McDavid scores twice and has 3 assists in the Oilers' 6-5 shootout victory over the Hurricanes

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid forced overtime with a late goal for his fifth point of the night, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had the lone shootout score and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-5 on Thursday night.

McDavid had two goals and three assists to give him a whooping 31 points in the first 10 games of the season. He joined Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky as the only NHL players to reach the 30-point mark in 10 games or fewer.

Leon Draisaitl also had two goals and three assists, and Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist.

Edmonton tied it with 1:28 and goalie Devon Levi off for an extra attacker. McDavid sent a shot on net that deflected off Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s skate for his eighth goal.

The Oilers (8-1-1) have won three straight and seven of their last eight. Levi made 22 saves.

Jackson Blake, Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Logan Stankhoven and Juuso Valimaki scored for the the Hurricanes (8-2-2). The defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes have lost two of their last three.

Brandon Bussi made 16 saves for Carolina.

Nugent-Hopkins made his season debut, returning after sustaining a lower-body injury during training camp. The 33-year-old became the franchise leader for seasons played with the Oilers at 16.

Jarvis scored in his first game of the season, making his debut following offseason shoulder surgery.

Hurricanes: At St. Louis on Saturday night.

Oilers: Host Toronto on Saturday night.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Edmonton Oilers' Mathieu Joseph (21) battles against Carolina Hurricanes' Seth Jarvis (24) and Juuso Valimaki (8) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (Codie McLachlan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Devon Levi (27) defends the net against Carolina Hurricanes' William Carrier (28) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (Codie McLachlan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Kasperi Kapanen (42) protects the puck from Carolina Hurricanes' Jalen Chatfield (5) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (Codie McLachlan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) battles against Carolina Hurricanes' Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (Codie McLachlan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Zach Hyman (18), Connor McDavid (97) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, right, celebrate after Nugent-Hopkins' goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (Codie McLachlan/The Canadian Press via AP)

TOKYO (AP) — The head of the Asian Football Confederation said Friday the body is endorsing Gianni Infantino for another term as FIFA president.

The AFC has 47 member confederations. Even if all the members do not follow the direction of Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the AFC president, those votes could be a key to guaranteeing another mandate for Infantino, who leads the governing body of world soccer and is seeking a fourth term.

The FIFA election is in March and the deadline for candidates to file against Infantino is Nov. 18. So far none has filed.

Sheikh Salman, speaking at the body's extraordinary congress meeting in Tokyo on Friday, embraced Infantino with a large hug in front of the membership as he delivered his endorsement.

“We affirm our full commitment to supporting you and your leadership as you seek a new mandate as the FIFA president.” Sheikh Salman said. “You’ve visited a lot of countries in Asia. I’ve spoken to a lot of members within this continent. I know your feeling and I think your commitment is clear as well.”

Addressing his remarks to Infantino, Sheikh Salman indicated not every AFC members would go along with the endorsement, but most will.

“My feeling is, I’m sure, the feeling of most of my members,” Sheikh Salman said. “And I’ve said that to you.”

This is an abrupt turnaround for Sheikh Salman. Just over two months ago, the AFC joined the soccer governing bodies of Europe, and North and Central America in saying that Infantino had committed a “fundamental breach of trust.”

Infantino apologized last week in Zurich to FIFA's 37-member ruling council — which he chairs — for “mistakes” he made in assembling a now-scrapped $4.2 billion plan for the World Cup.

Sheikh Salman referenced the differences with Infantino in his speech, but glossed over any details.

“Gianni I want to make it clear, Yes, we had some issues we spoke about in the past," Sheikh Salman said. "But let’s not relate the two things together. I think the last few days we met in Zurich you made it clear that there’s a true understanding between us.”

“The past I’m sure is part of our history,” he added, "We've all, I’m sure, learned important lessons from it. What matters now is how we move forward together. I think everyone has questions and I’m sure the answers we be available, whether to us in Asia, or the rest of the world. ”

FIFA's media office has been promoting Infantino's travels around the globe, seeking votes in exchange for more millions of dollars in financial support for small and large soccer countries.

“Thank you for being here,” Sheikh Salman said to Infantino. “I know you have been everywhere. I don’t know how you can do it. But I’m sure that you set a record for being in almost every country.”

Sheikh Salman then joked that, perhaps, Infantino had a “clone."

That drew a laugh. But the largest applause came at the end of his brief address when he again repeated his support for Infantino.

"As one Asian family we are ready to move forward, united in your support, Gianni,” Sheikh Salman added. “I want to make that clear today.”

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

FILE -FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives to attend the opening game of the Women's U20 World Cup opening match between Poland and Argentina in Katowice, Poland, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Beata Zawrzel, File)