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The Edmonton Oilers suffered their second consecutive defeat on Thursday, falling 5-4 to the Anaheim Ducks at home. Pavel Mintyukov and Beckett Sennecke each scored twice and added an assist, powering Anaheim to a victory that extended the Ducks’ winning streak to three straight games.
Ducks Ride Star Performances to Victory
Cutter Gauthier also scored for the Ducks, who improved to 8-7-1 on the season. Gauthier entered the game on the back of back-to-back hat tricks and extended his goal-scoring streak to four consecutive games. During that stretch, he has scored nine goals, including seven on the power play.
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Laurent Brossoit was solid in the Anaheim net, stopping 23 shots to earn the win. Mintyukov delivered the key moment of the game 6:15 into the second period, pouncing on a rebound at four-on-four to reclaim the lead for the Ducks. It was his second goal of the game and of the season.
Oilers Forced to Start Emergency Backup Goalie
Edmonton faced a significant challenge between the pipes. Starting goalie Tristan Jarry sat out due to illness, while both Devon Levi and Frederik Andersen remained sidelined with injuries. As a result, fourth-string goalie Matt Tomkins started and made 16 saves. The Oilers also dressed Brett Epp as their emergency backup, becoming the first team in NHL history to use a full-time emergency backup goalie in that role on the bench.
Despite the goaltending situation, the Oilers showed fight. Evan Bouchard, Connor McDavid, Kasperi Kapanen and Leon Draisaitl all scored for Edmonton, which fell to 11-3-3 on the season.
McDavid Extends Historic Points Streak
McDavid had a difficult start. Early in the game, Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson drove him hard into the post. However, McDavid recovered and finished with a goal and three assists. That performance extended his points streak to 17 games this season and pushed him to an NHL-best 44 points. He also tied for the fourth-longest points streak to open a season in league history.
Meanwhile, Anaheim’s power play, which entered the game ranked first in the NHL at 38 per cent efficiency, was less dominant against Edmonton. The Ducks converted just 2 of 7 power play opportunities. In their three previous games, they had scored on 10 of 12 chances.
Next up, the Ducks travel to Calgary to face the Flames on Friday. The Oilers, meanwhile, continue their homestand on Saturday when they host the Vancouver Canucks.
