off the rush, Caufield fired a shot under the netminder’s arm for their third goal in less than two minutes. Montreal held a 21-14 shots advantage with a one-goal advantage heading into the third period.
Montreal continued to pour it out in the third period. All five Oilers stood still and Oliver Kapanen found Newhook wide open in the closing stages, and he made no mistake making it 5-3 (2:10) in the period.
Edmonton responded to make it 5-4 on the power play. McDavid pulled a pass from behind the net and Leon Draisaitl buried it under the blue paint. Montreal was awarded an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after that goal, and on the ensuing power play the Oilers tied the score thanks to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ fifth of the season. McDavid’s saucer pass found Nugent-Hopkins and his backhand went up, over the glove.
Then Vasily Podkolzin gave Edmonton the lead with 1:09 left in the final frame. He received a pass in front of the net and his backhand went over Montembeault’s glove for his first of the season. That was the game winner as the Oilers won a wild one.
The Oilers hit the road for a two-game weekend trip, starting against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday (October 25). Meanwhile, the Canadiens continue their four-game Western Conference road trip against the Vancouver Canucks the same day. Keep following The hockey writers for all your NHL content throughout the season.
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