The Edmonton Oilers visit the unbeaten Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday in a rematch of last season’s first-round Stanley Cup playoff series, which Anaheim won in six games. Edmonton is looking to avenge that elimination after making an early playoff exit last spring, having reached the previous two Stanley Cup Finals. The game also comes as the teams’ Pacific Division rivalry grows, with the Oilers winless in their last six visits to Anaheim across regular-season and playoff games.
Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin described the playoff series as “something we did not finish” and said he is eager to face Anaheim again. “They’re competitive guys and I love to play against them, they always compete,” Podkolzin said. “We’re going to hate each other after the playoffs, and that’s why we are so excited to play against them.”
Edmonton opened the season with a 6-5 overtime loss at home to the visiting Vancouver Canucks, then answered with two consecutive victories. On Thursday, the Oilers won a 9-7 game against host Vancouver. They followed that high-scoring result with a 3-1 home win over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.
Connor McDavid, Edmonton’s star centre, has led the team’s offence with nine points in its first three games, including two goals and seven assists. Defenceman Evan Bouchard is also near the top of the league scoring chart, with four goals and four assists. Forward Jason Dickinson could make his season debut as soon as Wednesday after missing training camp and the Oilers’ first three games because of a persistent ankle injury dating back to last season.
Devon Levi started both of Edmonton’s wins and will start again against Anaheim, coach Mike Babcock confirmed Tuesday. Tristan Jarry is set to start Saturday in San Jose. The Oilers have not yet determined who will start Tuesday’s game in Los Angeles.
Anaheim is 2-0-0 despite being outshot 61-40 over its first two games. The Ducks began with a 4-3 win over host Vegas Golden Knights on Friday, then beat the visiting Florida Panthers 3-2 on Sunday. Mikael Granlund scored the overtime goal that secured the second victory.
All three of Anaheim’s goals against Florida came on the power play, an early sign of progress for a unit that has long been a weak point. The Ducks’ power-play percentage was 18.6 per cent last season, ranking 23rd among 32 teams. Their penalty kill has gone 6-for-7 this season, a result defenceman Travis Mitchell linked to a simpler plan. “(We’re) just kind of sticking to what we’re told, the structure, different things like that. Applying pressure and then just trying to get (opponents) off their game,” Mitchell told the Hockey News.
Leo Carlsson leads the Ducks with four assists and five points. Cutter Gauthier is Anaheim’s only player with more than one goal, having scored twice. Goaltender Lukas Dostal has a 2.42 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage through two starts and is likely to start Wednesday. Backup Ville Husso is expected to make his first appearance of the season Friday or Saturday, when Anaheim faces the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames on consecutive days.
Based on reporting by CTV News Edmonton.