Edmonton Oilers Hockey: the matchup, the stakes, the verdict

The Edmonton Oilers trail the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 through 40 minutes in a do-or-die Game 6 at the Honda Center Thursday night. Edmonton Oilers Hockey has emerged this Friday as one of the stories drawing attention in Canada.

Key facts

• The Edmonton Oilers trail the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 through 40 minutes in a do-or-die Game 6 at the Honda Center Thursday night.
• Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman says the team’s past experience in Game 6s and Game 7s helps them handle pressure, noting that they have played in big games before and are comfortable in elimination situations.
• Oilers trail Ducks after second period in do-or-die Game 6.
• A potential Game 7 would be back in Edmonton on Saturday night.
• Late in the period, Oilers forward Zach Hyman had a goal called back after he was ruled to have intentionally kicked it past Dostal.

What we know

Going deeper, Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman says the team’s past experience in Game 6s and Game 7s helps them handle pressure, noting that they have played in big games before and are comfortable in elimination situations.

On the substance, Oilers trail Ducks after second period in do-or-die Game 6.

Beyond the headlines, a potential Game 7 would be back in Edmonton on Saturday night.

More precisely, Late in the period, Oilers forward Zach Hyman had a goal called back after he was ruled to have intentionally kicked it past Dostal.

It is worth noting that a deflection off of Ducks forward Ryan Poehling would find its way past Oilers netminder Ingram, giving the Ducks the advantage and Poehling’s team-leading fourth goal in the series.

By the numbers

At this stage, the other four goals came within the first 20 minutes, and while each team had only two shots apiece halfway through the first, Anaheim did something they haven’t done all series: score the first goal.

On a related note, the next goal also came from the home team, with winger Chris Kreider sending a one-timer into the top corner past Ingram, giving the Ducks the 2-0 lead on his 35th birthday.

Going deeper, But the Ducks restored their advantage moments later on the power play, when Cutter Gauthier scored on a deflection to make it 3-1 after one.

The wider context

On a related note, less than two minutes later, however, the Oilers got on the board.

Going deeper, after a scramble in front of Ducks’ stopper Lukas Dostal, it was defenceman Connor Murphy lighting the lamp for Edmonton to cut the lead to one.

On the substance, ‘We’ve played in big games before’: Hyman on handling elimination pressure.

Beyond the headlines, it was mostly a scoreless second period, but in the final two minutes, two pucks found their way to the back of the net, with only one upheld.

More precisely, less than a minute later, however, Ducks winger Troy Terry beat Connor Ingram with a shot from the slot, giving the home team a three-goal lead with his third of the series.

The bottom line

• A potential Game 7 would be back in Edmonton on Saturday night.
• A deflection off of Ducks forward Ryan Poehling would find its way past Oilers netminder Ingram, giving the Ducks the advantage and Poehling’s team-leading fourth goal in the series.
• Less than two minutes later, however, the Oilers got on the board.
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