By Canadian Press

Pearson’s first-career four-point game helps Canucks soar past Oilers 5-2

Dec 1, 2019 | 12:07 AM

EDMONTON — Tanner Pearson recorded his first-career four-point game in the Vancouver Canucks’ 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night at Rogers Place.

Pearson scored twice, and added two assists, while Tyler Graovac, Loui Eriksson and Josh Leivo tallied the other markers for the Canucks. Captain Bo Horvat also chipped in with three assists to help Vancouver snap its three-game losing streak.

Connor McDavid and Zack Kassian scored for Edmonton, who dropped their second-straight contest.

Edmonton falls to 16-9-3, and still holds the Pacific Division lead, but the Canucks are now just five points back as they improve to 13-10-4.

The Canucks power play has been red-hot on their six-game road trip and it propelled Vancouver to an early 1-0 lead.

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Jacob Markstrom (8-6-3) made 27 saves in the victory, while Mike Smith (7-7-1) turned aside 33-of-38 shots in the loss for Edmonton.

Graovac, who was called up by the Canucks on Nov. 13 ripped a shot past Smith just 3:31 into the opening period.

Pearson extended Vancouver’s lead to 2-0 with his sixth of the season, and his second short-handed goal in five games. After a flurry of chances by the Oilers, Pearson took the puck down the right wing and tried to centre a pass to J.T. Miller, but the puck went in off of Smith’s pad.

McDavid gave Edmonton life, just 42 seconds later, but the opening frame was dominated by Vancouver, who outshot the Oilers 17-7.

Kassian scored his ninth of the season at the 5:05 mark of the second period to tie the game at 2-2.

Kassian’s goal sparked Edmonton and the gritty winger was looking for more on the power play, but Markstrom stood his ground denying Kassian from jamming in a loose puck in the crease twice midway through the second period.

Vancouver would then strike twice in a span of 4:17 as Pearson scored his second of the game and Eriksson would tally his first goal of the season on a backhand feed from Horvat to give Vancouver a 4-2 lead.

The Oilers have had some big third-period comebacks this season, but Vancouver made sure to quash any notion of another rally from Edmonton as Leivo would score his third goal on a wraparound just 1:21 into the third period to give the Canucks a commanding 5-2 lead.

Despite being down by three goals early in the third, the Oilers showed a flurry of desperation. However, Markstrom came up big with a pad save from point blank range off of McDavid in what was the Oilers best scoring chance of the period.

GAME NOTES: After being injured in the season opener, Oilers defenceman Adam Larsson played his first home game since Oct. 2 versus the Los Angeles Kings. Larsson made his return to the lineup on Nov. 21 at Los Angeles.

Graovac’s first period goal was his second goal as a member of the Canucks since being recalled on Nov. 13. The 26-year-old has eight career NHL goals in 64 games with Minnesota, Washington and Vancouver and he’s scored three against the Oilers.

Vancouver defenceman Alexander Edler sustained an upper-body injury and didn’t play the third period versus Edmonton.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2019.

Jason Hills, The Canadian Press