In their first game back from the NHL’s Olympic break, the Edmonton Oilers faced a tough 6-5 loss against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. It was a night of missed opportunities and defensive struggles for the Oilers, who have now dropped four games in a row.
Edmonton's scoring came from a mix of players: Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jack Roslovic, and Matthew Savoie all found the back of the net. Meanwhile, Anaheim responded with goals from Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Alex Killorn, Ian Moore, Beckett Sennecke, and Olen Zellweger.
Tristan Jarry, the Oilers' goaltender, faced a challenging night, allowing five goals on 25 shots before being replaced by Connor Ingram in the third period. Ingram managed to stop three of the four shots he faced, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. Lukas Dostal, on the other hand, secured the win for Anaheim with 22 saves.
The Oilers had control for much of the game, leading 2-0, 4-2, and 5-4, but couldn’t hold on. Anaheim took their first lead late in the game with Gauthier’s goal, leaving Edmonton with nothing to show for their efforts.
Despite a promising start with Roslovic scoring just 13 seconds in, and a two-goal advantage heading into the third period, the Oilers couldn’t seal the deal. It marked the first time this season Edmonton lost a game after leading through 40 minutes.
Paul Coffey made his return to the Oilers’ bench, rejoining the coaching staff. The Hall-of-Fame defenseman had previously helped guide Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025. Coffey’s expertise is expected to bolster a defense that has been struggling, as evidenced by Wednesday’s performance.
Defensive woes continued for Edmonton, who have now allowed 40 goals in their last eight games. The third period was particularly rough, as they surrendered four goals to let a 4-2 lead slip away. Darnell Nurse and Jake Walman had a tough night defensively, with Nurse allowing a crucial goal by giving too much space to Anaheim’s forwards.
Coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t hold back in his assessment of Jarry’s performance, noting that better goaltending was needed. Jarry’s recent stats haven’t been impressive, with a goals-against average of 4.89 and a save percentage of .831 over his last seven games.
Ingram is likely to start in the next game against the Los Angeles Kings, a critical matchup for playoff positioning. Edmonton currently sits third in the Pacific Division, with the Kings close behind, making Thursday’s game a pivotal one.