Bouchard Celebrates 27th Birthday By Scoring OT Winner
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By Doug Hirdle
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- Proof-checked
Summary:
- Evan Bouchard scored his seventh goal of the season with 1:28 left in overtime.
- He secured the Edmonton Oilers’ 4-3 win against the Minnesota Wild.
- Edmonton improved to 7-1-1 with its seventh win in eight games.
Evan Bouchard celebrated his 27th birthday with an overtime winner as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Tuesday, October 20, extending their strong start to the NHL season.
Bouchard settled the game with a powerful shot with 1:28 remaining in overtime, taking advantage of a too-many-men penalty against Minnesota. The defenseman scored his seventh goal of the season to give Edmonton its second straight victory and seventh win in its last eight games.
Leon Draisaitl scored twice for the Oilers, while Connor McDavid collected three assists. Mathieu Joseph also found the net as Edmonton improved its record to 7-1-1.
Goaltender Devon Levi made 27 saves in the win.
Minnesota, which entered the game on a two-game winning streak, had goals from Joel Eriksson Ek, Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman. Jesper Wallstedt stopped 28 shots for the Wild, who fell to 6-2-2.
McDavid Keeps Scoring Streak Alive
McDavid continued his remarkable start to the season, recording at least one point in all nine games. His three assists took his total to 26 points, putting him more than a quarter of the way toward a 10th career 100-point season.
The Oilers captain also reached a milestone that places him among some of the NHL’s most productive players. He became just the sixth player in league history to record at least 25 points before his team’s 10th game of a season.
Mario Lemieux achieved the feat three times, reaching a high of 33 points. Wayne Gretzky did it twice, with his best mark at 27, while Mike Bossy recorded 28. Brent Sutter and Marcel Dionne also reached 25 points before their teams’ 10th games.
Kaprizov continued to lead Minnesota’s attack. His goal, along with an assist, brought him to 17 points through 10 games. That total ranks second in Wild franchise history for that stage of a season, behind the 21 points he recorded in 2024-25.
Top Lines Drive Both Teams
Tuesday’s matchup highlighted how much both teams depend on their leading forwards. Before the game, Edmonton’s top line had accounted for 19 goals, compared with 18 from the rest of the team. Minnesota’s leading trio had scored 16 goals, while the remaining players had combined for 12.
The Oilers will look to maintain their momentum when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.
Minnesota, meanwhile, continues its five-game road trip with a visit to the Calgary Flames.
Doug Hirdle
Author
betting.ca
