Edmonton Oilers Suffer Ugly 7-4 Loss to Anaheim Ducks in Game 3
The Edmonton Oilers dropped Game 3 of their Western Conference First Round series against the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 7-4 on Friday night at Honda Center, falling behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven matchup. The Ducks erupted for four third-period goals to break open a tight game and claim their first home playoff victory in eight years.
Ducks Rally Late to Secure Series Lead
Anaheim struck early in the third period when Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson scored just 42 seconds apart to turn a 3-2 Oilers lead into a 4-3 Ducks advantage. The duo’s quick-strike goals ignited a four-goal third period for the Ducks, who added tallies from Jeffrey Viel, Jackson LaCombe, and Mikael Granlund to pull away.
Granlund finished with a goal and two assists, while Carlsson and LaCombe each contributed a goal and an assist. Goaltender Lukas Dostal made 20 saves for the Ducks, who have now outscored Edmonton 16-5 through the first three games of the series.
Oilers’ Stars Shine Despite Defensive Lapses
Connor McDavid responded for Edmonton with a power-play goal and an assist, marking his first points of the postseason. Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard each recorded two assists, while Connor Ingram stopped 32 shots in net for the Oilers.
Edmonton held leads of 1-0 and 3-2 during the game but ultimately succumbed to defensive breakdowns, particularly in front of the net and during transition plays. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch cited “lost coverage” and “careless” puck management as factors in the loss.
Series Shifts to Anaheim for Game 4
The Ducks now hold a 2-1 series lead as the matchup returns to Honda Center for Game 4 on Sunday night. Edmonton will look to adjust its defensive structure and limit odd-man rushes after allowing 16 goals in three games.
With the series shifting back to Anaheim, both teams face critical adjustments: the Ducks aiming to protect their home-ice advantage, and the Oilers seeking to regain composure and tighten up defensively to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole.