Round 2 - Game 4 - Ducks @ Oilers RECAP: NOT 3 ON 3 IS AMAZING

1st Period

The Ducks spent their extended downtime in the resort time of Kelowna, British Columbia. Carlyle wanted to get his players away from the bright spotlight of Oilers country to a relaxing place where the team could rest up and refocus after winning Sunday to make it a 2-1 series.

Anaheim clearly was still at the resort in the opening frame.

The Oilers thrashed the Ducks in just about every way imaginable in the first 20 minutes of the game.

The penalty kill looked faulty again after a good showing in Game 3 when Leon Draisaitl threw a puck on net that bounced off of Fowler’s stick and right onto the tape of Milian Lucic in front who put it past John Gibson.

Connor McDavid, the Hart Trophy front-runner doubled the lead about 2 minutes later when a 2 on 1 rush created off a Ducks turnover went slightly bust as Draisaitl fed the puck to McDavid who tried to feed it back. Unfortunately for Anaheim, McDavid’s pass bounced off Theodore and right back to the Oiler’s captain who buried it.

2nd Period

The 2nd period saw an alternate universe get pulled out of Professor Fransworth’s box. The Ducks finally returned from vacation as the new-look top line of Rakell-Perry-Getzlaf just took over the game.

The Ducks made it 2-1 on a controversial call as Getzlaf fired one in with Perry screwing in front. Oilers coach Todd McLellan challenged for goaltender interference, as it appeared that Perry had made contact with Cam Talbot prior to the goal going in. After a lengthy review in which the referees busted out their tiny magnifying glasses and chanted hymns before spinning the random wheel of NHL officiating decisions, the zebras determined that there was no conclusive evidence of interference.

Timon (also informally known as a Rickard Rakell) evened up the score on a rush in which Getzlaf made an unreal tip pass across Talbot’s crease and right onto the waiting stick of the young Swede. Turns out if you make Edmonton play defense, they become a lot more human.

Getzlaf would take over Teemu Selanne’s franchise playoff goal record to give the Ducks the lead on a play created by a fantastic Sami Vatanen rush. Vatanen made a great pass to Rakell in the slot who was stoned by Talbot. The puck bounced out to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in front who thought he had time to look for an open man to pass to. Getzlaf showed his experience however and took a massive swing at the stick blade of RNH. Before Talbot knew what had happened, the puck was in the net.

The goal was Getzlaf’s 36th career playoff goal of his career to take the record.

3rd Period

Anaheim would continue to control the majority of the play through the first half of the 3rd period, even with Edmonton upping the physical game trying to lay big hits on the Ducks generally larger players.

SOG slowed down as Anaheim worked to stifle some of the Edmonton speed. Luckily, it seemed as though the Oilers had lost a step as they seemed more concerned with matching the physicality of the Ducks than with playing their speed game that had given their opponents the fits many times throughout this series.

The Oilers finally started pushing in final 6 or 7 minutes with several sustained shifts in the Ducks zone.

Things got hairy for Anaheim when Antoine Vermette took an absolutely horrible face-off violation penalty after using his glove to clear the puck off the draw.

The Oilers would take advantage as Drake Caggiula tied the game on the power play off a rebound in front of Gibson with less than 2 minutes remaining.

To overtime we go.

Overtime

THE CAPTAIN STEALS TO SILFVERBERG FOR THE ONE-TIMER DUCKS WIN DUCKS WIN DUCKS WIN AHHHHHHHHHH THE SERIES IS TIED SEE YOU ON FRIDAY IN ANAHEIM!!!!!!