The Edmonton Oilers are in for a fight with the Anaheim Ducks. It was a matchup that the Ducks had been looking forward to. Through four games, the Ducks are up 3-1 heading into Game 5, outscoring the Oilers 20-15, including 17-11 over the last two games.
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Entering the series, most predicted it would be a high-scoring affair given the way these two teams play defence. We know the Edmonton Oilers struggled defensively all season, which has bled over into the rest of their game, including their goaltending. Speaking of goaltending, how is the Tristan Jarry-Stuart Skinner trade working out right now?
Jarry didn’t start the series, but there is a chance he could see the ice in Game 4, given Connor Ingram‘s struggles. Calvin Pickard is up as well, so do the Oilers go that route? However, unlike the previous four years against the Los Angeles Kings, the Anaheim Ducks can counterpunch the Oilers with their offensive talent.
As Jim Biringer of NHLRumors.com and Full Press Media told TSN Radio in Montreal ahead of the series, the Oilers and Ducks are going to play track-meet hockey, which favours a young Anaheim team rather than a seasoned team like Edmonton.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “Jim, last couple of years, it’s been the Oilers and the Kings. And the Kings have always struggled offensively, very good, very sound, defensively, and maybe the perfect first round matchup for the Edmonton Oilers last couple of years, but completely different, a ducks team, young, perhaps arrogant, not giving a damn, willing to trade blown defensive assignments right across the board here. Is this a tough matchup for the Oilers? They’re playing a Ducks team that, if you want to play the game first to seven wins, the Ducks will sign up for that.”
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Jim Biringer: “Yeah. This could be a high-scoring series, right? It should be. I mean, Lukas Dostal to me is the X-factor for the Anaheim Ducks. If he is going to stand on his head and be like the guy he was for Czechia and what we’ve seen in the past for Anaheim, then the Edmonton Oilers are going to struggle again.
Connor McDavid is on a different level. Probably won the Hart Trophy, probably the last couple of weeks of the season without Leon Draisaitl. Zach Hyman‘s back right. Like Draisaitl is starting to skate, like, if he’s in the lineup, this is a big boost for this team (Draisaitl returned in Game 1 and leads the Oilers in points (6)).
But again, Anaheim’s got to stay out of the penalty box. The Oilers power play is just too good. But again, they have the weapons, the skill, and the speed. Cutter Gauthier has 40 goals. Leo Carlsson’s there. Let’s see if Mason McTavish can pick up his game. On the back end, (Jacob) Trouba and (Radko) Gudas know what they can do in the playoffs. Trouba, we know, can make game-changing hits. We know Gudas can do the same thing.
What is this Edmonton Oilers team? Are they a good defensive team? What defensive team is going to show up? What goalie is going to show up? How are they going to play? Too many question marks on Edmonton right now, because if they want to make a high-scoring series, Anaheim can trade blows with them, and they have the goaltending to just stop one of those pups from going in and steal a game or two from Edmonton.”
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The Oilers need to clean things up defensively for the rest of their game to fall into place. Anaheim is clicking on the power play, while Edmonton is struggling. Connor McDavid has (four points now, but was pointless in Game 1 and 2). They need more from him, as he is struggling with an injury.
The Anaheim Ducks are showing they can overcome some of their defensive lapses thanks to their offensive firepower. Unfortunately for the Oilers, they can’t do that. It is similar to what the Pittsburgh Penguins experienced from 2010 to 2015.
This series could slip away from the Oilers real quick as the Ducks take a stranglehold in Game 5.
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