Match date: 4 November 2026.
Final score: Devils 4, Oilers 3.
The Devils defeated the Oilers 4-3 in a shootout on 4 November, after J. Hughes’ two-goal second period had helped build a 3-1 lead that Edmonton steadily erased. A three-goal shootout settled a game that had moved from a Devils surge to an Oilers recovery, before J. Bratt and A. Gritsyuk supplied the finishing touches.
Game Story
E. Bouchard gave Edmonton the only goal of a measured first period at 8:29, converting with M. Ekholm and R. Nugent-Hopkins credited with the assists. The Oilers carried that one-goal edge into the first interval.
The match changed sharply in the second. C. Brown tied it at 7:42, eight seconds after an Oilers penalty, with J. Hughes and L. Hughes assisting. The Devils then took control through J. Hughes. He put the home side ahead at 14:50, assisted by D. Hamilton and J. Bratt, before striking again at 15:35 from C. Brown and N. Hischier. In 45 seconds, the Devils had moved from level terms to a 3-1 advantage.
Edmonton found a response before the interval. R. Nugent-Hopkins cut the deficit at 18:16, with E. Bouchard and K. Kapanen providing the assists. The Oilers then completed the recovery one minute into the third period when L. Draisaitl scored from K. Kapanen and C. McDavid.
Neither side found another goal through the remainder of regulation or the five-minute overtime, despite the Devils holding a 34-21 advantage in shots. The decision went to the shootout. C. McDavid scored for Edmonton, but J. Bratt and A. Gritsyuk converted for the Devils to seal the home victory.
Turning Point
The shootout was the decisive sequence. C. McDavid put Edmonton on the board, but J. Bratt answered for the Devils and A. Gritsyuk then delivered the conversion that secured the 4-3 result. It came after the Oilers had already done the difficult work of wiping out a two-goal second-period deficit.
Standout Performers
J. Hughes was the most productive skater in regulation, recording two goals and an assist. His two strikes in 45 seconds turned a 1-1 game into a 3-1 Devils lead, and he also assisted C. Brown’s equaliser. C. Brown supported that burst with a goal and an assist.
For Edmonton, R. Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, while E. Bouchard matched him with a goal and an assist. K. Kapanen contributed two assists, including one on the third-period equaliser. T. Jarry kept the Oilers in contention with 31 saves on 34 shots, while C. Hellebuyck made 18 saves for the Devils.
Tactical Observations
The Devils created the greater volume of chances, outshooting Edmonton 34-21, and their second-period scoring burst gave them room to play with. Two Devils goals arrived shortly after Oilers penalties, turning a close contest into one in which Edmonton had to chase.
Edmonton’s answer was built on timing rather than shot volume. The goal before the second intermission reduced the immediate damage, and Draisaitl’s finish 1:00 into the third removed the Devils’ margin altogether. From there, the game became an exercise in protecting a single point in regulation and then handling the isolated pressure of the shootout.
Coach Mark Comment
There is a peculiar test in a game like this for a netminder. C. Hellebuyck faced 21 shots over 65 minutes, fewer than T. Jarry’s 34, but still had to reset completely once the game became a shootout. The work changes from reading a live rush or a rebound to dealing with one player, one puck and no help around the crease. After Edmonton had pulled 3-1 back to level, that is a hard way for a goalie to be asked to finish a night. The Devils got the two conversions they needed in front of him, and that made the difference.
What It Means
The Devils took the result despite allowing their two-goal second-period lead to disappear, with J. Hughes’ three-point night and the successful shootout attempts from J. Bratt and A. Gritsyuk separating the sides. Edmonton, meanwhile, showed it could recover from the Devils’ rapid middle-period surge but could not complete the turnaround.
What Comes Next
The immediate question for the Devils is how to carry the force of that second-period spell into a full 60 minutes. For Edmonton, the recovery from 3-1 down offers something to build on, while the shootout remains the final detail that denied them the win.