Podkolzin Scores Late as Oilers Rally to Beat Canadiens 6-5

Vasily Podkolzin scored a backhand goal from the front of the crease with 1:09 left, lifting the Edmonton Oilers to a thrilling 6-5 victory over the visiting Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. Podkolzin also recorded an assist, marking his first goal of the season.

Connor McDavid contributed three assists, setting up key goals that helped the Oilers overcome a 5-3 deficit. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added a goal and an assist, while David Tomasek, Adam Henrique, Andrew Mangiapane, and Leon Draisaitl also scored. Darnell Nurse and Jake Walman each tallied two assists, and goalie Calvin Pickard made 22 saves.

Montreal was led by Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook, who each scored twice, while Josh Anderson added one goal. Lane Hutson and Oliver Kapanen each had two assists. Sam Montembeault finished with 23 saves, but it was not enough to secure the win in the back-to-back matchup that followed a 2-1 overtime victory in Calgary the previous night.

Montreal struck first at 7:28 of the first period, with Newhook burying a rebound off a Hutson shot. Edmonton answered near the period’s end when Tomasek scored his first NHL goal, a slap shot that deflected off Newhook and inside the far-right post.

The Oilers extended their lead to 3-1 in the second period with goals from Henrique and Mangiapane, assisted by Walman and Nurse. However, Montreal responded in a remarkable 1:52 span with three goals, including two from Caufield and one from Anderson, taking a 4-3 advantage into the third period.

Newhook added another goal early in the third period, making it 5-3 for Montreal. Edmonton then struck back with a pair of power-play goals from Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins, both assisted by McDavid in under a minute, tying the game and setting the stage for Podkolzin’s decisive score.

The game showcased standout performances from both teams, with McDavid’s playmaking, Podkolzin’s clutch finish, and Caufield’s and Newhook’s goal-scoring providing plenty of excitement for fans. Edmonton earned its second straight win, while Montreal suffered only its second loss in eight games.