The fourth game of the series once again highlighted the impact of power plays, though penalties were minimal this time. In the first period, the Vancouver Canucks earned six minutes of power-play time, with Evander Kane drawing a four-minute penalty, but they failed to convert. The visitors circled Calvin Pickard’s net—whom Chris Knoblauch chose to start—without finding the back of it. The Oilers had only one power-play opportunity in the first period and capitalized, as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl combined for the opening goal. Edmonton took the lead.
The second period saw end-to-end action. Vancouver needed to respond and attacked more sharply, hitting the post on one play. On the other side, Arturs Silovs had plenty of work, making a couple of key saves. For the latter half of the period, the Oilers controlled possession, often trapping the Canucks in their own zone. This pressure eventually led to a second goal: a two-on-one rush ended with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins doubling the lead.
But the drama was just beginning. The third period exploded with action. Vancouver first killed a penalty, thanks largely to Silovs, but then Conor Garland cut the deficit, with Nikita Zadorov picking up an assist. The Canucks are known in these playoffs for rallying from tough spots—they’ve already staged comebacks against Edmonton. This time, they tied the game. With 2:30 left, Rick Tocchet pulled Silovs for an extra skater. Brock Boeser fired the puck into a crowd in front, and it deflected off Dakota Joshua into the net. Everyone anticipated a second overtime. But the Oilers found one more push: Evan Bouchard scored the winner on a pass from Draisaitl behind the net.
Now the series returns to Vancouver for Game 5, tied 2-2. Bookmakers offer the following odds:
– Vancouver Canucks win: from 2.80 (BetBoom) to 3.05 (Olimpbet)
– Edmonton Oilers win: from 2.12 (Olimpbet) to 2.20 (BetBoom)
Recommended bets: P1, F2 (0), O6.5 goals.