Savoie's Historic Hat Trick Powers Oilers to Home-Ice Advantage
Savoie's Historic Hat Trick Powers Oilers to Home-Ice Advantage
The Edmonton Oilers secured the second seed in the Pacific Division and home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs with a comprehensive 6-1 thrashing of the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. The night belonged to rookie sensation Matthew Savoie, who recorded his first career NHL hat trick in a sensational first-period outburst. Savoie’s three goals, all assisted by captain Connor McDavid, effectively buried the Canucks before the first intermission and sent a clear message that the Oilers are primed for another deep postseason run.
Edmonton’s offense was firing on all cylinders from the opening puck drop. Connor McDavid, who finished the night with four assists, officially clinched his sixth career Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer with 138 points (48 goals, 90 assists). The synergy between McDavid and Savoie was evident on every shift, particularly on the third goal where McDavid threaded a needle-threading pass through two defenders to find Savoie for a one-timer. The 6-1 victory moved Edmonton to a final regular-season record of 41-30-12, setting up a first-round clash with the Anaheim Ducks.
Bouchard’s Norris Campaign and Canucks Struggles
Adding to the historic nature of the evening, defenseman Evan Bouchard recorded three assists to reach 95 points on the season. In doing so, Bouchard became only the 10th defenseman in NHL history to reach that plateau, joining the likes of Paul Coffey as the only Oilers blueliners to achieve the feat. Bouchard’s dominant two-way play has made him a frontrunner for the Norris Trophy, and his performance in the finale only strengthened his case. The Oilers also saw goals from Josh Samanski, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Colton Dach in the route.
The Vancouver Canucks (25-49-8) offered little resistance in a game that highlighted their defensive struggles this season. Rookie Ty Mueller provided the lone goal for Vancouver, scoring his first career NHL goal on a breakaway to briefly make it 2-1 in the first period. However, the Canucks were outshot 54-19 and spent the majority of the night pinned in their own zone. Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves in a losing effort, as the Canucks finished the year at the bottom of the Pacific Division standings, having conceded a league-high 316 goals this season.
Playoff Readiness in Edmonton
With the regular season now in the rearview mirror, the Oilers turn their attention to a Monday night matchup at Rogers Place. The health of the roster appears to be in a good spot, with Zach Hyman returning to the lineup on Thursday and Leon Draisaitl expected back for the series opener. Edmonton’s ability to score from up and down the lineup has been their biggest strength during an 11-game stretch where they went 7-2-2 to close the year.
For the Canucks, the offseason will likely bring significant changes to the roster and coaching staff. While the emergence of Ty Mueller and the steady play of Quinn Hughes remain bright spots, the lack of depth and inconsistent goaltending proved fatal in 2025-26. As Vancouver heads home to reflect, the Oilers are looking toward the Stanley Cup Final—a destination they hope to reach for the third consecutive year.
