Canucks, Oilers knotted up after two periods in Game 5
Published
The Vancouver Canucks found their equalizer in a Phillip Di Giuseppe goal 5:14 into the second frame, and they enter the third period of their crucial Game 5 against the Edmonton Oilers tied 2-2.
The teams got two power-play tries apiece in the second frame, though neither team was able to convert their chance.
Edmonton entered the game having scored on an astounding 46.7 per cent of their power play tries.
Play was suspended momentarily midway through the frame, as the refs called a delayed penalty on Elias Pettersson for charging, which the Vancouver fans did not agree with. Debris was thrown on the ice by the crowd, which forced a stoppage.
The penalty moved action to four-on-four for the third time in the game, as Evander Kane was hit with a slashing penalty at 8:49.
The second period opened with two minutes of four-on-four hockey after the teams traded penalties following the final whistle of the first period.
Vancouver got their first chance at a power play when Warren Foegele dumped Conor Garland into the boards and took an interference penalty 2:34 into the second frame.
Not long after the power play ended, an awkward play in the Oilers' zone unfolded when Edmonton expected an offsides call against the Canucks but the whistle was not blown.
Moments later, Di Giuseppe scored an unassisted goal when the puck found him in front of the net.
The Oilers got on the board before the Canucks had even registered a shot on goal in the first, as an extended play in the offensive zone ended with Leon Draisaitl finding Kane coming open in the slot, he zipped a shot by Arturs Silovs.
Fresh off an unsuccessful power play, Carson Soucy caught a bouncing puck on his stick and fired a shot by Calvin Pickard from distance to even the scoring at 17:27.
Shortly after, the Oilers led a high-paced attack that finished with Mattias Janmark poking home a pass from Connor Brown into the net.
Every game of the series has been decided by one goal to this point as the Oilers and Canucks have split the first four matchups.