Horvat leads Canucks past Oilers
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Bo Horvat scored two goals and the Vancouver Canucks overcame an early deficit to open their NHL season with a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.
Brandon Sutter also scored for the Canucks in Travis Green's first game as head coach.
Kris Russell and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored for the Oilers (1-1-0).
Vancouver goaltender Jacob Markstrom overcame a shaky start to finish with 33 saves. Edmonton's Cam Talbot, who had a shutout in the Oilers' 3-0 win over Calgary on Wednesday, was replaced with less than a minute gone in the second period after allowing three goals on seven shots.
Edmonton backup Laurent Brossoit stopped all 19 shots he faced.
The Oilers made it 3-2 on Nugent-Hopkins' power-play goal at 8:09 of the third period. Patrick Maroon threw a puck out from behind the Vancouver net that Nugent-Hopkins blasted home.
Horvat made it 3-1 with his second of the night just 32 seconds into the second period. Horvat used his strength to wrestle the puck away from defenseman Oscar Klefbom behind the Edmonton net, then scored on a wrap-around that squirted between Talbot's toe and the goal post. That ended Talbot's night.
It was the third time in his career that Horvat scored twice in a game.
Edmonton scored on its first shot just 68 seconds into the game, but Vancouver battled back with goals 1:54 apart to lead 2-1 after 20 minutes.
Russell opened the scoring when he took a pass from Zack Kassian and fired a puck through Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson's legs that beat Markstrom on the short side.
Horvat tied the score on a power play at 7:35. He muscled his way past defenseman Matt Benning and put a shot over Talbot's shoulder. Markstrom had an assist on the play.
Sutter made it 2-1 at 9:29 after Russell misplayed the puck behind the Oilers' net. The puck rolled out front to a wide-open Sutter, who easily beat Talbot.
NOTES: The Canucks scored goals on back-to-back shots in the first period. ... Vancouver's average age on opening night was 26 years and 292 days. ... Canucks C Bo Horvat dressed after missing the final two preseason games with a shoulder injury. ... Healthy scratches were RW Brock Boeser, who led Vancouver with four preseason goals, D Alex Biega and D Derrick Pouliot, obtained last week in a trade with Pittsburgh. ... The Canucks play at home Tuesday against Ottawa. ... Oiler scratches were D Yokann Auvitu and RW Kailer Yamamoto. ... Oilers D Kris Russell had one goal in 68 games last season. ... The last time Edmonton lost in regulation to Vancouver was Nov. 19, 2014. ... The Oilers return home to play Winnipeg on Monday.