The Edmonton Oilers managed to stay alive in the playoffs by defeating the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 in Game 5, with Leon Draisaitl scoring twice and Evan Bouchard providing three assists. Vasily Podkolzin and Zach Hyman also contributed goals for the Oilers, who had squandered previous leads in the series. Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had two assists. Edmonton has a strong record of 18-3 when scoring first in elimination games.
The Ducks, led by Alex Killorn, still hold a 3-2 series lead as they head back home. McDavid, despite concerns about his ankle injury, played a crucial role in the game and expressed confidence in his team’s ability to compete in tough situations. Connor Ingram made 29 saves for the Oilers, while Ville Husso replaced Lukas Dostal in goal for Anaheim.
Edmonton dominated early in the game, taking a quick 3-0 lead with goals from Podkolzin, Hyman, and Draisaitl. The Ducks responded with a power-play goal from Killorn, but Draisaitl’s second goal of the night on the power play solidified the Oilers’ victory. The game ended with no further scoring, despite Anaheim outshooting Edmonton in the latter part of the match.
The Oilers have played the most playoff games since 2022, showcasing their experience in high-stakes situations. Bouchard’s performance in his 80th playoff game was notable, as he joined an elite group of players in terms of points accumulated. McDavid also set a record for the second-most points in playoff history when trailing in a series, behind only Wayne Gretzky.
The series now shifts to Game 6 in Anaheim on Thursday night, as the Oilers aim to continue their comeback against the Ducks.