Oilers Ducks Game 2: Anaheim Evens Series
The Anaheim Ducks answered back in a big way in NHL playoff action, taking Edmonton Oilers Game 2 by a 6-4 score on Wednesday night to level their first-round series at 1-1. Cutter Gauthier delivered the decisive goal with 4:52 remaining, finishing off a rebound after a back-and-forth night in Edmonton that also featured a brief injury scare for Connor McDavid.
Game 3 now shifts to Anaheim on Friday night, with the series tied after Edmonton opened the matchup with a 4-3 win in Game 1 on Monday. For the Oilers Ducks Game 2 storyline, the biggest takeaway was not only Anaheim’s comeback, but also McDavid’s return after briefly leaving the game when he caught an edge early in the second period.
McDavid leaves briefly, then returns
McDavid was tangled up with teammate Mattias Ekholm and Anaheim defenseman Ian Moore when his skate blade caught an edge early in the second period. He left the ice for a short stretch before coming back and finishing with just over 24 minutes played. After the game, McDavid downplayed the incident, saying, “It’s fine. I just rolled up on it a little bit.”
That update will be a relief for Edmonton after a Game 2 that slipped away late. McDavid also noted that the Oilers have handled 1-1 series situations before and said the group is comfortable playing on the road, even if the result in Oilers Ducks Game 2 was not what they wanted.
Anaheim’s depth and pressure game made the difference
The Ducks repeatedly found answers whenever Edmonton pushed back. Gauthier scored once on a first-period power play, then set up Alex Killorn’s second-period goal on another man advantage. Killorn added two assists, while Jacob Trouba also scored and Jackson LaCombe collected three assists. Lukas Dostal stopped 33 shots to help Anaheim stay in position for the late surge.
Josh Samanski, making his playoff debut, tied the game at 4 with 6:09 left, but the Ducks responded quickly. Gauthier’s rebound goal restored the lead, and Ryan Poehling sealed it with an empty-net goal with 1:10 remaining. Poehling scored twice in the game, including a short-handed goal in the second period.
Killorn said the group has built confidence through the season by handling high-pressure moments and surviving tight games. He also acknowledged that Anaheim would like to be better with leads, but praised the team’s resilience. That resilience showed up again in Oilers Ducks Game 2, where the Ducks kept coming after every Edmonton push.
Edmonton’s offense still produced, but not enough
Edmonton got goals from Leon Draisaitl, Connor Murphy and Zach Hyman, while Connor Ingram made 22 saves. Draisaitl added an assist and continued his return from a lower-body injury that had kept him out until Game 1 against Nashville on March 15. Even with that production, the Oilers could not slow Anaheim’s attack late in the third period.
The loss leaves Edmonton in a familiar but less-than-ideal spot: tied 1-1 heading into a road game. McDavid said the team has been in this situation many times and believes it can respond away from home, but the Oilers Ducks Game 2 result shifted momentum toward Anaheim after the Ducks’ comeback win.
What this means for the series
With the series now even, Game 3 becomes a major swing game. Anaheim has home-ice momentum and a confidence boost from rallying for six goals, while Edmonton will be focused on tightening up defensively and making sure McDavid’s leg issue does not linger. The Ducks’ ability to score on the power play, generate rebounds and finish late gives them a clear path to stay competitive as the series moves forward.
What This Means for Bettors
The Oilers Ducks Game 2 result changes the series outlook by pushing it back to 1-1 before Game 3 in Anaheim. McDavid’s brief leg scare is worth monitoring, even though he returned and said he was fine. If Edmonton’s star is fully available, the market will likely keep treating the Oilers as live in the series, but Anaheim’s comeback and home-ice edge make the Ducks more interesting heading into Friday.
- Anaheim tied the first-round series with a 6-4 win in Game 2.
- Cutter Gauthier scored the go-ahead goal with 4:52 left.
- Connor McDavid briefly exited after a skate-edge incident but returned.
- Game 3 is Friday night in Anaheim.
