Professors Press Box Morning Review – Nov. 3: Oilers, Maple Leafs & Canucks

The Canadian teams were busy on Monday night, with highs and lows across the league. While individual milestones shone, the wins weren’t always there. Let’s take a look at how each team fared.

Game One: St. Louis 3, Edmonton 2

Connor McDavid reached a remarkable milestone in the Oilers’ narrow loss to the St. Louis Blues, becoming the fourth-fastest player in NHL history to reach 1,100 career points. With two assists in the game, McDavid now sits at 1,101 points (364 goals, 737 assists) in just 726 games, trailing only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Mike Bossy in speed to the mark. Despite the achievement, McDavid was held off the scoresheet in terms of shots on goal for only the 28th time in his career.

The Oilers’ other stars saw mixed results. Leon Draisaitl’s eight-game point streak came to an end, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins continued his productive stretch with nine points (one goal, eight assists) over his past eight games. Goaltender Jordan Binnington, meanwhile, snapped a tough run that had left him 0-3-2 in his previous five decisions, showing the Blues’ netminder in strong form. Even with McDavid’s historic night, Edmonton couldn’t find the winner on the road.

Game Two: Toronto 4, Pittsburgh 3

The Maple Leafs came from nowhere to post an impressive third-period comeback. After looking like complete losers for two periods, they pushed past the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 at Scotiabank Arena. Behind by three goals going into the third period, Toronto followed the fire of Auston Matthews and William Nylander to complete the turnaround. Matthews started the charge at 3:31, cutting the deficit to 3-1 on a breakaway finish after a precise pass from Jake McCabe, while Nylander, back from a two-game absence with a lower-body injury, quickly followed with a pair of goals to tie the game at 3-3.

Bobby McMann capped the comeback with a key third-period goal, his first point in eight games, after Nicholas Robertson’s hustle created the perfect rebound opportunity. Defenseman Morgan Rielly also had a milestone night, recording two assists to reach 522 career points and pass Tomas Kaberle for second place among Maple Leafs defensemen historically. Anthony Stolarz made 34 saves in the victory, helping Toronto take home a fourth win in its last five games. Nylander summed up the team’s performance succinctly: after a sloppy first two periods, the Maple Leafs simplified their play and brought the compete level necessary to pull out the win.

Game Three: Vancouver 5, Nashville 4 (OT)

The Vancouver Canucks seized a win in overtime against the Nashville Predators. Brock Boeser scored his second goal of the game with just two seconds left. What looked like a sure shootout turned into a heartbreaking loss for the Predators. After taking a pass from Elias Pettersson, Boeser backhanded the puck past Juuse Saros for the 5-4 win at Bridgestone Arena. Evander Kane also had a two-goal night, while Jake DeBrusk added a goal, and Pettersson added two assists. Thatcher Demko made 25 saves to help Vancouver win their third in five games.

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes returned after missing four games with a lower-body injury and made an immediate impact, finishing plus-2 with six shots on goal over 28 minutes. Boeser’s OT winner was the second-latest in franchise history, trailing only Sami Salo’s goal in 2006. Coach Adam Foote praised the team’s push back, especially the fact that his team stayed composed after a late goal by Nashville.

Canadian Teams Wrap-Up

Monday night was a wild one for the Canadian teams. Connor McDavid hit 1,100 points, though Edmonton came up short against St. Louis. The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, clawed back from a three-goal hole to beat Pittsburgh 4-3, thanks to Matthews and Nylander in the third. Vancouver finished things off with a heart-stopper in overtime, Boeser scoring with just seconds left and Hughes back in the lineup.

It was a night of highs and tough breaks. The teams showed flashes of brilliance, some timely saves, and plenty of grit when it mattered. Toronto’s hot lately, with four wins in five, Vancouver three of five, and McDavid’s still rolling. Lots to be excited about as the week moves on.