Michal Postava marked his inaugural NHL win in memorable fashion as the Detroit Red Wings recovered from a deficit to overcome the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 via a shootout at Rogers Place on Monday. The 24-year-old netminder recorded 25 saves during his first NHL start and then denied all three Edmonton attempts in the shootout.
Dylan Larkin sent the contest to overtime with a late third-period equaliser, while Lucas Raymond netted the winning goal in the shootout. The outcome gave Detroit a 2-1-1 record on its four-game road swing, while Edmonton endured a second straight loss after having won three in a row previously.
Postava impresses in first NHL start against Oilers
Postava, who debuted in the NHL last Thursday, was appearing in just his second league game. He had turned aside seven of eight shots after coming on for John Gibson at the beginning of the third period in Detroit’s 5-2 triumph over the Vancouver Canucks.
The young goaltender delivered another strong showing in Edmonton, keeping the Red Wings competitive before denying Evan Bouchard from the slot with nine seconds left in overtime. He then stopped every Oilers attempt in the shootout to claim his first career NHL victory.
“It’s amazing; I feel like a kid,” Postava said. “I watched all those NHL games when I was young, and I didn’t expect to one day be in the net and win the game. Now I’m just so happy.”
He added that his focus had been on enjoying the experience, helping his teammates, and making saves rather than thinking about the occasion.
Detroit coach Todd McLellan praised the team’s response after Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Calgary, highlighting the defensive effort, penalty killing, and Postava’s contribution.
Red Wings rally as Larkin forces overtime
Detroit required a late equaliser to prevent the Oilers from sealing victory in regulation. With Postava pulled for an extra attacker, Larkin made it 3-3 at 18:34 of the third period.
The Red Wings forward gathered a pass from Raymond off his skates, brought the puck under control, and slipped it between Tristan Jarry’s pads. Raymond, who had two assists during the game, later scored the only goal of the shootout to complete Detroit’s comeback.
Viktor Arvidsson also played a key role for the visitors, recording a goal and an assist. His second-period power-play strike levelled the score at 1-1 after he received Raymond’s cross-ice pass in the left face-off circle and beat Jarry with a one-timer.
Emmitt Finnie added another important goal early in the third period, tying the game at 2-2 just 30 seconds after Edmonton had regained the lead. Arvidsson retrieved the puck from behind the net and set up Finnie in front of goal.
Oilers goals and McDavid’s point streak
Edmonton took the lead at 6:10 of the opening period when Vasily Podkolzin’s attempt found the net following deflections off his skate and Detroit forward Carter Mazur’s skate. The goal came after Leon Draisaitl’s centering pass bounced into the slot.
The Oilers regained the advantage on the power play at 4:18 of the third period. Kasperi Kapanen supplied the pass from the right side, allowing Isaac Howard to fire past the sprawling Postava from the right face-off circle. It was Howard’s first goal since October 28, 2025.
Colton Dach then put Edmonton ahead 3-2 at 16:32, redirecting Ryan Shea’s slap shot past Postava. Officials confirmed the goal following a video review for a possible high stick, but the Oilers were unable to protect their lead.
Connor McDavid recorded an assist to extend his season-opening point streak to 12 games. Jarry finished with 26 saves, but Edmonton could not find a way past Postava in overtime or the shootout.
Coach Mike Babcock felt his team had competed well, particularly in the third period and while playing six-on-five, but acknowledged that Detroit had the better of the second period. Shea also pointed to that middle frame as an area requiring improvement, saying the Oilers had given up too much and needed to be sharper with their changes and positioning.
Hyman injury adds to Edmonton’s concerns
The defeat was compounded by an injury concern involving Zach Hyman, who left the game at 7:36 of the second period after a collision with Detroit defenseman Andreas Englund. Hyman’s head made contact with the glass following the hit.
The Oilers forward had already missed six games after sustaining an undisclosed injury in Edmonton’s season opener. Babcock expressed concern about the latest incident, noting that Hyman had been injured previously and describing him as an important part of the team.
For Detroit, meanwhile, the comeback provided a positive finish to the road trip and a memorable milestone for Postava, whose first NHL start ended with a victory against one of the league’s strongest attacking teams.