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Oilers drop Game 4 to Ducks 4-3 after controversial overtime review: Recap, Reaction and Highlights
Edmonton Oilers Anaheim Ducks Tristan Jarry
Photo credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Apr 27, 2026, 01:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 27, 2026, 01:04 EDT
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It’s now do-or-die time.
On Sunday evening, the Edmonton Oilers were looking to tie up their series with the Anaheim Ducks. Unfortunately, the Ducks picked up the 4-3 overtime victory, taking a 3-1 stranglehold of the series. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one.
The Oilers needed to come out the gates desperate and did just that. Leon Draisaitl went for an early change in the first minute, with Jason Dickinson replacing the German centre. Dickinson brought it into the zone, went around the net, and laid it off for Jake Walman at the point. The defenceman’s shot was saved, but a net-front Kasperi Kapanen turned around and fired it home.
For the second time in the series, the Oilers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. They scored their first power play goal of the series in Game 3 and got a second one in Game 4. Six and a half minutes into the first period, Evan Bouchard zipped a cross-ice pass to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, with the longest tenured Oiler attempting to pass it to Zach Hyman for a deflection. Instead, the puck was stopped by Lukáš Dostál, then the rebound ricochet off the Ducks defender and into the back of the net.
Just like Game 1, the Oilers carried a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. And just like Games 1 and 2, the Ducks dominated the second period. Josh Samanski took another bad penalty, which led to the second Ducks’ power play of the game. Seven minutes into the second period, Cutter Gauthier’s shot from the faceoff dot was ripped above Tristan Jarry’s glove to cut the Oilers’ lead in half.
Hyman took a penalty with about three minutes left in the second period. Once again, the Ducks found the back of the net, this time with a little over a minute left in the period. Mikael Granlund passed it down low, skated to the centre of the ice, got the puck back and was left all alone in the slot. You can guess what happened next.
To the surprise of no one, the Oilers took another penalty early in the third period. Thankfully, they killed that one off and got a make up call shortly after. It didn’t take long for the Oilers to retake the lead, as Bouchard ripped one past Dostál three and a half minutes into the third, just four seconds into the power play.
Of course, the Oilers’ lead didn’t last. Draisaitl failed to get a clearance after lengthy offensive zone pressure from the Ducks. Shortly after, John Carlson’s shot from the point was stopped, but Jeffrey Viel was the first on the rebound, going five hole on Jarry.
Despite several rushes from Connor McDavid after the game-tying goal, including two key stops from Dostál. For the first time in this series, the two teams went to overtime, just like the Oilers did in Game 4 last season when they were down 2-1 in the series.
The Ducks won an offensive zone faceoff just over two minutes into the overtime period. Ryan Poehling threw it towards the boards from the half-wall, with the puck deflecting off the Oilers’ skate. It was determined to just barely cross the line, pushing the Oilers to the brink.

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Takeaways…

Let’s discuss the overtime goal. I have no idea how the official was able to call that a good goal with his vantage point. That turned out to be why it counted because there was no conclusive angle on the goal. Using logic, the puck was pretty clearly in, but there needs to be some puck-tracking technology.
As has been the case for the other three games of the series, it was the battle of the special teams. They were solid five-on-five, but they took far too many penalties, with the Ducks capitalizing on two of them. The difference was that the Oilers’ power play woke up in this game, going two-for-two.
On Friday, the Ducks tied the game at one late in the first period to get their crowd back into it. Jacob Trouba laid out an Oiler at the Oiler blue line, and Josh Samanski retaliated, high-sticking a Duck. On the ensuing power play, the Ducks scored to take the lead. In Sunday’s game, Samanski tripped a Duck in the offensive zone, leading to a Duck goal and giving the Ducks life.
Jake Walman picked up his fourth assist of the postseason but also took two penalties. It was a pretty mixed bag for the Oilers defenceman, but funnily enough, the Oilers’ two successful kills were when he was in the box.
Jason Dickinson didn’t have quite the impact he did in the first game, as he didn’t score twice, but his first shift saw him pick up an assist while making some solid defensive plays throughout the game.
Kasperi Kapanen is on a legacy run. It took 38 seconds for the Finn to score his team-leading fourth of the series. He’s always been a player that steps it up in the big moments, even dating back to his 2016 World Junior Golden Goal. The Oilers should look to bring him back next season.
Edmonton’s stars looked better in this one. Evan Bouchard had a much better game, picking up a goal and an assist, both of which came on the power play. McDavid picked up two assists, also both on the power play. Not only that, but McDavid looked like himself, generating numerous highly dangerous shots with his speed on the rushes.
Leon Draisaitl had a pretty rough game; he didn’t look engaged as he did in the previous three games. He also failed to chip the puck out late in the third period, resulting in the Ducks’ game-tying goal to send it to overtime. Draisaitl picked up an assist on one of the Oilers’ power play goals.
Tristan Jarry has to start Game 5. After Connor Ingram struggled in the first three games, posting an .849 save percentage, Jarry kept them in this game. The Oilers were once again outshot 38 to 27, but Jarry stopped 34 of 38 for an .895 save percentage.
It’s do or die time for the Oilers. The Oilers need to win three consecutive games, something that they only did a handful of times this season. Game 5 is on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. MT.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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