Edmonton Oilers management have sent the message they’re not in the market for goaltenders, but one has to wonder if that will change after the team’s first period against the Anaheim Ducks changes that.
Calvin Pickard got the start after he had a great performance against the Carolina Hurricanes in a losing streak snapping-win, and while he made a great save on Troy Terry early in Tuesday’s game, he found himself pulled after the first period.
That comes thanks to him allowing four goals against on 11 shots against as the Oilers trailed 4-1, ceding the way for Stuart Skinner to enter the game.
Leon Draisaitl had opened the scoring just over 10 minutes into the game firing home a loose puck on the power play, but it didn’t take long for the Ducks to respond. Draisaitl had tried to make a pass in the defensive zone, but it landed right on the stick of Leo Carlsson, whose quick release beat Pickard.
Two minutes later, it was Mason McTavish who gave the Ducks a lead. The winger took a pass as he entered the offensive zone, walking down and firing a shot from the half wall through bodies that would beat Pickard on the far side.
With just over a minute and a half left in the period, the Ducks won a faceoff in the offensive zone, with the puck coming back to defenceman Jackson LaCombe at the point. He fired a shot towards the Oilers net, which was tipped by Sam Colangelo before deflecting off the skate of Brett Kulak and past Pickard.
The nail in Pickard’s coffin came 12 seconds later when McTavish got his second of the period. Four Oilers and Ducks tried to dig at a puck behind the Oilers net, the puck came to the side of the net where McTavish grabbed it, quickly firing it upstairs on Pickard.
The first period was another blemish on the Oilers goaltenders, who have struggled to the tune of a .875 between the start of February and Tuesday’s game. That’s the seventh-worst mark over that stretch, while the Oilers have had the third worst record over that time, going 3-6 with a .333 points percentage.
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.

Canadian Premiere of Ukrainian Hockey Documentary in Edmonton, March 10

The Canadian premiere screening of the documentary “UKE: The Untold Story of Hockey Legends” takes place at Ford Hall in Edmonton’s Rogers Place on
Monday, March 10, 2025. The film screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the film’s director Volodymyr Mula and broadcaster Kelly Hrudey.
The film highlights the enduring legacy of over 50 NHL champions of Ukrainian descent—more than any other nationality outside North America. Through rare footage, personal interviews, and gripping storytelling, “UKE” sheds light on the lives of legendary players such as Johnny Bucyk, Ken Daneyko, and Ruslan Fedotenko, revealing their connection to Ukraine and their lasting influence on the world of hockey.
Tickets and event information at www.ukrfolk.ca,  Tickets include delicious Ukrainian food!