The Canucks open the season with a 6-5 overtime win over the Oilers

The Manny Malhotra era in Vancouver got off to a positive start Tuesday, though the Canucks’ 6-5 season-opening win over the Edmonton Oilers was closer than it first appeared. Paul Cotter scored twice, including the overtime winner at 1:59, after Edmonton scored with 43 seconds left in regulation to force extra time.

Vancouver led 2-2 after 40 minutes, then scored three times in four minutes to start the third period. The Oilers fought back to tie it. Marco Rossi, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Max Sasson and Elias Pettersson also scored for the Canucks, who began the season 1-0-0 after finishing last in the NHL last season with a 25-49-8 record. Kevin Lankinen made 32 saves.

Jamie Oleksiak said the first game was not the cleanest, but the team showed resilience, handled pressure and responded to Edmonton’s push. Pettersson said Vancouver was happy with the win but needed to improve, especially after giving up a three-goal lead.

Cotter, who joined Vancouver as a free agent after two seasons in New Jersey, became the first Canuck to score a short-handed goal in his debut with the team and the first to score an overtime winner in his franchise debut. He is the sixth Canuck to record a multi-goal game in his first game with the team, and joined Brendan Shanahan as the only NHL players to score both a short-handed goal and an overtime goal in a season opener.

Malhotra said the team would enjoy the win that night and return to work the next day, adding that consistency and keeping an even keel are key to good teams. He praised Lankinen’s late saves and the penalty kill’s work against Edmonton’s elite power play. Malhotra became the fourth person to play for and coach Vancouver, following Marc Crawford, Pat Quinn and Orland Kurtenbach. He described the game as fun to coach, with momentum and energy swings and many moving parts.

The teams are scheduled to meet again in Vancouver on Thursday.