4 Takeaways From Oilers’ 4-3 Overtime Loss to Ducks in Game 4 – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers were defeated 4-3 in overtime by the Anaheim Ducks in Game 4 of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on Sunday (April 26).

Evan Bouchard, Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each scored for the Oilers. Anaheim got goals from Cutter Gauthier, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling and Jeffrey Viel.

In his first start this postseason, Edmonton goalie Tristan Jarry made 34 saves. Ducks netminder Lukas Dostal stopped 24 shots in a winning effort.

Anaheim now leads the best-of-seven series 3-1 and will look to eliminate the two-time defending Western Conference champion Oilers with a victory in Game 5 at Rogers Place on Tuesday (April 28).

Overtime Ends in Controversy

The winning goal was scored just 2:29 into overtime, after Poehling jammed the puck through Jarry. Ducks players celebrated as if they had scored, while the Oilers protested that the puck hadn’t crossed the line.

Because none of the officials were in position to get a clear look at the play, there was no immediate signal indicating an Anaheim goal. It wasn’t until after the officials had discussed the play amongst themselves that a referee ruled the Ducks had scored.

From there, the play went to an automatic review triggered by the league. After a few minutes of officials viewing video from multiple angles, it was announced that the goal stood, sending Honda Center into a frenzy.

Naturally, Oilers partisans took issue with the goal: Some felt the puck never crossed the line; Others acknowledged that while the puck likely crossed the line, the play should have never been ruled a goal in the first place because no official had a clear view.

To overturn the call, the NHL situation room needed conclusive evidence the puck did not cross the line. Unfortunately for the Oilers, there was no angle that provided a clear view of whether the puck hadn’t crossed the line. By the same token, if the call on the ice had been no goal, there likely wouldn’t have been conclusive evidence showing the puck had crossed the line, and overtime would have continued with the teams tied 3-3.

Oilers Blow Multiple Leads Again

Simply focusing on the controversial ending, however, lets the Oilers off the hook for another fairly lacklustre performance.

Edmonton came out blazing, as Kapanen banged home a rebound just 38 seconds into the game to put the Oilers up 1-0. Less than six minutes later, Nugent-Hopkins scored on the power play at 6:32, and Edmonton looked like it was rolling to victory. But from that point on, the ice tilted and pretty much remained that way right until Poehling scored in overtime.

From midway through the first period onward, Anaheim outshot Edmonton 35-20. The Ducks chipped into the Oilers’ lead, with Gauthier scoring 7:36 into the second period, before Granlund took a feed in the slot and rifled the puck past Jarry to draw the Ducks even.

Edmonton managed to retake the lead on Bouchard’s power-play goal at 3:27 of the third period. But it wouldn’t last, as Viel scored to tie things up with just 6:29 remaining in regulation.

After coughing up leads of 2-0 and 3-2 on Sunday, the Oilers have now blown six leads through the first four games of the series. That’s as many times as Edmonton blew a lead over the first three rounds combined of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Oilers Are Getting Killed on the PK

Gauthier and Granlund’s goals both came on the power play, as the Ducks went two-for-four with the man advantage on Sunday. Anaheim is now six-for-12 with the man advantage in the series and has scored at least one power-play goal in each of the four games.

Edmonton is showing absolutely no signs of shutting down the Ducks’ power play, which converted at a rate of only 18.6% to rank 23^rd in the NHL during the regular season. Anaheim’s power-play success in the series is as much a credit to the Ducks as it is a discredit to the Oilers’ penalty kill (PK).

On a positive note, Sunday’s game was the first of the series in which Edmonton was not outscored on special teams, as the Oilers went two-for-two with the man advantage.

Edmonton, which had the top power-play percentage in the regular season, continues to convert when given opportunities with the man advantage. But the Oilers need to be winning the special teams battle, and their dreadful play on the PK is rendering their potent power play moot.

Jarry Shines in Oilers’ Playoff Debut

After Oilers netminder Connor Ingram was lit up for 14 goals over the first three games, Jarry got the nod to start between the pipes on Sunday, and the much-maligned goalie rose to the occasion.

Without question, Jarry was Edmonton’s star of the game. He made several big saves, and played well enough for his team to win. But like Ingram, Jarry was let down by his teammates in front of him.

Defensively, the Oilers kept backing in, but didn’t check effectively in front of their net. On the game-tying goal by Viel, Edmonton centre Leon Draisaitl failed to get the puck out of his zone. Likewise, on Poehling’s winner, Oilers forward Trent Frederic couldn’t clear the zone.

Jarry’s performance was certainly strong enough to warrant another start in Game 5. Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch will have to decide who he wants between the pipes with his team’s season on the line Tuesday.