The Edmonton Oilers got outstanding performances by their stars, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, in Game 2. The Vancouver Canucks responded with a game-breaking performance by Brock Boeser in Game 3.
Boeser kicked off the regular season with a four-goal game against the Oilers, so it seemed like just a matter of time before he broke through in this series. It was the Oilers, however, who struck first.
The Oilers power play has been almost automatic all playoffs, particularly against the Canucks in the second round. It was no different in Game 3, as the power play struck to open the scoring just over five minutes into the game.
The Canucks' penalty kill performed well, getting the Oilers to their second power play unit, but couldn't do anything about the bad bounces. A shot by Evander Kane was blocked but it deflected right to Mattias Ekholm for an open net.
Then the Canucks struck back with their own power play. A rotation moved Brock Boeser up to the point and his wristshot was deftly deflected by Elias Lindholm in the slot to tie the game.
The goal was initially credited to Boeser but was changed during the intermission.
Then an excellent cycle by Boeser and J.T. Miller sent the Oilers' defensive structure into a tailspin, opening up Boeser for a wide-open shot from the right faceoff circle to make it 2-1.
Boeser then added his second goal and third point a few minutes later. Warren Foegele turned the puck over to Pius Suter in the Oilers' zone and Suter slipped the puck to Boeser to send him in alone on Stuart Skinner. He capped off his monstrous first period with a quick snap shot past Skinner to send the Canucks into the intermission up 3-1.
A few hats hit the ice from traveling Canucks fans as it was initially thought to be a hat trick goal for Boeser until his first goal was credited to Lindholm.
While Boeser was the offensive star for the Canucks, Arturs Silovs was the beast at the other end of the rink, though he needed a little help from Quinn Hughes to keep a Derek Ryan chance out in the final minute of the first. The puck snuck behind Silovs into the crease but Hughes cleared the puck off the line, tucking it back under Silovs.
It was Silovs pulling the puck off the line early in the second period, however, as a Corey Perry deflection nearly snuck over the line before Silovs covered the puck. A long review confirmed the call on the ice: no goal.
It was a moot point: Filip Hronek took a penalty on the play and the Oilers scored again on the power play. This time, it was Leon Draisaitl from a one-timer from a tough angle to get the Oilers within one.
Again, the Canucks' power play went goal-for-goal with the Oilers' power play. And again, it was Lindholm. He took a pass from Miller in his skates, neatly kicked the puck up to his stick, and tucked the puck inside the post on the backhand.
The third period saw the Oilers pull Skinner and replace him with Calvin Pickard after Skinner gave up four goals on 15 shots. But Pickard had little to do, as the Oilers dominated the final frame, out-shooting the Canucks 21-to-3.
Fortunately for the Canucks, Silovs was up to the challenge, stopping 20 of those 21 shots to hold onto the lead. The only puck that got past Silovs came when the Oilers pulled Pickard for the extra attacker, going 6-on-5 in the final minutes.
Evan Bouchard's point shot hit Ian Cole at the side of the net and bounced over the line — the second time Bouchard scored a goal off Cole in as many games.
The own goal didn't cost the Canucks this time, however, as Silovs finished off the game by stretching to the post to force McDavid to miss the net in the final seconds and make the 4-3 lead hold to the final horn.
Despite the Canucks getting out-shot 45-to-18, clutch performances by Boeser and Silovs gave the Canucks the win and the 2-1 series lead.
BOXSCORE
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