Draisaitl scores twice as Oilers beat Canucks 4-1

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Leon Draisaitl scored twice and Darnell Nurse had a goal and an assist, leading the Edmonton Oilers to a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

Evan Bouchard also scored for Edmonton, which improved to 10-3-1 in its last 14 games dating to April 2. Connor McDavid had two assists and Mike Smith made 28 saves.

The Oilers clinched a playoff spot with a 5-3 win over the Canucks on Monday night. The teams play again at Edmonton on Thursday night and Saturday night.

Last-place Vancouver dropped its sixth straight game. Brock Boeser scored his 19th goal for the Canucks, and Thatcher Demko made 23 stops.

Vancouver had the lead before Draisaitl and McDavid sparked a wave of three straight goals in the second.

Draisaitl’s first of the night came off a turnover by Vancouver’s J.T. Miller deep in the Canucks end. McDavid picked off his errant pass and sent it out to Draisaitl, who rifled a snap shot over Demko’s shoulder at 14:29.

The Oilers then grabbed control with a pair of power-play goals. Draisaitl made it 2-1 with his 26th of the season at 17:25, and Bouchard beat Demko with a long shot with 47 seconds left in the period.

Edmonton was 2 for 3 with the man advantage while Vancouver failed to score on four power plays.

Boeser gave the Canucks an early edge on Tuesday, scoring 34 seconds into the game.

Canucks rookie Nils Hoglander powered into the Oilers zone and threw a pass over Nurse, who was sprawled across the top of the crease, trying to break up the play. Boeser jumped on the puck and popped it in past Smith at the side of the net.

WORTH NOTING

Vancouver defenseman Jack Rathbone made his NHL debut. … Canucks forward Tanner Pearson played his 500th NHL game.


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