Evan Bouchard Joins NHL Royalty with Historic Six-Point Night in Oilers’ Win
EDMONTON - On a night when the Edmonton Oilers needed every ounce of offense they could muster, Evan Bouchard delivered a performance for the ages - and then some.
The 26-year-old defenceman scored his first career hat trick and added three assists in a wild 6-5 win over the Washington Capitals, etching his name alongside some of the most iconic blueliners in NHL history. Bouchard became just the fourth defenceman ever to record three goals and three assists in a single game, joining an elite group that includes Bobby Orr, Tom Bladon, and Doug Crossman.
“It’s good company for sure,” Bouchard said postgame, staying true to his low-key demeanor. “It’s good for me to be on that list, but more importantly we got the win on a big night.”
Big night might be underselling it. Bouchard’s six-point outing came in his 400th NHL regular-season game - a milestone in itself - and pushed his season totals to 14 goals and 41 assists. But the numbers only tell part of the story.
From the opening puck drop, Bouchard was in complete control. His first goal came late in the first period, a rocket from just inside the blue line that threaded its way through traffic and past Capitals netminder Charlie Lindgren. It was vintage Bouchard: poised, powerful, and precise.
He struck again early in the second, launching another long-range shot that Lindgren got a piece of - but not enough. The puck trickled in as the goalie’s glove followed it into the net, giving Edmonton a 2-1 lead.
Then came the moment that brought the hats flying. Just over four minutes into the third, Bouchard collected a feed from Connor McDavid, danced into the high slot, and wired home his third of the night. No flashy celebration, no theatrics - just a raised stick and a swarm of teammates who knew exactly how special the moment was.
“As good a game as I’ve seen from a D-man. Special,” said McDavid.
“That’s his level. His best is among the best in the world.
Not just D-men. Players.”
That’s high praise from the league’s most electrifying player, and it wasn’t just lip service. Bouchard didn’t just light up the scoresheet - he made an impact on every inch of the ice. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch pointed to a key defensive play in the corner, where Bouchard laid a hit on Alex Ovechkin, as just one example of how complete his game was.
“I don’t know where to start,” Knoblauch said. “Obviously the three goals were nice, he made some defensive plays.
The list is pretty long for all the good things he did. You can tell he’s one of the elite defencemen in the league.
He was definitely feeling his best tonight.”
Even his defensive partner, veteran Mattias Ekholm, couldn’t help but marvel at the performance.
“I’m going to make sure my kids watch that tomorrow morning,” Ekholm said with a smile. “I mean, who can do that in the league today, or even historically? That’s a game where he wins it for us, really.”
And that’s no exaggeration. In a game where the Oilers needed every bit of offensive firepower, Bouchard delivered in spades.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an Oilers win without a little McDavid magic. The captain had five points of his own, including the game-winner just 46 seconds into overtime. With two goals and three assists on the night, McDavid reclaimed the NHL scoring lead, now sitting at 90 points - three ahead of Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon.
But even with McDavid doing McDavid things, this was Bouchard’s night. Quietly confident, remarkably efficient, and historically dominant.
Drafted 10th overall by Edmonton in 2018, Bouchard has always been known for his calm, steady presence. That cool-headed approach was on full display again, even after a career-defining performance.
“I guess that’s kind of how I’ve always been,” Bouchard said. “The highs and lows of the game are definitely a thing, but as long as you can keep it even keel, it usually works out for the best.”
It certainly worked out on Saturday.
Capitals Show Grit in Tough Loss
As for the Capitals, the loss stung - but the effort didn’t go unnoticed. Coming off a win in Calgary the night before and arriving in Edmonton at 4 a.m., Washington showed plenty of fight in a back-and-forth battle.
“I thought our guys fought like hell tonight,” said head coach Spencer Carbery. “It’s as difficult a game as we have on the schedule. Just the way we fought through the adversity of the game, the ups and downs … I’m just real proud of the way we played tonight.”
It was a gutsy showing from a team running on fumes, but on this night, they ran into a defenceman playing the game of his life.
And for Evan Bouchard, it wasn’t just a career night - it was a legacy moment.