Oilers Beat Canadiens in Thrilling 6-5 Showdown

EDMONTON, AB – The Edmonton Oilers capped off a wild contest with a 6-5 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday at Rogers Place, needing a late goal from Vasily Podkolzin.

The game featured lead changes and plenty of scoring, especially in the second period, when the Canadiens managed three goals in under two minutes. Alex Newhook was pivotal for Montreal, scoring twice, including one power-play goal early in the third period.

Initially, the Oilers took a 3-1 lead with goals from David Tomasek, Adam Henrique, and Andrew Mangiapane. But the Canadiens stormed back, with Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky combining to score three goals, shifting the momentum drastically.

“You can’t let a high-powered team like Montreal get comfortable,” Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. “They capitalized on our mistakes in the second period.”

The game saw Edmonton rally after falling behind, thanks to goals from Leon Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins on the power play. Nugent-Hopkins credited the team for keeping their composure despite the tumultuous game flow.

Podkolzin’s game-winning goal came with just 1:09 left in regulation, a perfect backhand finish that sealed the two points for the Oilers. “Scoring after everything I’ve been through means a lot,” Podkolzin said, referring to his late father’s passing. “I just want to make him proud.”

Montreal’s performance, despite the loss, demonstrated their offensive potency, with multiple players contributing to the scoreboard. Coach Martin St. Louis was proud of the effort but emphasized the need for better defensive consistency moving forward. “We had our chances, but we need to tighten up defensively,” he noted.

The victory marked back-to-back wins for the Oilers, pushing their record to 6-5-0 after overcoming a previous three-game losing streak. With the win, the Oilers are looking to maintain their momentum as they head out on the road this weekend.