Oilers rally to beat Canadiens 6-5 in wild all-Canadian affair

The Edmonton Oilers proved once again why they’re never out of a hockey game, staging a remarkable third-period comeback to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 6-5 at Rogers Place on Thursday night. Vasily Podkolzin emerged as the unlikely hero, burying the game-winning goal with just 1:09 remaining in regulation to cap off a wild all-Canadian clash that featured eight goals in a chaotic 20-minute span. The victory gave Edmonton back-to-back wins and four points in their last two games after struggling through a three-game losing streak earlier in the month.

What made this victory particularly remarkable was the Oilers’ resilience in the face of adversity. After building a comfortable 3-1 lead midway through the second period, Edmonton watched Montreal score three times in just 1:52 to take a 4-3 advantage into the intermission. When Alex Newhook made it 5-3 early in the third period, it appeared the Canadiens—who entered the game with six wins in their last seven—would complete the comeback. Instead, the Oilers’ lethal power play and late-game execution turned what could have been a devastating loss into an exhilarating triumph.

Oilers 6-5 win over Canadiens game recap and takeaways: Early momentum and first-time celebrations

The opening frame set the stage for what would become a back-and-forth offensive showcase. Montreal struck first at 7:28 when Alex Newhook capitalized on a rebound opportunity, tapping home a shot from Lane Hutson to give the visitors an early advantage. The Canadiens, playing on the second night of a back-to-back after defeating Calgary in overtime, showed no signs of fatigue in their aggressive start.

Edmonton’s response came from an unexpected source late in the period. David Tomasek, who led the Swedish Hockey League in scoring last season with 57 points for Färjestad BK, netted his first NHL goal at 16:12 to tie the game 1-1. The 29-year-old Czech forward took a beautiful cross-ice feed from Podkolzin and unleashed a shot from the top of the left circle that deflected off Newhook’s skate and past Sam Montembeault.

Tomasek became the third Oilers player this season to score his first NHL goal, following Isaac Howard’s tally in Ottawa two nights earlier and Noah Philp’s marker earlier in the campaign. For a team that had struggled to generate consistent offense in the season’s opening weeks, these contributions from depth players represented encouraging signs. Philp collected his third assist in four games on the play, demonstrating the growing chemistry among Edmonton’s bottom-six forwards.

The goal may have been fortunate, but it energized Rogers Place and gave the Oilers the confidence boost they desperately needed. After weeks of inconsistent play and frustrating offensive droughts, Edmonton finally started converting their chances into actual goals. The momentum would prove crucial heading into what would become one of the wildest middle frames of the young season.

Oilers 6-5 win over Canadiens game recap and takeaways: A second period of dramatic swings

The middle frame showcased both the best and worst of both teams in a span of six-and-a-half minutes that completely flipped the game’s complexion. Edmonton appeared to seize control early, with Adam Henrique deflecting Jake Walman’s chest-high shot past Montembeault at 10:37 to give the Oilers a 2-1 advantage. The goal marked Henrique’s second of the season and came in his first home game since celebrating his 1,000th NHL appearance in Ottawa.

Just 2:51 later, Andrew Mangiapane extended Edmonton’s lead to 3-1 with his third goal in three home games this season. The sequence began when Connor McDavid attempted to set up Darnell Nurse for a back-door tap-in, but when Nurse missed the puck, he quickly recovered and chipped it to Mangiapane in the slot. “I missed the back-door tap-in, and then I remembered there was a guy in the slot, so I just wanted to put it there for him,” Nurse explained after the game.

With a two-goal cushion and less than seven minutes remaining in the period, everything seemed under control for the home side. What happened next was a complete collapse of defensive structure that nearly cost Edmonton the game. The Canadiens transformed from a team on their heels to a dominant offensive force in less than two minutes of game action.

