Edmonton Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais. Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Oilers' Vincent Desharnais sweeps puck off goal line

By Paul Harris | Last updated 5/16/24

The Edmonton Oilers led the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 after the first period on Thursday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference second-round series and they have Vinny Desharnais to thank for that.

With the Oilers leading 1-0 late in the period, Desharnais cleared the puck off of the goal line behind Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard.

Vinny Desharnais? More like Vinny saves the day pic.twitter.com/jgDqIW9dZd
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 17, 2024

The Canucks scored less than a minute later as defenseman Carson Soucy's snap shot from the top of the left circle beat Pickard high on the glove side. Soucy returned after serving a one-game suspension for crosschecking Connor McDavid in the face at the end of Game 2.

But it only took Edmonton 23 seconds to regain its lead.

Mattias Janmark scored his first goal of the playoffs as he tapped in a pass from Connor Brown on a two-on-one rush.

The series is tied at two games each.

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