Derrick Pouliot's goal at the two-minute mark of the third period gave the Vancouver Canucks a 2-1 win over the visiting Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.

Pouliot now has five career NHL goals -- and all have been game-winners. He became the first player in league history to start his career with five game-winning goals.

"Very cool -- for sure," Pouliot said of his feat in a postgame interview with Sportsnet.

Pouliot broke a 1-1 tie as he took a pass from Nikolay Goldobin, skated into the slot, went around Edmonton goaltender Cam Talbot and scored into a vacant net. It was his third goal of the season.

The Canucks posted their third straight win and fourth in five games. The Oilers took their third consecutive loss.

"It's good to see us put three really good games in a row together her," Pouliot said.

Sam Gagner also lit the red light for the Canucks.

Connor McDavid scored for the Oilers.

Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom posted his third straight victory while stopping 35 of 36 shots. Talbot blocked 28 of 30.

The Oilers succeeded in their quest to tighten up defensively after squandering a 3-0 lead and losing 7-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Vancouver rookie winger Adam Gaudette added some hype to the Thursday game as he made his pro debut after completing his collegiate career last weekend.

Gaudette, a 21-year-old Braintree, Mass., native, is a Hobey Baker finalist after a producing 60 points in 38 games for Northeastern this season. He was held without a point while registering two shots on goal in 10:39 of ice time against the Oilers.

McDavid opened the scoring 11:33 into the game as he muscled his way past Gagner in a race for a loose puck and beat Markstrom with a quick shot. The goal extended McDavid's scoring streak to five games and his points streak to six contests.

Gagner made amends for his mistake at 15:14 of the second period as he whacked in the rebound of a Daniel Sedin shot. The goal was Gagner's third in the past four games, coinciding with his move to a line with Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin.

After Pouliot broke the tie, Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl hit the post during a power play with just over six minutes left in the third period. Then Edmonton's Ryan Strome clanked a shot off the crossbar with 2:11 remaining after putting a shot over Markstrom's catching glove.

The Oilers pressed for the rest of the game but could not beat Markstrom again.

Canucks center Brendan Gaunce returned to action after missing 24 games with a broken leg sustained in a game at Florida on Feb. 6.

--Field Level Media