Josh Anderson started the onslaught at 16:57, finishing a beautiful passing sequence from Jake Evans and Brendan Gallagher to cut the deficit to 3-2. Only 1:03 later, Cole Caufield showcased his elite skill level by dancing in from the left dot and tucking the puck inside the near post to tie the game 3-3. Before the Oilers could catch their breath, Caufield struck again just 49 seconds after his first tally, wiring a wrist shot from the right circle under Calvin Pickard’s right arm to give Montreal a shocking 4-3 lead heading into the final period. It was the fastest three-goal span for the Canadiens since March 29, 2022, against Florida.

Oilers 6-5 win over Canadiens game recap and takeaways: Third-period disaster and power-play redemption

If the second period belonged to Montreal, the opening minutes of the third period suggested the Canadiens would run away with the victory. Just 2:10 into the final frame, Newhook scored his second goal of the game, converting a beautiful backhand feed from Oliver Kapanen to extend Montreal’s lead to 5-3. The sold-out crowd at Rogers Place grew anxious as their team appeared to be sleepwalking through another disappointing performance.

The Oilers had generated just a handful of quality chances through the first 40 minutes, and their defensive lapses had been glaring. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins acknowledged the team’s struggles after the game, stating, “We found a way to get ourselves a lead in the second, and then all of a sudden, we just stopped playing for a bit. That’s a high-powered team where if you give them looks and let them feel good, they’re going to capitalize, and it just wasn’t good enough.”

What Edmonton desperately needed was a spark, and Montreal’s parade to the penalty box provided exactly that. The Canadiens took three penalties in a seven-minute span, giving the Oilers’ historically dominant power play multiple opportunities to get back in the game. After failing to convert on the first two advantages, Mike Matheson’s tripping penalty on McDavid at 11:19 proved costly.

According to NHL.com, McDavid found Leon Draisaitl wide open in front of the net with a perfect feed from below the goal line, and the German sniper made no mistake, firing the puck past Montembeault’s glove to make it 5-4. The goal was Draisaitl’s fifth of the season and his 200th career power-play point.

Just 58 seconds later, with Josh Anderson in the box for unsportsmanlike conduct after complaining about the previous penalty call, Nugent-Hopkins completed the comeback. Taking a pass from McDavid coming over the blueline, the longest-tenured Oiler carried the puck deep into Montreal territory before receiving a return feed behind the defense. His backhand lifted over Montembeault’s left shoulder tied the game 5-5 at 12:17, sending Rogers Place into a frenzy.

Oilers 6-5 win over Canadiens game recap and takeaways: Podkolzin’s emotional game-winner

With momentum fully on their side and less than eight minutes remaining, the Oilers pressed for the winner with renewed confidence. The hero would be Vasily Podkolzin, a 24-year-old Russian winger playing through one of the most difficult periods of his life. During the preseason, Podkolzin lost his father, forcing him to miss time to be with his family during the tragedy.

At 18:51, with just 1:09 left in regulation, Podkolzin received a quick pass from Nurse while backed up against Mike Matheson in front of Montreal’s crease. Shrugging off the defensive pressure, Podkolzin spun to his left and delivered a perfect backhand that sailed top shelf beyond Montembeault’s outstretched glove. The goal gave Edmonton a 6-5 lead they would not relinquish, securing two crucial points in dramatic fashion.

After the game, Podkolzin was reminded of Evgeni Malkin’s famous spin-o-rama goal against Edmonton from 2009. “I never practiced the pass from the blue line and backhand. I’m not Malkin or a guy like him,” he joked. “But it’s unbelievable the process and just little details sometimes; little tips and things like that will help to score an extra two or three goals in a season.”

But beyond the hockey play itself, Podkolzin’s goal carried profound emotional weight. “First of all, thank you guys for all the support I got on social media and everywhere,” he said post-game. “Thank you to the Oilers for letting me be with my family through that tough time, and I’d been in touch with the guys from the team every day, and they all asked and cared about me. I felt a lot of support from them, and thank you guys. Thank you to the fans. It’s pretty sad and a huge loss for me and my family. But right now, just playing with a good memory of him and making him proud every day. He always wanted me to win a Cup, and unfortunately, he won’t see it. But he’ll see it another way on the other side.”

