The Edmonton Oilers have a chance to put some early series pressure on the Anaheim Ducks with a win tonight. Game 1 saw the home team play a strong first period, a baffling second, and then take advantage of a passive Ducks side in the third period. I thought the defense and goaltending looked mostly calm, similar to the 37-25 GF-GA run in the final 11 games of the regular season. What will tonight bring? Please read this.
FIVE-ON-FIVE GOAL SHARE BY LINE AND PAIRING
- Connor McDavid 17 minutes, 0-0 goals
- Leon Draisaitl 16 minutes, 2-1 goals
- 97 and 29: 2 minutes, 0-0 goals
- Jason DIckinson 10 minutes, 2-1 goals
- Adam Henrique 3 minutes, 0-0 goals
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 3 minutes, 0-0 goals
- The rest: 2 minutes, 0-0 goals
This is just one game, so we’re not taking a huge amount away from these numbers. The second and third line were high event, and I do think the Oilers need to suppress opposition offense across all four lines. Edmonton is more of a high powered offense who can outscore mistakes, but the next step is cutting down on those mistakes. That may mean cheating for defense, and you can look to young players like Matt Savoie and Josh Samanski for examples of the player-type on the playoff roster.
We should see Samanski and more of that fourth line tonight. Adam Henrique’s injury so early in the playoffs begins the injury conversation and brings up the idea of recalls. I think Ike Howard, James Hamblin, Roby Jarventie, Riley Stillman, Josh Brown and Calvin Pickard (who was recalled recently) would lead the list. Damien Carfagna is NHL-ready, expect the team will pass on the idea of giving him his NHL debut in the postseason.
- Ekholm-Bouchard 17 minutes, 0-0 goals
- Nurse-Murphy 17 minutes, 1-1 goals
- Walman-Emberson 10 minutes, 1-0 goals
- Connor Ingram 21 of 23, .913SP
This is a nice set of stats. Ingram’s five-on-five save percentage continues his strong work leading up to the end of the regular season. The top pairing allowed no damage, the third pair came out one goal ahead, and the shutdown pairing allowed a goal but the line in front of them recovered one at the other end. That’s kind of what one hopes for and I do think there is less wobble from this group since Paul Coffey came back on the scene and helped with the outlets.
A quick special mention for Jake Walman, a most pleasant surprise in Game 1. Kasperi Kapanen also qualifies in this category due to a pair of goals, and Jason Dickinson’s two goals gets him here, too. The Oilers have some momentum now, but Vegas did too until last night. NHL playoffs, man. They’re wild and crazy.
On the Lowdown today, my feature guest will be Kevin McCurdy, segment at 1pm. We’ll chat about Game 1, the things that can improve for this team and why getting out of the first round early would be a major advantage. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
New for The Athletic: Oilers need more from elite forwards in Game 2 against Anaheim Ducks
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7213734/2026/04/22/oilers-ducks-game-2-mcdavid-draisaitl/
Yup. There he goes, hitting his not “cerebral thinking” head against that all too familiar brick wall. It’s a bad habit. Fingers crossed he uses that cerebellum creatively in this series to break the habit.
Thanks LT: as always, an excellent read. When you mentioned the McDavid numbers, they stung, even though I had seen them before. Finding myself protective of him, as we all know he just wants to frickin win. But the numbers don’t lie. Here’s the thing. He’s absolutely not selfish as he passes up on more shots than a large group of men farting after drinking too much beer.
Your choices make sense. Can the Captain get out of his broken feedback loop, the one that tells him to try too hard which inevitably makes him less effective at times? My bet is on the Captain taking advantage of this primitive waterbird swarm to his and the team’s advantage, as not only is he very good at hockey, he also thinks the game at a level rarely seen before. Besides, the only player who could effectively shadow him is long since retired: Tikkanen. He was not only a very good player, but he could shadow any person alive to death, to complete annoyance and to shear oblivion.
Enjoy the festivities this evening!
Numbers can lie.
You cannot measure the value of one player taking up the entire focus and attention of the other team.
And Dickinson that looked fantastic since his acquisition, had poor enough numbers that many had him replaced by Samanski for game one.
