The post-game narrative after Game 1 suggested that the Anaheim Ducks missed their best chance to seize control of the series, as the Edmonton Oilers were unlikely to be so vulnerable again. Conventional wisdom held that Connor McDavid would not go another game without making an impact, and that Edmonton's historically potent power play would not remain a dysfunctional mess. Failing to capitalize when the Oilers' greatest weapons were neutralized seemed like a missed opportunity for Anaheim. It was assumed that such circumstances would not recur.
Welcome to Game 2, where the very things that were supposed to be impossible only worsened. McDavid struggled mightily, the power play went 0-for-4 and surrendered a shorthanded goal, the penalty kill was ineffective, and the Oilers treated smart puck management as optional. This time, the Ducks did not let the opportunity slip away. Cutter Gauthier's second goal of the night, followed by an empty-netter, secured a 6-4 victory for Anaheim, evening the series at 1-1. Edmonton's home-ice advantage evaporated, raising serious questions about the team's readiness for the playoffs.
Special Teams Woes
When asked what went wrong, head coach Kris Knoblauch succinctly summed up the shock: 'Special teams. They outscored us 3-0. As good as you are five-on-five, or as much as you can score, it's pretty tough to overcome three goals there. I believe that was the story of the game tonight.' The special teams battle has turned into a massacre. The Ducks have converted three of five power-play opportunities, while the Oilers are 0-for-6 and have allowed a shorthanded goal.
Rusty Returners
Zach Hyman, who along with Leon Draisaitl recently returned from injury, acknowledged the team's lack of sharpness. 'I think we're obviously a little bit rusty. It's the first time we've been back, all five of us, in a little bit. Sometimes you just need the first one to drop. We've had looks, we've had chances, but we can be sharper and much cleaner.'
McDavid's Uncharacteristic Struggles
Then there is McDavid. His zone entries on the power play are typically automatic, but not in this series. His deft passes usually find a hole, but not now. This is unlike anything seen from him in the playoffs in a long time, if ever. The player who amassed 128 points in 75 playoff games over the previous four years has now gone six consecutive periods without a point. That was only half the story on Wednesday. He committed four turnovers in the first 40 minutes, culminating in a blind backhand pass to no one in the defensive zone during a power play that led to a 4-2 Ducks lead. 'Just a little bit of a miscommunication,' McDavid said. 'And obviously I can't let that pass back.' It is normal for people to disbelieve what they see when McDavid is on the ice, but this performance was entirely different.
