The Edmonton Oilers got the job done on Saturday night, even after losing one of their top forwards.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins wasn't able to return to Edmonton's 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks after taking a puck to the head in his first shift of the second period.
The 33-year-old was skating at the Vancouver blueline when Oilers defenceman Ryan Shea turned and shot a puck blind that went up high, catching Nugent-Hopkins on the side of his head.
"I don't think he is (going to miss time)," Edmonton head coach Mike Babcock said post-game. "(We were) initially worried about a broken jaw ... but he seems to be doing OK."
Nugent-Hopkins had played 6:38, won two faceoffs and recorded a minus-1 rating before exiting.
The longtime Oiler now has four goals and seven assists through 10 games on the season.
He set Edmonton's franchise record for games played on Monday, when he skated in his 1,038th game wearing the orange and blue.
Nugent-Hopkins has already missed time this year with a lower-body injury that kept him sidelined until Oct. 22.
The Oilers improved to 12-3-3 in 2026-27 with Saturday's win.



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