Game 6. Elimination game. Rogers Place.
This is it, the thing Oilers fans have been waiting for since 2006: A chance to take a series to game 7 and win.
Game 5 in Anaheim on Friday was not without controversy. The Oilers were up 3-0 with about 3:30 to play in the third when the Ducks pulled their goalie and all hell broke loose. Anaheim scored three goals in 3:01, including an incredibly controversial tying goal.
what even pic.twitter.com/yrealvQs2L
— SI NHL (@SI_NHL) May 6, 2017
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It’s over, it’s done so there’s no point in rehashing it. But then of COURSE Corey Perry scored the winner in double OT to send the Oilers to the brink.
There’s been a lot of talk over the last 36 hours about officiating controversies, and a lot of calls to the NHL to make changes. Nothing’s going to happen between now and gametime, but hopefully the Oilers can adjust.
Keys to the Game
Edmonton
- Use the home crowd advantage – Rogers Place is going to be loud and the energy from the fans should help.
- Play a full 60 minutes (where have we seen that before?). Controversy on the game tying goal notwithstanding, the Oilers didn’t play the whole 3rd period. If they had, the Ducks wouldn’t have been in a position to tie it up.
Anaheim
- Get an early lead and take the life out of the building. Game 3 was much like that – by the time the Ducks were up 3-0, Rogers Place was basically a tomb.
- Keep crashing the net and getting under the skin of Oilers players. It seems to work to throw them off their game a bit.
- Keep firing pucks at the net – they had 64 shots on target last game, and the Oilers blocked 20 more.
Players to Watch
Edmonton
- Connor McDavid hasn’t been especially productive this series, but he’s been effective. It’s interesting to watch him not always be the best player on the ice. He’s very highly skilled, but he’s still cutting his playoff teeth.
- Cam Talbot has been lights out, including stopping 60 of 64 shots on Friday night. That said, he can’t do it all, so hopefully the team helps him out a bit.
Anaheim
- Ryan Getzlaf is an incredible hockey player. He might be the best in the NHL at slowing the game down to his pace, and he’s had an instrumental role int he Ducks last two wins.
- As detestable as he is, Corey Perry is really good at what he does. It’s infuriating.
Projected Lineups
Edmonton
Patrick Maroon – Connor McDavid – Anton Slepyshev
Milan Lucic – Leon Draisaitl – Zack Kassian
Benoit Pouliot – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Jordan Eberle
Drake Caggiula – Mark Letestu – David Desharnais
Oscar Klefbom – Adam Larsson
Kris Russell – Matt Benning
Darnell Nurse – Eric Gryba
Cam TalBot
Anaheim
Rickard Rakell – Ryan Getzlaf – Corey Perry
Andrew Cogliano – Ryan Kesler – Jakob Silfverberg
Nick Ritchie – Antoine Vermette – Ondrej Kase
Chris Wagner – Nate Thompson – Logan Shaw
Cam Fowler – Sami Vatanen
Hampus Lindholm – Brandon Montour
Shea Theodore – Josh Manson
John Gibson
Notes
At the beginning of the season, Sportsnet had the Oilers finishing second last in the West. Instead, they’re 2 wins away from a trip to the conference final.
Let that sink in for a bit.
Win or lose today, this bonus hockey in April and May has been delightful, and stressful, and joyful, and agonizing. What it hasn’t been, though, is boring.
Oilers win 4-2.
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