3 Problems the Oilers Must Fix to Beat the Ducks
The Edmonton Oilers Game 2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks stung. After a wild, messy game at Rogers Place, the Oilers Game 2 loss evens the series at 1-1. Anaheim also grabbed momentum and a home-ice advantage heading back their way. There were stretches where Edmonton actually looked like the better team at 5-on-5, but special teams and a few costly lapses flipped the game. That’s playoff hockey for you—small mistakes, big consequences.
Here are the three biggest things the Oilers need to clean up if they want to get back in control of this thing.
Oilers’ Fix #1: The special teams, especially the power play, must improve.
Right now, this is the headline issue. Edmonton is 0-for-6 on the power play through two games, while Anaheim is 3-for-5. The Ducs even scored shorthanded. That’s a massive swing in a series that’s this tight. It’s not just about “finishing chances,” either. It’s structure, entries, and not giving away momentum the moment things break down. The Oilers don’t need perfection, but they absolutely need something to start clicking.
Oilers’ Fix #2: The defensive giveaways and sloppy exits must improve.
These problems will drive coaches a little nuts. The Ducks’ shorthanded goal came right off a turnover in Edmonton’s zone, and even Connor McDavid admitted his misplay. These are the moments that quietly swing series. It’s not always the big highlight mistakes. It’s the little panic plays along the boards, the rushed breakout passes, the “just get it out” decisions that end up going the wrong way. Edmonton has to clean that up, plain and simple.
Oilers’ Fix #3: The net play and rebound control need to be better.
There were saves to be made, but Anaheim also did a lot of damage off rebounds and second chances. Cutter Gauthier’s goal is a good example. It was pounce, rebound, goal. That’s playoff scoring in a nutshell. Whether it’s tighter crease coverage or just clearing pucks faster, the Oilers need to make life easier on their goaltender and a lot harder on anyone crashing the net looking for freebies.
Pulling it together for the Oilers
The good news is that the Oilers aren’t a team getting outplayed across the board. At 5-on-5, there were plenty of stretches where Edmonton looked in control. The pieces are there. But playoff series rarely turn on “who looked better for 40 minutes”—they turn on special teams, puck management, and rebounds in the dirty areas.
If the Oilers clean up those three things—score on the power play, stop giving it away in their own end, and quit gifting second chances in front of their net—this series flips fast. Nothing fancy, just cleaner hockey in the moments.
The short version is that the Oilers need to take care of the puck, win special teams, and stop the second chances. Do that, and Game 3 suddenly looks a whole lot more like a reset than a problem.