EDMONTON — Paul Cotter scored twice, including the overtime winner, as Vancouver defeated Edmonton 6–5 in Tuesday’s season opener.

The Canucks built a 5–2 advantage in the third period before the Oilers recovered to force overtime. Evan Bouchard finished with a hat trick and two assists, while Vasily Podkolzin scored Edmonton’s other two goals.

Max Sasson set up Cotter’s winner at 1:59 of the extra period. Cotter had also opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal.

Marco Rossi, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Sasson and Elias Pettersson supplied Vancouver’s other goals. The win gave Manny Malhotra a successful first game as an NHL head coach, although surrendering the third-period cushion leaves his team something to address.

For Edmonton, the comeback secured a point. Bouchard’s five-point performance could not deliver the second one.

Source: Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre, September 30.

Featured image: AI-generated editorial illustration, not a photograph of the reported event.