Another number that I felt was skewed was Oilers shots on net. They fired shot after shot…..and missed the net …..so not counted. But their shot generation was outstanding particularly in the first period.
Good points Winchester. I had thought of what you said about one player taking the entire focus and attention of the other team. Common sense not translating to analytical numbers. And the Captain does, he creates so much havoc that the other team has….to….respond…or…there’s….trouble. These other points you raise, interesting….Not sure if you caught the Canes/Senators game (an excellent one to be sure) but there is no doubt the Canes had the same idea with shot after shot……I often wonder why coaches don’t lead with that, as hockey is a basic game, like soccer, put the puck/ball at the net and good things will happen, despite the analytics
This game the coach can predict the Ducks will try and hold the blue line against McDavid. And power play zone entries.
I suspect we see some fine tuning to drive those d men back
Prophetic
A lot of negative.. which i get. But I think this feels like bias based on the resulting bounces… sure felt like round one last year. Outplayed them and get tied only to have a net front clear go off drai skate right to a duck…
Maybe I’m alone but other than a banged up connor, i felt the effort was there with some bounces that just were not anticipated.
The shorty was clearly mcdavid not being able to… well…Mcdavid. He never makes that pass if he is 100%
These fresh ‘takes’, right after a loss like this are never enough, but still:
– Coach Garlic reminds me of a flusterred accountant when things go off-plan in a live game situation. Every. Single. Time. Since. He. Got. Here.
Nothing new.
– What are your contingency measures?
Its one thing to look cute & smile getting caught by a fan locally out & about town, its another to adjust mid-stream to another team’s obvious supression tactics. Because thats the job.
– Where is McD and his A-Team the last two games? Drai showed up, anyone else?
Let’s put it another way; since the Arnott draft, its been “Same as it ever was”. And some of us are so very tired.
Horrific. Terrible. Damn near unwatchable.
McDavid with perhaps his two worst playoff games back to back, with this being by far his worst game I think I’ve ever seen him play, injury or not.
Horrendous powerplay. Ineffective penalty kill. Less than stellar goaltending. Bad puck luck.
AND YET
They tied it up and lost on a lucky bounce and suspect icing call. This Anaheim team has very little to be afraid of, as long as they pull their heads outta their asses.
McDavid will wake up, if the injury allows him.
Oilers in 5.
Hyman -3, Connor and Bouch -2. Not a winning formula.
Crappy bounce to lose the game on but we gotta be better than this. McDavid has to figure out how to play against this team. They’re sweeping sticks behind themselves cuz they know he likes to cross behind. It’s worked so far but hopefully he can adjust. We need his line to be a difference maker, not a play killer.
Lucky bounces aside, we gotta keep up the physical play. Run the four lines and let the bangers make a difference.
Heres hoping we see some adjustments for the next game.
Special teams atrocious so far and that is definitely the difference in this game.
https://x.com/VintageOilers/status/1794788563424526414?s=20
Podkolzin has been excellent. It seems as though he is finding yet another gear. The hits are bone rattling and he is making more and more plays that are positively Drai-esqe.
I really enjoyed watching Savoie making the adjustment from game 1 to game 2. What a smart player he is. Unlucky to not have cashed, he had some good looks.
You’re not going to win then all, but some positive things are happening.
Game was unfortunately lost on a very bad icing by Ekholm and a bad McDavid giveaway. I think Ekholm rushed because he felt that forechecker, but the opposing Duck had just lost his stick. Tough one.
I remain optimistic. There is a lot to like. Supporting cast has been A plus so far, same goes for the second line. Walman is excelling at navigating the Ducks’ forecheck. Need to get the first line going, but I believe it will come.
It’s a chess match. Oilers have to make the adjustments. They can do it!
A lot went wrong with the Oilers tonight but it was still a game they probably win 6 times out of 10 if you replay it. All that that despite McDavid having maybe his worst game I’ve seen him play (and Game 1 wasn’t great). A lot of pucks fell the Ducks way or against the Oilers, Draisatl goal excepted.
Oilers HD 9
Ducks HD 8
It sure didn’t feel that way.
As usual, the Oilers got theirs from sublime skill. And the Oilers’ opponents got them from god-awful Oiler defensive breakdowns. (How many Ducks were left alone near the crease? Several goals scored that way.)
