Following a win in their season opener, the Vancouver Canucks hit the road for an all-Canadian matchup in Edmonton on Saturday night as they face the Oilers on Hockey Night in Canada.
The Canucks came up big on Thursday night, kicking things off in style with a 5-1 win over the Calgary Flames. They now set their sights on Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, aiming to build on the momentum generated in their home opener.
Head Coach Adam Foote said his team will refocus on their new opponent and adjust accordingly for the challenges that the Oilers present.
Arshdeep Bains spoke to the media on Friday and is excited about facing the Oilers in a big Saturday night game.
“They play fast; they have superstar talent,” said Bains. “It’s going to be a good challenge for us. We’re a group that relies on every guy in this room, and we’ve got a lot of lines, a lot of guys in this room that when we dig in are hard to play against.”
Quick Hits on the Competition
- The Oilers opened their season on Wednesday in a 4-3 shootout loss at the hands of the Flames. They have not played a game since Wednesday.
- Their big guns came out firing in the first game of the season; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had three points (1g-2a), while Leon Draisaitl (1g-1a) and Connor McDavid (0g-2a) had two points apiece.
- David Tomasek is a newcomer to the NHL but has a lot of experience in pro hockey overseas. The 29-year-old forward has been a top point-producer in the SHL over the past two seasons and is currently playing a role on the Oilers’ top power play unit.
- Evan Bouchard was the top minute-muncher in the Oilers’ only game this season, playing 28:42, including 97 seconds during the overtime period.
- Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard are the duo between the pipes for the Oilers. Skinner played in the season opener. Last season, he had a 26-18-4 record, a 2.81 goal-against average, and a 0.896 save percentage.
- 21-year-old forward, Isaac Howard, is a rookie for the Oilers. He was selected 31st overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and won the 2025 Hobey Baker Award for the top player in the NCAA.
The Story: Saturday Night Lights
Saturdays were good for the Canucks last season, as they posted an 11-5-3 record.
This weekend will be the first of 19 games on Saturdays this season.
Quinn Hughes had seven goals and 10 assists through 16 games on Saturdays last season. His 17 points led the team.
Brock Boeser was the team leader in goals with nine in 16 games. He also led the team with three game-winning goals.
Evander Kane has played in 220 NHL games on Saturdays and has 64 goals and 67 assists for 131 points over his career.
When and Where to Watch
Saturday’s game is a 7:00 p.m. PT start time, and you can watch the game on Hockey Night in Canada or listen to Brendan Batchelor’s radio call on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network.
