The tone in Kris Knoblauch’s voice signals to me he’s toying with the idea. When questioned after Edmonton Oilers practice, he sounded like he’s leaning toward the decision, but won’t say it yet.

If he had a dog to walk around his hotel, he’d do the Don Cherry trick and ask Blue who he should start: Gerry Cheevers or Gilles Gilbert? In this bastardized case, it’s Connor Ingram or Tristan Jarry.

“Very rarely in today’s NHL does one goalie play every game in the playoffs. We got two good goalies. We feel confident that both can play,” he told reporters on Saturday, as he wouldn’t confirm a starter for Game 4.

My spidey senses are tingling.

If Ingram wasn’t sharp early, the Oilers could’ve been blown off the ice even worse than they eventually were in Game 3, pummeled in the shot clock and total time of possession. As the game went along, the Ducks capitalized on a couple of rebounds and rush chances. Six beat Ingram, seven went in the net, but the team as a whole got what they deserved, despite Ingram’s efforts.

The Oilers have allowed 16 goals in the three games, the most they’ve surrendered in a three-game stretch since Nov. 4-10 against Dallas, Colorado, and Columbus. In just pure goals allowed, this is right up there for the worst all season long. Impressive in its own way, given how porous the Oilers’ defence was before the Olympic break.

The Oilers battle level and puck management is killing them.

Anaheim has manufactured danger with the number of screens, tips, and rebound goals they’ve scored. Their confidence is growing.

“If you want to win in this league, if you want to win in the playoffs, (your compete level) has to be high every single night,” said Mikael Granlund.

They’re trading turns. It was Troy Terry’s in Game 1 with two goals and three points. In Game 2, it was Cutter Gauthier with two goals and three points.

Game 3 was Granlund’s night with a goal and three assists. A disallowed goal for a high-stick would’ve made it even more impressive. Even still, it was a career night in his 80th playoff game.

Two things are true at once. The Oilers are not losing because of Connor Ingram. I’d argue, he’s been the better goalie in the series. It’s also true that Ingram has to find a way to suck in one or two more of those rebounds that are springing off of him.

Yes, Tristan Jarry is 2-0-1 in his last three games, but starting him does feel like a scary proposition. What is scarier is having a total apprehension of starting the lone goalie under contract for next season.

Decisions, decisions. Knoblauch has to turn over every stone. Rightly or wrongly, I get the sense his job is on the line.

Series MVP

A man who’s seen a thing or two, like Joel Quenneville knows a number one defenceman when he sees one. If the Honda Center is the venue for the Ducks coming-out-party, then LaCombe should blow out the candles.

“Oh my god, was he good tonight?” said Quenneville. “The play and poise and patience that he had on the goal on the empty net just kind of sums up the night. He did have the puck a lot, and I thought his speed going through the middle of the zone was high end. He was definitely a factor.”

It shouldn’t be a coming-out-party. LaCombe did make the US Olympic team, although he didn’t play. But on the Pacific coast, his game isn’t recognized at a national level. He can compete with Leo Carlsson on who’s most putting the NHL on notice in the future.

LaCombe and Draisaitl are tied for the series lead in points, but LaCombe would be my series MVP thus far. His play to keep his feet moving, but not take an interference penalty against Connor McDavid as the Oilers pressed for a tying goal late in the third period, was terrific. It led to the insurance goal.

How about the two-on-one rush in the second period where he bats the puck out of the air? Early in Game 1, the Oilers levelled a couple of hard hits on LaCombe. Since then, he’s been able to play the game scot-free.

But what’s been surprising is how comfortable and successful the Ducks have been playing anticipatory hockey. They don’t need to be the hammer, although they were in the first period of Game 1, but they are scanning and shutting plays down in the neutral zone, even when they don’t pressure right in the Oilers face.

McDavid still getting chances

Connor McDavid got off the schneid, along with the power play on the third period tally. For the Oilers’ sake, they hope that fact can create some form of momentum.

