Canucks Win 3-2 Thriller vs. Oilers in Game 5, Lead Series 3-2 – Hockey Writers – Vancouver Canucks
A series that has entertained and inspired plenty of hot talking points in four matches came to a head in Game 5 between the Edmonton Oilers and the Vancouver Canucks. Top changes, weird penalties, more battles between Nikita Zadorov and Evander Kane, and a game-winning goal in the last minute when many were bracing for overtime. At the end of the night, the Canucks skated away with a 3-2 victory and now hold the series lead by that same number with Game 6 waiting in the wings.
An Unexpected Story Goes Down on the Phone
It's getting harder and harder to find new superlatives to describe rivalries between the Oilers and Canucks, but Game 5 was as memorable and intense as they get. Edmonton's renewed energy from a dramatic Game 4 victory showed in the early stages of Thursday's battle as Evander Kane scored an early goal to take a 1-0 lead. The Oilers came out with more pep in their swing contests, but the Canucks didn't take long to turn around. Carson Soucy tied the score and scored his first goal of the playoffs with a low-handed shot through traffic that deflected off Calvin Pickard. Berries kept coming when – still in the first half – Edmonton broke two-on-one balls that led to Soucy falling to the ground during a turnover while attacking. That allowed Mattias Janmark to put home a biscuit for a 2-1 Oilers lead.
From the second half onwards, Vancouver began to take better control of the contest and started to tie the score with Phillip Di Giuseppe's spin-o-rama backhand goal. But the best is saved for last, at least in the Canucks' case. With only 33 seconds left in regulation and the score tied at 2-2, Vancouver came out on offense. Elias Lindholm sent the puck into the crease where it ricocheted off Elias Pettersson's skate, bounced off the post and landed where JT Miller was skating. Miller slammed the puck home into a gaping net, rocking the Rogers Arena crowd.
Related: Playoff Insights: Analyst Breaks down Canucks vs. Oilers Series
Another irony is that Edmonton won Game 4 with their last goal. This series is full of surprises, making Game 6 must-see TV. Speaking of which, the Canucks and Oilers renewed their battle in Edmonton on Saturday night.
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