McDavid Leads Oilers Past Ducks 4-1 in Game 5 — Nhl Tonight

nhl tonight turned on one result: the Edmonton Oilers beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 in Game 5 on Tuesday and pushed the series to Game 6 on Thursday at Honda Center. Edmonton avoided elimination, and the pressure moved to Anaheim with the Ducks needing to close the series at home.

McDavid After Game 5

Connor McDavid set the tone afterward. "You've got to be grateful for just getting to the next day," the Oilers captain said after the Game 5 win. He added, "All we did was survive one more day, and the pressure is still on us, but it's a big game for them, too."

McDavid's words matched the situation in front of Edmonton. The Oilers had been trying to avoid elimination for a second straight game, and the victory kept that from happening. He also said, "Closing out is tough, and I'm sure they won't want to come back to Edmonton, so the pressure's on them."

Vasily Podkolzin Opens Fast

Game 5 turned early. Vasily Podkolzin scored his second goal of the series 2:22 into the first period, and Edmonton led 3-0 in the opening 10 minutes of regulation. The Oilers scored three goals in a 7:31 span, a burst that left Anaheim chasing the game before the first period settled.

Evan Bouchard drove the puck movement with three assists. Edmonton has scored first in each game of the series, but that quick start had not automatically settled the matchup because Anaheim's power play and strong second periods had helped the Ducks win only two of those games.

Honda Center Pressure

Kris Knoblauch said the mood changed immediately after the win. "You always feel good after a win," the Oilers head coach said before the team's flight to Anaheim on Wednesday. "The task doesn't seem so difficult, and the mood immediately after the game was completely different."

That relief did not last long. Knoblauch added, "But the next day, it’s gone and you're already thinking about the next game." Edmonton went to Honda Center for Game 6 with a chance to force a deciding Game 7 at Rogers Place, while Anaheim carried the burden of finishing the job in its own building.