Recap: Ducks Let Third Period Lead Slip Away in 5-3 Defeat to Oilers

The Ducks did a commendable job keeping Connor McDavid off the scoresheet for the first 48 minutes of tonight's battle with the Oilers, but as the old saying goes, it's hard to keep a good man down.

The incomparable McDavid had two impressive assists near the midway point of the third period to quickly flip the script on the Ducks in an eventual 5-3 defeat before an energetic standing-room-only crowd of 17,489 at Honda Center. Ducks winger Ryan Strome had two goals in the loss, including the go-ahead tally early in the third that was wiped out by three unanswered for Edmonton.

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"Obviously it's nice to get on the scoresheet, but it was a frustrating game," Strome said. "I think we deserved a little bit better fate. I thought we worked really hard and did a lot of good things. They're a good hockey team and they're on a hell of a roll. All in all, it was a good effort by us and a lot of positives to keep drawing from."

Anaheim never trailed until McDavid assisted on two goals by Zach Hyman and Leon Draisaitl in a span of a minute and a half to turn the tide of the game. Oilers winger Evander Kane had his 10th career hat trick, including the empty-netter to put the game away.

It was the first game in nine days for a Ducks team that went into the All-Star Break on a modest run of three wins in their last four, culminating in an OT victory over San Jose last January 31 at Honda Center. We've been on a pretty good run the last four or five games," Strome said. "We just need to keep building and not get frustrated by this result." 

Edmonton's hot streak was much more significant, as the Oilers entered the game having suffered their first defeat in 17 games three nights ago in Las Vegas. The Oilers had the chance to tie the NHL record of 17 consecutive wins held by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins but instead fell 3-1 to the Golden Knights.

The Ducks controlled play for most of the first period and finally struck paydirt on the power play late in the period when Cam Fowler snuck a wrist shot through traffic from the high slot.

Edmonton evened it up near the halfway point of the second on a wrist shot from the right wing by Kane. Although Anaheim goalie John Gibson was slightly distracted by the fact that former teammate Corey Perry blatantly slashed his stick out of his hands behind the net and there was no call.

The Ducks bounced right back with a goal just 29 seconds later, set up by an incredible touch pass by Leo Carlsson that Strome finished from just outside the crease. It was Strome's seventh goal on the season but his first at Honda Center.

Three minutes later Kane tied things up yet again with his second of the night when he was left wide open in the slot and slipped the puck underneath Gibson.

The Anaheim netminder had 18 saves on 20 shots over the first two periods but left the game with a lower body injury and was replaced by Lukas Dostal to start the third. 

Early in that period Strome came through with his second of the night, a wrister from a tough angle that dove inside the far post.

Edmonton tied it one more time with 11:19 left in regulation as McDavid made a nice feed to Hyman for the doorstep tap-in. That was the first point on the night for McDavid, who came into the game with 68 in 44 games.

McDavid came through again a short time later, making a cross-ice pass that Draisaitl one-timed home on the power play to give Edmonton its first lead at 4-3.

Kane slammed the door with his third of the night, filling the empty net with 1:10 left after Dostal headed off for an extra attacker.

The Ducks soon head off on a four-game Canadian road trip that starts with a game Tuesday in Montreal.