The victory was emotional for Podkolzin on multiple levels—not just scoring the game-winner, but also picking up an assist on Tomasek’s first NHL goal earlier in the game. For a player who had endured such profound personal loss, finding success on the ice represented a small but meaningful step forward.

Oilers 6-5 win over Canadiens game recap and takeaways: McDavid’s historic night and statistical dominance

While Podkolzin grabbed the headlines with his game-winning heroics, Connor McDavid continued his assault on the NHL record books with another dominant performance. The Oilers captain recorded three assists, giving him six points in his last two games and further cementing his status as the league’s most dangerous playmaker.

McDavid’s three-assist night carried significant historical weight. At just 720 career games, he became the third-fastest player in NHL history to record 200 multiassist games. Only Wayne Gretzky (449 games) and Mario Lemieux (580 games) reached the milestone faster—placing McDavid in truly elite company. He also became just the second player in Oilers history to achieve 200 multiassist games, joining his mentor Gretzky in that exclusive club.

Despite the statistical achievements, McDavid remained focused on the team’s broader challenges. The defensive lapses that allowed Montreal to score three times in 1:52 during the second period and take a 5-3 lead early in the third cannot be overlooked. While the power play rescued Edmonton on this night, similar breakdowns against elite competition will prove far more costly as the season progresses.

The official NHL game recap highlighted the Oilers’ offensive firepower, with Jake Walman and Darnell Nurse each adding two assists alongside McDavid’s three helpers. Walman now has points in back-to-back games after missing the season’s first six games due to injury, providing a significant boost to Edmonton’s defensive depth and transition game.

Key takeaways from the Oilers 6-5 win over Canadiens game recap and analysis

This dramatic victory exposed both the immense potential and glaring vulnerabilities of the 2025-26 Edmonton Oilers. On the positive side, the team demonstrated remarkable mental fortitude, erasing a two-goal deficit in the final period to secure two points. The power play—which has been the Oilers’ identity for years—rediscovered its lethal touch at the perfect moment, converting twice in 58 seconds to complete the comeback.

However, the defensive issues cannot be ignored. Nurse’s post-game assessment was brutally honest: “It was as ugly a win as it gets. We got the two points. I think our team game obviously gets better when each of us gets better individually, so we’ve got some work to do. It’s apparent there are a lot of guys who have been around for a while, played in some important situations and important games, and you’re not going to fool yourself that there’s a process to winning in this league. Like I said, I think our process hasn’t been where it needs to be.”

The victory gives Edmonton breathing room at 4-3-1, but the underlying metrics remain concerning. Allowing five goals to a Canadiens team playing on back-to-back nights—including three in less than two minutes—suggests structural defensive problems that extend beyond individual mistakes. Head coach Kris Knoblauch acknowledged the team got “fortunate” with the goals they scored and that the overall performance wasn’t meeting the standard expected of a championship contender.

For Montreal, the loss stings despite the strong offensive showing. Martin St. Louis offered an interesting perspective after the game: “It’s easy to be frustrated by the result and by everything that happened. The Oilers won on the board, but they haven’t beat us. Honestly, the result is disappointing, but I’m happy with the way we played tonight. We played 60 minutes, but we just didn’t win.” His comments reflect a Canadiens team that knows it was the better side for long stretches but couldn’t close out the victory.

Looking ahead, Edmonton faces a challenging back-to-back road trip against Seattle and Vancouver this weekend. The Oilers’ ability to build on this victory while addressing their defensive shortcomings will determine whether this comeback represents a turning point or just a temporary reprieve. With McDavid playing at an historic level and depth players like Tomasek and Podkolzin finding their scoring touch, the offensive pieces appear to be falling into place. Now the challenge becomes tightening up defensively before these thrilling wins turn into devastating losses against better opponents who won’t allow such generous comeback opportunities.