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Edmonton's next game is at home Thursday against the Winnipeg. The game can be seen via NHL GameCentre and NHL Centre Ice across Canada starting at 7:00 PM MDT.
"When (Maroon is) playing well he's big, he holds onto pucks, he makes tight little plays, he goes to the net, it looks like he's really enjoying the game when he's playing well and that's the kind of night he had," said Oilers Head Coach Todd McLellan.
Maroon opened scoring, thanks to a conveniently placed shot by Oscar Klefbom. Klefbom's shot hit off a defenceman's stick out in front of goaltender John Gibson, and landed perfectly for Maroon to tap it in and give Edmonton a 1-0 lead at 2:55 of the opening frame. Maroon's tally was his first of the pre-season.
"I just tried to get it deep because I saw Maroon going to the net," said Klefbom. "I just tried to get it as close to the goal as possible to get some pressure again… That's one of those things. If you never actually take the shot and just go back home, go defence-to-defence, that's one of the big keys to create some more offence. Just throw the pucks to the net. Sometimes we get the lucky bounce like this and it's in the net and it's a huge goal for us. That was a lucky bounce this time."
A turnover in the defensive zone resulted in the Ducks evening things up at 15:24 of the first. Oilers rookie Jesse Puljujarvi was stripped of the puck and Nick Sorensen, one-on-one with Cam Talbot, buried to make it 1-1.
Midway through the second, shots were tied 18-18 as the teams remained even.
With 4:45 remaining in the middle frame, Maroon set up the go-ahead goal. Maroon, from behind the net, backhanded a pass out in front to Mark Letestu who batted it in. Griffin Reinhart recorded the second assist, as the Oilers moved ahead 2-1.
Talbot made a big stop after an Oilers turnover on a power play late in the second. The Ducks got a 2-on-1 chance and Talbot gloved down the shot.
Gibson kept the Ducks in the game with a strong effort between the pipes. With 7:50 left in the third, Edmonton had a 12-shot advantage over the visitors. Gibson finished his night with 35 saves.
On the other side, Talbot stopped 25 shots to get the one-goal win.
Unfortunately for Edmonton, they lost a key role player in Matt Hendricks. The veteran winger left the game and did not return after suffering an injury.
"He's got a lower body injury, and we're not talking days, we're probably talking weeks," McLellan said after the game.
The Oilers next host the Winnipeg Jets, Thursday at 7 p.m. MT for their second-to-last pre-season game.
RECAP: Oilers 2, Ducks 1
Patrick Maroon had a two-point night against his former team as the Oilers beat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 in exhibition play