Vancouver Canucks vs Edmonton Oilers Box Score on Mar 07, 2019

Zack Kassian scored in his career-high fourth straight contest as the host Edmonton Oilers skated to a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

Alex Chiasson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also tallied, and Mikko Koskinen made 35 saves to reach the 20-win plateau for the Oilers, who posted their season-high-tying fourth consecutive victory.

Edmonton captain Connor McDavid set up a pair of goals to give him at least a point in each of the past seven contests in which he has played. Linemate Leon Draisaitl picked up an assist to boost his point streak to a career-high 12 games.

Defenseman Alex Edler and Jay Beagle scored, and Brock Boeser notched a pair of assists for the Canucks, who split their four-game season series with the Oilers and fell for the 12th time in 16 contests overall (4-9-3).

Edler's shot from just inside the blue line sailed past a screened Koskinen to trim the Oilers' lead to 3-2 at 7:03 of the third period.

Draisaitl was denied by the left pad of rookie Thatcher Demko (31 saves) on a breakaway in the following minute, but Vancouver was unable to capitalize on that momentum in its bid for the equalizer.

Chiasson converted from the slot to open the scoring at 5:21 of the first period before Edmonton doubled its advantage nearly nine minutes later. Draisaitl won the race to a loose puck and then made a quick drop pass to McDavid, who skated toward the net before spotting Kassian for an easy tap-in.

McDavid wasn't done as he skated from along the left-wing boards and into the high slot before passing to a cutting Nugent-Hopkins, who redirected the puck home from the left doorstep at 1:02 of the second period to give the Oilers a 3-0 advantage.

Nugent-Hopkins' 21st goal pushed his point total to a career-high 57, eclipsing his previous high initially set in 2013-14 and matched in 2014-15.

Koskinen opened the door for a potential Vancouver comeback, as the goaltender attempted to deflect Boeser's shot and send the puck into the corner. Instead, the puck caromed off his pad and sat in the crease for an easy tap-in by Beagle to trim the Oilers' lead to 3-1 at 18:30 of the middle period.

--Field Level Media