Connor McDavid recorded three assists on Saturday night, November 7, 2026, as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 at home. The three helpers stretched McDavid’s season-opening assist streak to 18 games, tying him with Adam Oates for the second-longest assist streak in NHL history. Only Wayne Gretzky, with 23 straight games with an assist in the 1990-91 season, sits ahead of him now.
McDavid has now recorded at least one point in all 18 games this season. He leads the NHL with 47 points, built on 10 goals and 37 assists. Leon Draisaitl scored twice in the win, and the Oilers ended a two-game losing run with the result. Vancouver, meanwhile, fell to a fifth straight loss.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Final score | Edmonton Oilers 4, Vancouver Canucks 2 |
| Date | Saturday, November 7, 2026 |
| Location | Edmonton, home game for the Oilers |
| Connor McDavid | 3 assists, assist streak now 18 games |
| McDavid season totals | 47 points, 10 goals, 37 assists |
| Leon Draisaitl | 2 goals, 3-point game |
| Streak tied | Adam Oates, 18 games, 1992-93 season |
| Streak record | Wayne Gretzky, 23 games, 1990-91 season |
| Oilers result | Ended a two-game losing run |
| Canucks result | Fifth straight loss |
| Oilers next game | Home against the New York Rangers on Monday |
| Canucks next game | Home against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday |
How the Oilers Beat the Canucks
Edmonton controlled the game at home and finished it off late. Draisaitl scored on the power play to give the Oilers a 3-1 lead, taking a pass from McDavid and firing a one-timer from just in front of the right faceoff dot. Mattias Ekholm also scored in the first period for Edmonton. Draisaitl then sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 45 seconds left on the clock, completing the 4-2 final score.
McDavid’s three assists were the story of the night. Every time Edmonton needed a play, the captain was involved. The Oilers had lost their previous two games, and this was the response they needed at home against a struggling Vancouver side. The win steadied Edmonton after a short slide and kept the good start to the season on track.
For Vancouver, the loss was the fifth in a row. The Canucks came into Edmonton near the bottom of the league standings, and the gap between the two teams showed over the course of the night. Vancouver kept the score close for long stretches, but Edmonton had the better of the play when it mattered, and McDavid’s line was the difference.
The Assist Streak in NHL History
An 18-game assist streak is rare company in NHL history. McDavid now sits tied with Adam Oates, who recorded an assist in 18 straight games during the 1992-93 season. Only one player has ever done better. Wayne Gretzky recorded an assist in 23 straight games during the 1990-91 season, a mark that has stood for more than 35 years.
That is the number McDavid is now chasing. Five more games with an assist would tie Gretzky. Six more would pass him. The Oilers play the New York Rangers at home on Monday, and that game is the next step in the chase. Every game from here adds pressure, because a single night without a helper ends the run.
The streak is also a point streak. McDavid has scored in every game this season, 18 games in a row, and that is the longest season-opening point streak by an active player. He passed his own mark of 17 games from the 2021-22 season, a mark he shared with Toronto forward William Nylander from the 2023-24 season.
McDavid is also closing in on his career-best single-season point streak of 20 games, set last season, when he recorded 36 points on 19 goals and 17 assists across the run. Two more games with a point would tie that mark. Three more would set a new personal best.
A Historic Start to the Season
The numbers behind the streak are hard to believe. Through 18 games, McDavid has 47 points. That is 10 goals and 37 assists, an average of more than two and a half points per game. He leads the NHL in points, and he leads the league in assists by a wide margin.
The 37 assists are the engine of the streak. McDavid has set up teammates in every single game this season, and he has done it in different ways. Some nights it is a power-play pass to Draisaitl for a one-timer. Other nights it is a rush through the neutral zone that opens space for a linemate. The constant is that the puck keeps finding him, and he keeps finding the open man.
His start is even more striking because of how the season began. McDavid opened the year with points in game after game, and the streak survived a two-game team slide this week. The Oilers lost two in a row before Saturday, but McDavid kept producing through both defeats. That is the mark of a streak built on individual brilliance rather than team momentum alone.
