Bouchard scores late to lift Oilers over Canucks, tie series

After a final frame that saw the visiting Vancouver Canucks claw their way back and tie the game late, a slap shot from the point by Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard with 38 seconds left (until what seemed like certain overtime) iced the 3-2 victory for Edmonton to knot the series.

Down two games to one in their second-round playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks, the Oilers played with an intensity in front of their home crowd that their opponents didn't quite match until the final period.

And after a final frame that saw the visiting Canucks claw their way back and tie the game late, a slap shot from the point by Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard with 38 seconds left (until what seemed like certain overtime) iced the 3-2 victory for Edmonton to knot the series.

After a few lineup tweaks that featured a change in goal and separate forward lines for their two biggest stars, the Oilers responded with a complete, intense effort Tuesday night in Game 4.

The Oilers split up Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who had been skating on the top line with Zach Hyman, each of them centring their own forward units.

And it worked.

Draisaitl commanded the play seemingly whenever he carried the puck up ice and into the Canucks zone, with signs of chemistry between him and new linemate Dylan Holloway, who was moved up from third-line duty onto the second line, with Evander Kane rounding out the trio and bringing a helping of grit.

McDavid, meanwhile, skated between Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.