Nugent-Hopkins scores shootout winner to give Oilers 6-5 victory over Hurricanes

EDMONTON – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored the shootout winner to give the Edmonton Oilers a 6-5 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. 

Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid both shone with two goals and three assists apiece for the Oilers (8-1-1) who have won three straight and seven of their last eight. 

Nugent-Hopkins, who also had an assist, scored the other goal in regulation. 

Oilers goalie Devon Levi made 22 stops.

Jackson Blake, Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Logan Stankhoven and Juuso Valimaki replied for the Hurricanes (8-2-2). The reigning Stanley Cup champions have lost two of their last three games.

Brandon Bussi recorded 16 saves for Carolina.

TAKEAWAYS

Hurricanes: Jarvis scored in his first game of the season, making his debut following off-season shoulder surgery. The 24-year-old has had more than 30 goals in each of the last three seasons.

Oilers: Nugent-Hopkins also scored in his season debut, returning after sustaining a lower-body injury during training camp. The 33-year-old became the franchise leader for most seasons played with the Oilers at 16. 

KEY MOMENT

Edmonton tied the game with their goalie pulled with 1:28 to play. McDavid sent a shot on net that deflected off Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s skate for his eighth goal of the season.

KEY STAT

McDavid, who has points in every game this season, extended his league-leading point totals to 31 in just 10 games. He joined Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky as the only NHL players to reach the 30-point mark in 10 games or fewer. 

UP NEXT

Hurricanes: Conclude a five-game road trip in St. Louis on Saturday.

Oilers: Continue their homestand against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.