Kapanen nets two, Draisaitl returns as Oilers outlast Ducks

EDMONTON, Alberta — Kasperi Kapanen scored his second objective with 1:54 left within the third interval to offer the Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks within the opener of their first-round playoff sequence Monday evening, a sport by which star ahead Leon Draisaitl returned from harm.

Jason Dickinson additionally scored twice for the Oilers, who trailed 3-2 getting into the third.

Draisaitl returned to the ice after lacking the ultimate 14 regular-season video games due to a lower-body harm. Draisaitl and Jake Walman every had two assists for Edmonton.

“I felt OK. Certainly going to take a couple games to really be myself, and really trust myself again,” Draisaitl stated. “But for a start, I thought it was OK.”

The Oilers are in search of their third consecutive journey to the Stanley Cup Final, having misplaced every of the previous two seasons to the Florida Pantherswho missed out on postseason play this yr.

Troy Terry had two objectives and an help, and Leo Carlsson additionally scored for the Ducks, who’re within the playoffs for the primary time since 2018. Lukas Dostal stopped 30 photographs for Anaheim.

Connor Ingrammaking his first postseason begin for the Oilers, made 25 saves, together with a doozy within the waning seconds, to earn the win.

“It’s loud in there. After the anthem, one thing I always do is smile and take it all in,” Ingram stated. “That was one today where I was like, ‘This is cool.'”

Game 2 is Wednesday evening at Rogers Place.

“Obviously, this wasn’t our best, wasn’t our sharpest,” Draisaitl stated of the group’s efficiency, particularly on a power-play unit that went 0-for-2. “But certainly, we’ll chip away at it, and be better next game.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.