Ducks can't climb back this time, drop division clash in Edmonton

Mar 28, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram (39) makes a save on on Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson (91) during the second period at Rogers Place. EDMONTON, Alb. – The comeback luck finally ran out for the Anaheim Ducks, as the details of the Pacific Division playoff race came into full focus.

Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers opened the scoring in the second period and got their speed going for a 3-0 lead in the third period, and despite surging strikes from Beckett Sennecke and Cutter Gauthier, Anaheim could not come all the way back in a 4-2 loss at Rogers Place on Saturday. Lukas Dostal made 30 saves, as the Ducks’ Pacific Division lead was cut down to three points with nine games to play. “Recently we just haven't had the right starts to games,” Gauthier said.

“To win games in this hockey league, you got to play a full 60 and I’m proud of our group that we always find a way to kind of come back in games and get goals when they matter, but this was an example that we got to start on time. ” Gauthier’s goal was his team-leading 37th of the season, which matches Frank Vatrano’s total from two seasons ago as the most by a Duck since 2014 (Corey Perry, 43). Anaheim allowed the game’s first goal for the sixth straight game and 15th time in 17 games since the Olympic break.

Anaheim has trailed at some point in all 17 games coming out of the break with a 11-5-1 record in that stretch. “They scored first, and they got rolling there,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said. “They had a stretch, and then, I think right after, we had maybe our best five minutes of the game, and then they had most of the play over the rest of that period, and scored two goals that were preventable from our part.