McDavid Ties Oates With 18-Game Assist Streak as Oilers Beat Canucks 4-2

Connor McDavid stretched his assist streak to 18 games on Saturday night, tying Adam Oates for the second-longest run in NHL history, as Leon Draisaitl scored twice to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Place. McDavid added three assists in the victory, keeping alive a season-opening run that now trails only Wayne Gretzky's 23-game streak from 1990-91. Draisaitl's second goal, the game-winner at 4:00 of the third period, broke open a tight game and kept Edmonton on top of the Pacific Division at 12-3-3.

Key Points

• McDavid had three assists, extending his streak to 18 games and tying Adam Oates (1992-93) for second-longest in NHL history; only Gretzky's 23-game streak (1990-91) is longer.
• Leon Draisaitl scored twice in a three-point night, including the winner 4:00 into the third, as Edmonton beat Vancouver 4-2 at Rogers Place on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
• Mattias Ekholm and Jason Dickinson also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 12-3-3 and sit atop the Pacific Division.
• Goaltender Devon Levi made 20 saves in his return after missing seven games with an undisclosed injury.
• Max Sasson and Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks (3-15-1), who have lost five straight and won just once in their last 16 games (1-14-1).

What Happened

The Oilers took care of business at home against the league's bottom side, but the night belonged to the two stars at the top of the lineup. Draisaitl finished with two goals and an assist, his second goal early in the third period standing as the winner, while McDavid set up three of Edmonton's four goals. Ekholm and Dickinson provided the secondary scoring, and Levi was steady in his first appearance in seven games, stopping 20 shots.

Vancouver made Edmonton work for it. Sasson and Boeser both found the net for the Canucks, and Leevi Merilainen stopped 26 shots in a losing effort. For Edmonton, the result was routine in the standings and historic in the record book: the Oilers stayed first in the Pacific while their captain moved closer to a mark many thought untouchable.

Background: McDavid's Record-Breaking Season

The streak is the latest chapter in a remarkable opening stretch for McDavid. A week earlier, in Edmonton's 4-1 win over the New York Rangers on November 1, he recorded his 30th assist of the season in just his 15th game, the fastest to 30 assists in NHL history, beating Gretzky's record of 16 games set in 1984-85. McDavid broke Gretzky's record as the fastest to 30 assists in NHL history. He also scored 50 seconds in, his 418th career goal, and was named the NHL's First Star of October after a record 27 assists in the month.

Edmonton has been nearly as impressive as its captain. The Oilers are 12-3-3 and lead the Pacific Division, with scoring coming from throughout the lineup. Draisaitl's three-point night was the latest reminder that Edmonton does not rely on one player alone. The contrast with Vancouver could hardly be sharper: the Canucks, who lost 5-4 to Anaheim earlier in the week, have dropped five straight and sit at the foot of the standings.

McDavid's Assist Streak: Chasing Gretzky

The numbers put McDavid in rare company. Oates set his 18-game streak in 1992-93, a mark that stood for more than three decades as the second-longest in league history. Gretzky's 23-game run in 1990-91 has long been regarded as one of hockey's most durable records. McDavid has matched Oates in the most demanding way possible: the streak covers every game Edmonton has played this season, with at least one assist in each of the Oilers' 18 games.

Five more games with an assist would tie Gretzky's mark, and a sixth would break it outright. That chase will now follow the Oilers everywhere they go, and every opponent will know that stopping the streak has become a subplot of its own. For a player who has already rewritten the record for the fastest 30 assists, the streak is a second, longer test of consistency — and he is passing it night after night.

Reactions

The milestone drew the obvious comparison with the two names above McDavid on the list. Oates' 1992-93 streak survived 33 years of challengers before McDavid matched it. Gretzky's 23-game standard, set in 1990-91, remains the last barrier. Inside the Oilers' room, the focus stayed on the result: Edmonton banked two more points, stayed first in the Pacific and got its goaltender back healthy.

Levi's return mattered too. Missing seven games with an undisclosed injury, he made 20 saves and gave Edmonton stability in net. Draisaitl's two-goal night was a reminder that the Oilers' attack runs through two of the best players in the world. For Vancouver, there was little comfort: Boeser's goal was one of few bright spots in a fifth straight defeat, and the questions around the Canucks are growing louder.

Why It Matters

Assist streaks are among the hardest records in hockey because they demand nightly production, not one hot week. A goal scorer can go quiet and still win games; a playmaker on a streak must create something every night, against defences built to stop him. McDavid has now done that for 18 straight games to open a season, tying a mark set when he was not yet born.

The streak also frames the Oilers' season. Edmonton is first in its division, its captain is chasing Gretzky and its goaltender is back. Vancouver, on the other side, is in crisis: 3-15-1, five straight losses and one win in 16 games. The two clubs started the season in the same division; after 18 games, they are playing in different worlds.

What Happens Next

McDavid's chase now turns to Gretzky's 23. He needs an assist in each of his next five games to tie the record and in a sixth straight game to own it alone. The Oilers will look to keep their hold on first place in the Pacific, with Levi back in net and Draisaitl scoring freely. Vancouver, meanwhile, must stop a slide that has cost it all its early-season momentum: five straight defeats and one win in 16.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is Connor McDavid's assist streak?
McDavid has an assist in 18 straight games, tying Adam Oates (1992-93) for second-longest in NHL history. Only Gretzky's 23-game run from 1990-91 is longer.

What was the final score between the Oilers and Canucks?
Edmonton beat Vancouver 4-2 on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Rogers Place. Draisaitl scored twice, including the winner, and McDavid added three assists.

Who else scored for Edmonton?
Mattias Ekholm and Jason Dickinson also scored, and Devon Levi made 20 saves in his return after missing seven games.

What is Edmonton's record after the win?
The Oilers improved to 12-3-3 and sit atop the Pacific Division. Vancouver fell to 3-15-1, with five straight losses and one win in its last 16 games.

What record did McDavid break earlier this season?
On November 1, McDavid reached 30 assists in his 15th game, the fastest ever, beating Gretzky's record of 16 games set in 1984-85. Edmonton's only recent stumble came in a 4-3 shootout loss to New Jersey.