Special teams again.
Yup
Would the real Edmonton Oilers please stand up?
This is the real Edmonton Oilers. Ceiling and floor.
Just So Gross
Casually putting out 4th line plumbers against Oilers top line….again and again.
It’s working. Joel is eating knobs lunch
Mcdavid and Bouchard two consecutive terrible games. They’re lucky to be tied in the series.
Neither team deserves to win this game
Very uninspiring effort
Well it’s a series now. McDavid better figure it out quickly or it’s going to be a short series and a long summer.
It’s not just McDavid. The attention to detail they played with in the last few games of the season hasn’t been there in the first 2 games of the series.
Yes, Anaheim is more skilled than some of those teams they finished the season against. But they’re playing loose and McDavid’s frustration is hurting himself and the team right now. The PP is not clicking, the PK is poor and they aren’t taking care of the puck.
This level of hockey is not good enough.
As long as our coaches completely ignore who is playing well in a game and just goes with the guys who have done well historically it’s going to be hard to win this series and anything beyond.
So they should sit McDavid then? … cause he’s been awful.
They should reduce his minutes yes
I’m not suggesting they sit him, obviously but I would have kept the Drai, Podz, Kap line together and played them in the critical minutes. I’d take Nuge off pp1 and put Savoi in his spot. To name a few examples.
It was Leon’s regular line and our top defense pair that got scored on the winner. But yes, I agree … no more blender. Roll the lines. And yes, take Nuge off the PP and limit his minutes until he starts showing a pulse. Distribute his minutes to Savoie, Podz and Samanski.
Pretty sure Hyman was out there for the 5-4 goal. So not fully the Drai line.
Also, Knoblauch is so done.
He’s got zero answers. If they’re not careful Woody will be pointing that belly at the Oilers bench in a week
I’d be so angry if I was one of the support guys who was going tonight. This has happened all damn year and they’ve stuck it out, but this has to be infuriating. Not being able to get on the ice and help the team when you’re capable is awful.
Should he at least stay for the rest of the series?
Lost this game on special teams.
What a brutal effing loss. Total waste.
The coach can’t get out of his own damn way…Frederic where Leon should be??? Come on…
Lol he made no contact at all like what if this theatre
Bad luck & a questionable icing call
The icing before that goal was whistled atrociously early.
Hyman not in the lane.
Brutal goal … so much bad puck luck there
Another bounce right to a Duck’s stick
bad Bad luck in this game
OK we have to win this game now!
Oh no…../
Glad we found a way to get Samanski into the lineup.
Even if it turns out that sitting Dickinson wouldn’t have been, as I originally thought, the best way to get Samanski in.
What a Beauty 🤓
Savoie finally let the dawg out for that shift.
Samanski, set, go!
Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, young man.
SAMMY SCORESAGOAL!!
More Germans have Oilers goals than Canadians have tonight.
I guess we know whose papers are in order.
Savoie having a very strong game. Much better than G1
BOOM!!! Wicked Real goal from Sammi!!! Savoie was a bulldog!!!
Play the healthy, fresh players!
Holy frack Josh Samanski!!!!!!!!!!!
Samanski!
Josh freaking Samanski!!!!
I was gushing about him earlier. Good for him.
Is anyone going to tell McDavid to stop doing what he’s doing? The coach maybe? Nah that would never work
Drai maybe? His wife?
Nonsense to take Podz and Kapi out of this game. Tell 97 to pick two other wingers.
If you are in any way surprised at this point….
This is painful to watch. Was not able to check out much of the regular season, but this is an expansion-level team with a couple of stars, who are underperforming.
Nuge is either injured or has hit the cliff this spring.
Been a long 1000 game hangover
Coach going nuclear is a mistake
Takes the best line out of play and mixes up all the other lines. KK with a complete lack of game awareness.
It’ll work and it’ll be genius!
McDavid is skating through and passing through sticks. Only game that is working against Ducks is a simple one. Draisatl’s line is playing it.. not McDavids
Exactly. Simpler plays are best especially when struggling, but he keeps doing these things. Its like he only knowd one way to play regardless of the situation
The way Connor is playing if he was anyone else I’m thinking benched
No Stanley Cup playoffs logo on the ice is criminal.