It is also worth noting how fast he reached 30 assists this season. Earlier in the year, McDavid became the fastest player to reach 30 assists in an NHL season when he set up a power-play goal. The pace has not slowed since. He is now at 37 assists through 18 games, and the history books are getting closer with every night he plays.
For more from a wild Saturday in sports, read our report on Notre Dame beating No. 1 Miami 31-24, a college football upset that also came down to a star quarterback carrying his team late.
What the Win Means for Edmonton
The win mattered for the Oilers beyond the streak. Edmonton had dropped two games in a row, and a third straight loss at home would have raised real questions about the direction of the team. Instead, the Oilers got back to winning, and they did it against a team they were expected to beat.
Draisaitl’s two-goal night was a big part of that. His three-point game reminded everyone that Edmonton has two of the best offensive players in the sport, and when both are going, the Oilers are hard to stop. Ekholm’s first-period goal gave the defense a contribution too, and the team closed the game out properly with the empty-net goal in the final minute.
The Oilers now turn to Monday, when they host the New York Rangers. That game is the next test for the streak and for the team. A win would build on Saturday’s result and keep the good start going. A loss would not end the season, but it would waste the momentum Edmonton just regained.
What Comes Next in the Chase
The next five games are now the story. McDavid needs an assist in each of his next five games to tie Gretzky’s record of 23, and six to break it. That is a tall ask, even for the best player in the sport. Assist streaks end on quiet nights, on games where the puck bounces the wrong way, or on nights when the other team simply shuts the Oilers down.
But McDavid has already done the hard part. He has survived 18 games without a blank night, through wins and losses, at home and on the road, against good teams and bad ones. The record is five games away, and the whole league will be watching each one.
Vancouver, meanwhile, goes home to host the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, looking to end a five-game losing run of its own. The Canucks have problems that go beyond one bad night in Edmonton, and the schedule does not get easier.
Also this weekend: UCLA stays undefeated with a 34-20 win at Minnesota, and Lando Norris takes pole in wet Sao Paulo qualifying.
FAQs
How long is Connor McDavid’s assist streak?
Connor McDavid has recorded an assist in 18 straight games to start the 2026-27 season. The streak reached 18 games on Saturday, November 7, 2026, when he had three assists in Edmonton’s 4-2 win over Vancouver.
Who holds the NHL record for the longest assist streak?
Wayne Gretzky holds the record with 23 straight games with an assist, set during the 1990-91 season. McDavid is now tied with Adam Oates for second place at 18 games. Oates set his mark in the 1992-93 season.
How many points does McDavid have this season?
McDavid leads the NHL with 47 points through 18 games, on 10 goals and 37 assists. He has recorded at least one point in every game this season.
What is McDavid’s longest point streak?
McDavid’s career-best single-season point streak is 20 games, set last season, when he recorded 36 points on 19 goals and 17 assists. His current 18-game point streak is two games short of that mark.
Sources
- Reuters, Connor McDavid’s assist streak to 18 games as Oilers handle Canucks: https://www.reuters.com/sports/nhl/connor-mcdavids-assist-streak-18-games-oilers-handle-canucks–flm-2026-11-08/
- NHL.com, Draisaitl scores twice, Oilers hold off Canucks: https://www.nhl.com/news/vancouver-canucks-edmonton-oilers-game-recap-november-7-2026
- BVM Sports, McDavid Matches NHL Assist Streak Record as Oilers Beat Canucks: https://bvmsports.com/2026/11/08/mcdavid-matches-nhl-assist-streak-record-as-oilers-beat-canucks/
Final Thoughts
Connor McDavid extending his assist streak to 18 games is the kind of night that reminds you why he is the best player in the sport. Three assists, a 4-2 win, a two-game losing run ended, and a tie with Adam Oates for the second-longest assist streak in NHL history. All of it happened in one Saturday night in Edmonton.
The chase is now five games from Gretzky. That is the number everyone will be watching. McDavid needs an assist in each of his next five games to tie the record, and the Rangers visit on Monday for the next step. Records like this do not come around often, and this one is close enough to feel real.
For now, the facts are enough. Eighteen games, 47 points, 37 assists, and a player who has not had a quiet night yet this season. The Oilers are winning again, and McDavid is writing history one assist at a time.
