The Oilers score enters Game 5 with elimination on the line at Rogers Place on Tuesday, and Connor McDavid remains a game-time decision after not taking part in the morning skate. Edmonton trails the Anaheim Ducks three games to one in the Western Conference First Round.
McDavid and Game 5
McDavid rolled his ankle in the second period of Game 2, left momentarily, then returned and has played in Games 3 and 4. He has four points in the series, and Edmonton needs him at full speed to extend the matchup.
Jason Dickinson is also a game-time decision because of a lower-body injury. He was hurt blocking a shot in Edmonton’s 5-2 win at the San Jose Sharks on April 8, missed the last three games of the regular season, sat out Games 2 and 3, and returned for Game 4.
Connor Ingram Starts
Connor Ingram will start in goal for Edmonton after Tristan Jarry took over in Game 4. Ingram is 1-2 with a 4.70 goals-against average and an.849 save percentage in the series, while Jarry made 34 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss on Sunday.
Kris Knoblauch kept the decision simple. “Nothing against Jarry,” he said, adding, “I thought he had a solid game the other night, but going down the last few weeks or months, Ingram's been our starter, he's been our guy. Now that our season is on the line, we felt we would go with our guy.”
Edmonton's Series Push
Leon Draisaitl leads Edmonton with seven points in the series, while Kasperi Kapanen has five. Draisaitl said, “I think we haven't really played our best yet, so we're obviously looking for that tonight,” and added, “We've been in worse situations, but we also know the urgency that we need to bring and what's at stake. The group looks good to me and we're excited for tonight.”
The Ducks have not won a Stanley Cup Playoff series since a seven-game victory over Edmonton in 2017, and they are one win from advancing in their first postseason appearance since 2018. Anaheim forward Jeffrey Viel said, “We know they're going to come hard and they're never going to give up,” while defenseman Jackson LaCombe said the Ducks need to be ready because each game has brought more confidence but also a bigger challenge.
Edmonton's special teams have swung in both directions. The power play went 3-for-4 over the last two games after starting 0-for-6, but the penalty kill gave up three goals over that same stretch, including two power-play goals after Josh Samanski took stick infractions in each of the last two games.
