Oilers Crushed by Canucks in Game 5, on the Brink of Elimination

The Vancouver Canucks dominated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series, putting the Oilers on the brink of elimination.

The Vancouver Canucks put on a dominant display in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers, winning 5-1 and putting the Oilers on the brink of elimination.

After a relatively even first period, the Canucks took control of the game in the second and never looked back. Tyler Motte opened the scoring for Vancouver with a wrist shot from the slot at 14:16 of the second, and Bo Horvat added to the lead just over two minutes later with a power-play goal.

The Oilers came out with a renewed sense of urgency in the third period, but the Canucks continued to pour it on. Brock Boeser made it 3-0 with a backhand shot from the slot at 5:32, and Elias Pettersson added a power-play goal of his own at 11:03.

Leon Draisaitl scored a power-play goal for the Oilers at 14:23, but it was too little, too late. J.T. Miller added an empty-net goal for the Canucks in the final minute to seal the victory.

The Canucks outshot the Oilers 36-27 and won the face-off battle 56% to 44%. Thatcher Demko made 26 saves for the Canucks, while Mikko Koskinen made 31 saves for the Oilers.

The Oilers now need to win Game 6 at home on Saturday to stay alive in the series. The Canucks will be looking to close it out and advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Here are some of the key takeaways from Game 5:

* The Canucks' power play was clicking on all cylinders, going 2-for-4.

* The Canucks' defense was outstanding, limiting the Oilers to just 27 shots on goal.

* The Canucks' top line of Horvat, Boeser, and Miller was dominant, combining for five points (two goals, three assists).

* The Oilers were unable to adjust to the Canucks' speed and skill after the first period.

* The Oilers' penalty kill was struggling, allowing the Canucks to go 2-for-4 on the power play.

The Oilers will need to make some significant adjustments if they want to avoid being eliminated in Game 6. They will need to find a way to slow down the Canucks' top line and generate more offense. The Canucks, on the other hand, will be looking to close out the series and advance to the Western Conference Finals.