Dostal Chased Early After Oilers Score Three in 10:13
Lukas Dostal was chased in Game 5 after the Oilers scored three goals on nine shots in the opening 10:13. The Ducks starter has already been tagged for 3.6 goals above expected against Edmonton, and Anaheim now has to manage the rest of the series with his playoff numbers under the microscope.
Edmonton Bursts Past Dostal
The damage started fast. Edmonton scored on its first shot Tuesday when Vasily Podkolzin beat Dostal, and the early goal put the Ducks behind the pace before the game had settled.
By the time the Oilers had piled up three goals on nine shots, Anaheim had seen enough and pulled him. That left the Ducks trying to reset after a stretch that lasted barely more than 10 minutes and changed the game’s shape immediately.
Oilers Keep Finding His Glove
Edmonton has repeatedly pushed the same weak spot. The Oilers have scored 13 of their 18 goals against Dostal on his glove side, and his playoff save percentage on shots aimed at his high glove sits at.714.
Inner-slot chances have been just as punishing. Dostal has faced 8.16 inner-slot shots on net per 60 minutes, given up 11 inner-slot goals and stopped 67.6 per cent of those shots in the playoffs.
The series file is getting heavier for Anaheim because the problem is not a one-night spike. Dostal has only two quality starts in five playoff appearances, even though he saved more goals than expected in 36 of his 55 regular-season starts.
Quenneville Stays With Ducks
Joel Quenneville took the blame after Tuesday’s 4-1 loss, saying “everybody” was at fault for the bad start. Asked before Game 6 on Thursday whether he would consider a change in net, he said, “We’re moving forward.”
That choice keeps the focus on what Anaheim can clean up in front of its starter rather than on one isolated pull. Quenneville said before Game 4, “I think we know the importance of goaltending, and I think everybody has stretches where you’re great and other stretches where you’re just OK,” then added, “And I think as a team, I think we’re all in this together.”
Anaheim has had enough offense to cover some of the damage. The Ducks have scored 4.8 goals per 60 minutes when Dostal has been in net, which has helped keep his rough patches from turning every start into a loss. But the leash has shortened as Edmonton keeps producing early chances, and Dostal’s first-shot struggles have now shown up 12 times this season, with the Ducks winning seven of the 12 games when he allowed the opener.
