The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in overtime Tuesday, with Evan Bouchard delivering the decisive goal on his 27th birthday. The dramatic finish sparked celebrations among Oilers fans, who praised the defenseman’s performance across the NHL community on X.
Bouchard scored at 3:32 of overtime on a power play, converting a pass from Connor McDavid with a wrist shot from the left circle. Minnesota had been penalized for having too many players on the ice, giving Edmonton a four-on-three advantage.
MORE: Ex-Oilers Ryan Whitney makes bold ‘Stanley Cup’ prediction after Edmonton’s strong start
Speaking after the game, Bouchard explained how he found the winning opportunity.
“Power play was a big part of this game… Get the puck, open lane and just took my shot,” Bouchard said.
The Oilers shared the final score on X, prompting fans to celebrate the birthday winner.
“What a rip from birthday boy Bouchard!” one fan wrote.
Another supporter added, “Happy Birthday to future Norris winner Evan Bouchard,” highlighting growing confidence in the defenseman’s ability. He had 95 points last season and was the leading points scorer among defensemen but didn’t win the Norris Trophy.
A third user said, “I say Bouch wins the Norris Trophy this year. Who says no? PLAY LA BAMBA, BABY!!!”
A fan reacted with a meme of Bouchard with the Norris Trophy.
One fan compared Bouchard with Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes, writing, “Bouchard > Hughes“
A fan simply wrote, “I love you Evan Bouchard.”
“Can’t lie, the home crowd energy at Rogers is different this year,” one fan mentioned.
Evan Bouchard delivers as Connor McDavid extends historic streak
Bouchard finished with a goal and an assist, while McDavid recorded three assists to extend his season-opening point streak to nine games. McDavid now has 26 points, including 20 assists, during that stretch.
Leon Draisaitl scored twice for Edmonton, which improved to 7-1-1 and won seven of its first eight games. Goaltender Devon Levi made 27 saves in the victory.
The Wild fought back after falling behind 3-1 in the second period. Kirill Kaprizov scored in the third before Ryan Hartman tied the game at 3-3, forcing overtime. However, Minnesota’s late penalty proved costly. Bouchard took advantage of the extra space and finished the play to secure two points for Edmonton.
MORE: Devon Levi credits preparing ‘little details’ after stellar Oilers home debut
The victory continued Edmonton’s strong start, although Bouchard acknowledged the team still had areas to improve.
“You take what they give you. At that point in time, it was that shot,” Bouchard said, via NHL.com. “They pressed hard, they’re a good hockey team, they weren’t going to quit. There are definitely some things to clean up, but in the end, we battled and got the win we needed.”
For the Oilers, Bouchard’s timely finish provided another reminder of the impact their power play can have in tight games.
