Cotter nets winner as Canucks edge Edmonton Oilers 6-5 in OT thriller

Cotter nets winner as Canucks edge Edmonton Oilers 6-5 in OT thriller

Published 10:15 pm Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Newcomer Paul Cotter scored twice, including the winner 1:58 into overtime, lifting the visiting Vancouver Canucks to a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Edmonton Oilers as both teams opened their NHL season Tuesday at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

Marco Rossi, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, centre Elias Petterson and Max Sasson also scored for the Canucks, who finished last overall a season ago and were playing their first game under new head coach Manny Malhotra. Filip Hronek added two assists for Vancouver and goalie Kevin Lankinen stopped 30 of 35 shots to earn the win in goal.

Evan Bouchard had a monster game in a losing cause, scoring three times and helping on two others. Former Canuck Vasily Podkolzin had the other two goals for the Oilers, who dropped their first game under new head coach Mike Babcock. Connor McDavid added two helpers.

PAUL COTTER CALLS GAME. pic.twitter.com/FuKcptPukC

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 30, 2026

Cotter welcomed back NHL play with Vancouver’s first goal, a shorthanded tally at 9:51 of the first period. After Lankinen made a huge save off Leon Draisaitl, Cotter broke loose on a 2-on-1 with Arshdeep Bains and fired a shot past Jarry for the first shorthanded goal of his career.

Edmonton tied things at 1-1 at 16:26 when Bouchard floated a point shot past a screened Lankinen.

Shots after one period favoured the Oilers, 13-5.

Rossi restored Vancouver’s one-goal lead 2:07 into the second period. After defenceman Jamie Oleksiak blocked a shot in the Vancouver zone, Rossi raced free and slotted a shot past Jarry to make it 2-1 for the Canucks.

Edmonton drew even again at 14:34 when McDavid found Bouchard in the slot and the blue-liner beat Lankinen for his second of the game.

The Oilers held a 22-12 shots advantage heading into the third period.

Lekkerimaki put the Canucks up 3-2 just 70 seconds into the third, ripping a shot from the right faceoff circle past Jarry. Less than two minutes later, Sasson boosted the lead to 4-2, taking a nice feed from Drew O’Connor in the slot and slipped a backhand behind Jarry. At 5:15, Pettersson tipped home a point shot from Filip Hronek on the power play to make it 5-2.

POWER PLAY PETEY TO MAKE IT 5-2! pic.twitter.com/F2xTgZtkZs

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 30, 2026

Edmonton battled back, with Podkolzin scoring at 8:56 and Bouchard completing his hat trick 24 seconds later.

The Oilers had a late power-play chance and pulled Jarry for a six-on-four advantage. With 41.8 seconds left, Podkolzin scored his second of the game, a laser from the left offensive circle, to pull Edmonton even at 5-5.

Shots at the end of regulation favoured the Oilers 36-21.

Cotter gave the Canucks the victory in 3-on-3 overtime, doing some nice forechecking work and getting a pass from Sasson before backhanding the winner past Jarry.

NOTES: The Canucks were without injured players Thatcher Demko (hip) and Filip Chytil (shoulder), while Aatu Raty, Guillaume Brisebois and Victor Mancini were healthy scratches… Brendan Gallagher made his Vancouver debut after coming over in the off-season from the Montreal Canadiens… Vancouver was 1-for-2 on the power play, while Edmonton was 1-for-4… The teams meet again Thursday (7 p.m.) in Vancouver.