Ducks Fly Past Oilers

By Michael Walters

The Anaheim Ducks started a pair of back-to-back games in Edmonton against the Oilers. Lukas Dostal was in net against Calvin Pickard. Trevor Zegras returned to action after serving his three game suspension.

Recap:

The Oilers went on the power play just over eight minutes into the contest when Frank Vatrano was called for slashing. Edmonton converted towards the end of the man advantage when Leon Draisaitl scored on a one-tier off a pass from Connor McDavid.

The Ducks would then respond with four goals in the second half of the period to take a commanding 4-1 lead. Leo Carlsson intercepted a pass from behind Edmonton’s net scored with a quick wrist shot with about 8 minutes to go in the period.

Mason McTavish scored a few minutes later along the boards to the left of the net. He threw the puck on net and it beat Pickard low to make it 2-1 Anaheim.

Anaheim then scored two goals 12 seconds apart in the final minutes of the first period. Sam Colangelo deflected a point shot by Jackson LaCombe which then hit Brett Kulak and then redirected into the back of the net.

McTavish then scored his second of the game. He got to a loose puck in the crease and then beat Pickard glove side for the score. Anaheim held a 4-1 advantage at the end of the period. Pickard’s night was done as Stuart Skinner came in to relieve him.

In the second period, the Ducks got a power play early on, but couldn’t convert. Anaheim did make it 5-1 just over halfway through the period. LaCombe found Ryan Strome in the slot and he beat Skinner low for the goal. The Ducks led 5-1 after two periods.

Anaheim made it 6-1 early in the third period. Trevor Zegras found Alex Killorn behind the defense for a breakaway. Killorn scored with a quick wrist shot.

Edmonton went on the power play about 30 seconds and Connor McDavid scored to make it a 6-2 score. The Oilers wouldn’t get any closed and the Ducks prevailed 6-2.

Analysis:

The Ducks came out flat to start this contest and the Oilers were able to get the early 1-0 lead. Anaheim then poured it on in the second half of the first period with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR goals to take a 4-1 lead. The line of Cutter Gauthier-Mason McTavish-Sam Colangelo (AKA the GMC line) was on fire. McTavish scored twice and Colangelo scored once. Gauthier assisted on all of those goals.

Once Anaheim made it 5-1 just over halfway through the contest, they were on cruise control. They were able to ride the wave of the opening period to earn the win. The only negative part of this game was the penalty kill. The Ducks were shorthanded twice and the Oilers converted both times.

The Oilers did put up 67 shot attempts to 41 for the Ducks. They ended up with 34 shots on net to 27 for Anaheim. But Dostal was again solid in net not allowing any goals during even strength play.

Team Stats/Notes:

The Ducks scored four goals in the first period for the first time since December 27th, 2023.

Colangelo’s goal and McTavish’s second goal were scored 12 seconds apart, which the fastest two goals scored by Anaheim this season.

McTavish has now scored 54 goals and passed Trevor Zegras (53) for the fifth most by a Ducks player before the age of 23.

Gauthier became the third rookie to record three assists in one period The others were Pavel Mintyukov (February 21st, 2024) and Josh Mahura (October 29th, 2019).

Gauthier also became the fourth rookie in franchise history to register three points in a single period. The others were Mintyukov and Mahura as mentioned above. Patrik Carnback (January 14th, 1994) was the other player to do so.

LaCombe extended his point streak to six games tying Chris Pronger‘s streak in the 2008-09 season. The last longest streak by an Anaheim defensemen was Scott Niedermayer in the 2006-07 season(which we all remember well).

Carlsson had his 11th multi-point game to tie Cam Fowler and pass Ryan Getzlaf for the fourth most by a franchise player under the age of 21.

Anaheim is 18-11-4 with Zegras and 9-15-3 without him this season.

The Ducks are 24-1-3 when scoring three or more goals this season.

What’s Next?

The Ducks play the Canucks at 7:30 PM tonight.

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March 5th, 2025