EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The Edmonton Oilers became the first NHL team to dress a full-time emergency backup goalie Thursday night for their game against against Anaheim.
Brett Epp was in uniform while fourth-string goalie Matt Tomkins started for the Oilers. Tristan Jarry was out due to illness and Devon Levi and Frederik Andersen are injured.
This is the first season NHL teams have been required to have EBUGs on rosters. The goaltenders, who travel with their club and wear No. 00, can’t have previously played in the NHL under a standard contract, must have 80 games or less of professional experience, and can’t have suited up professionally over the three preceding campaigns.
Before this season, home teams were tasked with providing an EBUG in the event either side suffered an in-game goaltending injury or illness.
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
Edmonton Oilers emergency backup goaltender Brett Epp (00) looks up prior to the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (Codie McLachlan/The Canadian Press via AP)
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Cutter Gauthier became the first Anaheim player with nine goals in a four-game span, scoring and adding an assist in the Ducks' 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.
Gauthier — coming off consecitive hat tricks — has seven power-play goals in the four-game span. Dating to 1933-34, the only other NHL players to accomplish the feat are Dave Andreychuk (8, Nov. 7-14, 1992) and Teemu Selanne (7, Oct. 25-31, 2008).
Pavel Mintyukov and Beckett Sennecke each had two goals and an assist for the Ducks, and Laurent Brossoit made 23 saves. They have won three in a row to improve to 8-7-1.
Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, Kasperi Kapanen and Leon Draisaitl scored for Edmonton. The Oilers (11-3-3) have lost two in a row.
Fourth-string goalie Matt Tomkins made 16 saves with Tristan Jarry out due to illness and both Devon Levi and Frederik Andersen injured. The Oilers became the first team in the NHL to dress a full-time emergency backup goalie, with Brett Epp sitting on the bench.
McDavid had three assists to extend his season-opening points and assists streaks to 17 games and give him an NHL-best 44 points. He's tied for the fourth-longest points streak to start a season in league history.
Ducks: At Calgary on Friday night.
Oilers: Host Vancouver on Saturday night.
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) scores against Anaheim Ducks goaltender Laurent Brossoit (31) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (Codie McLachlan/The Canadian Press via AP)
Anaheim Ducks' Tristan Luneau (67), Mikael Granlund, center, and Pavel Mintyukov, right, celebrate after a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (Codie McLachlan/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks' Marco Rossi (23) and Zeev Buium (8) check Anaheim Ducks' Cutter Gauthier (61) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Anaheim Ducks' Cutter Gauthier (61), Beckett Sennecke (45) Jackson LaCombe (2) and Mikael Granlund (64) celebrate Gauthier's goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Anaheim Ducks' Cutter Gauthier celebrates his second goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period of an NHL hockey game, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
