Ducks Oilers – Ryan Poehling’s overtime winner caps Anaheim’s comeback and pushes Edmonton to the brink—setting up a high-stakes Game 5 in Edmonton.
Anaheim’s first-round return to the playoffs turned into a roller coaster on Sunday night, and Edmonton felt every second of it.
Ryan Poehling scored 2:29 into overtime as the Anaheim Ducks edged the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in Game 4.. The win stretched Anaheim’s momentum to a third straight victory and moved them to a commanding 3-1 series lead over the back-to-back Western Conference champions—one more step now from sending Connor McDavid and the Oilers home early.. Game 5 is Tuesday night in Edmonton, where this series will swing from “must respond” to “must survive.”
The finish mattered, but so did everything around it.. After going down early and again falling behind in the third period. the Ducks kept finding ways to stay alive—powered by goals from Cutter Gauthier and Mikael Granlund on the power play. plus late-game answers that kept Edmonton from resetting.. Poehling’s overtime winner came after a quick. sharp effort that resulted in the puck trickling under Oilers goalie Tristan Jarry.. An extensive video review found no basis to overturn what was on the ice.
For the Ducks, the victory wasn’t just about one goal or one standout moment.. Anaheim has scored 20 goals in four games against Edmonton. an output that explains why this series suddenly looks different from what most expected against a team built to control playoff tempo.. Lukas Dostal made 24 saves for Anaheim. and the Ducks’ ability to generate scoring chances—especially after trading blows—has become the defining trait of their resurgence.. Even when the Oilers looked like they were settling in, Anaheim kept pressing.
The Oilers did not fold, even after the momentum shifted.. Evan Bouchard scored early in the third period to tie the game and Jarry finished with 34 saves.. Edmonton also got production from Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the first period. and McDavid remained at the center of it all—creating chances. drawing defenders. and contributing offensively with two assists in Game 4.
Late in regulation, the series nearly slipped back toward Edmonton.. McDavid broke free on a late breakaway. and Dostal made a sprawling pad save that kept the game tied and preserved the Ducks’ overtime runway.. It was the kind of stop that doesn’t just affect a scoreboard—it changes how quickly a team dares to try again.
From an emotional standpoint. this is the storyline that players and fans will remember long after the clips are archived: Anaheim refused to stop chasing when the night suggested it could.. The Ducks’ comeback started with urgent. almost aggressive shot-making. including Gauthier’s wrist shot that helped ignite their response after Edmonton’s early lead.. The “revamped roster” description doesn’t capture it fully; what’s visible on the ice is a team playing like it believes every deficit can be erased.
Anaheim’s comeback formula: pace, power plays, and resilience
And it’s not only the power play.. The Ducks also responded at even strength with timing and chemistry.. Granlund and Leo Carlsson’s give-and-go to tie the game reflects a lineup that can connect quickly when space opens. rather than forcing the kind of low-percentage attempts that often come from desperation.
Why Game 5 feels like a turning point in the series
There’s also the goalie dynamic.. Jarry arrived in Edmonton via a midseason trade from Pittsburgh and had lost his job to Connor Ingram before being reintroduced for this start.. Coach Kris Knoblauch made that switch for Game 4. and Jarry played well enough to keep Edmonton close—yet Anaheim still scored. including the controversial-looking-but-upheld overtime goal.
For Edmonton, Game 5 isn’t simply about winning.. It’s about restoring a sense of control—tempo. defensive trust. and the ability to make the kind of late-game execution that decides close playoff games.. For Anaheim, the challenge is different: keep turning urgency into structure.. A team can’t rely only on adrenaline forever; it has to convert pressure into repeatable choices.
What comes next: one game, and two different mindsets
This series now feels less like a championship favorite proving it belongs. and more like a hungry opponent forcing doubt at the worst possible time.. If the Ducks can keep matching Edmonton’s star power with disciplined special teams and stubborn recoveries. the first-round exit could become real.. If Edmonton can tighten the gaps—especially around puck retrievals and defensive rotations—Game 5 could swing the series back toward the team with the most playoff firepower.
For now, though, the message from Sunday night is clear: Anaheim’s comeback ability is no longer a surprise. It’s the expectation.