The Anaheim Ducks are just one victory away from securing their first Stanley Cup playoff series win in nine years. With a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven first-round matchup against the defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers, the Ducks are poised to advance to the next round, but finishing off the Oilers—especially on the road—won't come easy.

Game 5 is set for Tuesday night, and Anaheim is riding high with three consecutive wins after initially dropping the series opener 4-3 on April 20. Despite a late-game slip that led to the loss, the Ducks bounced back in impressive fashion, taking a 6-4 win in Game 2 last Wednesday, followed by a 7-4 victory on Friday. The series then took a dramatic turn on Sunday when the Ducks edged out a 4-3 overtime victory.

“We’re up 3-1, and every game has been a toss-up,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said. “Hanging in there and finding different ways, different guys against an excellent hockey team. We’re in a position now to look ahead and only think of one game.”

Quenneville, however, is well aware of the Oilers' reputation for making dramatic comebacks in the postseason. Last year, Edmonton faced a 0-2 deficit in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings before winning four straight games. Two years ago, the Oilers overcame 2-1 series deficits in both the second and third rounds, before rallying from a 3-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup Final to force a Game 7.

“We’re in a hole, no doubt about it,” said Oilers star Connor McDavid. “We have to find a way to get a win at home.”

McDavid, who led the NHL with 138 points during the regular season, has been less impactful since tweaking his right ankle in Game 2. However, he did manage to record two points in each of the past two games after being held scoreless in the first two.

“We’re all doing the best we can out there,” McDavid added. “We’re all working and trying to get it done.”

In goal for Edmonton, coach Kris Knoblauch is expected to stick with Tristan Jarry for the second consecutive game. Jarry started Game 4 after Connor Ingram struggled in the opening three games, giving up 14 goals on 93 shots (.849 save percentage). Jarry’s performance was solid, making 34 saves, although he did allow two goals that were the result of unlucky bounces. His last postseason start was in 2022 as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers.

“Tristan played really well,” Knoblauch said. “Two of the goals, one went off our defenseman’s stick and the other was an unfortunate bounce that went off a skate. He made some big saves, and that’s what we wanted from him, a solid performance.”

On the Ducks' side, goaltender Lukas Dostal delivered his best performance of the series, stopping 24 shots, including a crucial save on McDavid in the final minutes of regulation with the help of his right skate. Dostal has been a steady presence for Anaheim throughout the series, and his teammates have taken notice.

“He’s the rock of our team,” Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier said of Dostal. “It doesn’t really surprise me how well he performs in high-pressure situations like that.”

Another area where the Ducks have excelled is the power play, converting 6 of their 12 opportunities in the series.

“Our execution has been excellent,” Anaheim defenseman Jackson LaCombe said. “Similar to our 5-on-5 play, we’ve been working more and recovering more pucks, being in better spots for each other and being more available. That’s leading to more time and success, too.”

As the Ducks prepare for Game 5, they’ll be looking to close out the series and advance to the next round, while the Oilers are desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive. It’s sure to be another exciting night of hockey as Anaheim looks to make history.

-Field Level Media/Reuters