His skating doesn’t appear 100 per cent, but its most than mere mortals. The fact is, as bad as the results have been with the puck on his stick, as good as the Ducks contain game has been, he’s still getting a variety of chances.

In the second period alone, McDavid was involved in three odd-man rushes, but each time the puck didn’t get to Lukas Dostal. Even his goal was an attempted pass towards Zach Hyman. McDavid can play a more direct game and it will work. Shooting the puck isn’t selfish, especially when its the best play.

His faceoff percentage can hopefully improve too. He went three-for-11 at the dots.

‘It’s been killing me’

Jason Dickinson might be good to go for Game 4.

“I hope so. Today went really well. This has been a day-to-day thing I’m really trying to manage. If I wake up and feel great, then I’m definitely going to be playing,” said Dickinson after practicing on Saturday.

Edmonton could sure use him. With Dickinson and Henrique out, they’ve been using Draisaitl more to take shorthanded faceoffs. Lazar has struggled on SH draws.

McDavid has been great on the PK in the series, but it’s make sense to keep his minutes under control. Although, that’s been little concern all season from the coaching staff. He still played 23:50 in Game 3.

Dickinson gave the Oilers joie de vie in Game 1, scoring twice, and was ready to go to war after watching playoff hockey for years from the couch.

“It’s been really frustrating. Something that’s out of my control,” said Dickinson. Sometimes you can’t do anything about it. It’s been killing me to watch.”

Forecheck

The Oilers haven’t established a consistent forecheck for two games.

When I watched Game 3 again, I counted 34 total chips or dumps deep into the zone. A good chunk of them end of shift dumps that where a puck retrieval isn’t first in mind. But the first 11 minutes and change of the second period, the Edmonton Oilers played their best stretch of hockey in the game.

Why? Well, the Oilers had four dumps and puck retrievals in the first four moments, including the Kasperi Kapenen goal. That goal also featured a Leon Draisaitl cycle play and patience on the boards, comfortable being patient instead of forcing it for a hope play.

One of the best even-strength shifts of the game was brewing before Evan Bouchard’s slap pass block led to the Beckett Sennecke rush and eventual goal. After a grenade handed to Draisaitl a minute later and the 5-3 goal dug out of their own net, Bouchard took accountability on Saturday. He knows he has to be better.

“Trying to make too many fancy plays, myself especially. Simplifying things to start… putting pucks to the net,” he said on what needs to change. “We have to manage the puck better…We know we can score. We know they can score. We gotta keep the puck out of our net.”

The removal of just a few turnovers, extending a few more shifts in the offensive zone, can be the difference if the game flow of the series continues the way it has.

Notes:

When Game 4 begins, the Oilers will officially have played the most hockey in the NHL since the 2021-22 season with their 489th game. That surpasses Florida for the most. Dallas is at 477 games and Carolina is at 469.
The Anaheim win was their last home playoff win since May 14, 2017. That was Game 2 of the Western Conference Final vs Nashville.
Edmonton’s best player in Game 3 was Vasily Podkolzin. He has a four-game playoff point streak on the go, dating back to Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
If Connor Ingram does start, it would be eight in a row stemming from the regular season. That’s the longest start streak of his NHL career, beating his seven in a row from Nov. 25-Dec. 9, 2023.
Tristan Jarry’s last three starts features a .865 save percentage.
The Ducks powerplay scored on of their three power play chances, extending their PP scoring streak to seven games. In the combined season-series they’re 8-for-20. Game 3 was the first game, though, that special teams scoring was even.
The Oilers scored the first goal in 40 out of 82 games in the regular season, going 30-5-5 in those games. They’ve scored the first goal in all three, but lost twice.
Joel Quenneville tied Al Arbour for the second most playoff wins as a head coach after Game 3. Quenneville has coached 228 games, 19 more than the former Islanders bench boss, with a record of 123-105.
Game 3 was the highest scoring playoff game in Anaheim Ducks franchise history with 11 goals. It breaks a two-day old record set in Game 2.
This will be the 100th career playoff game for Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Friday was Leon Draisaitl’s 46 career multi-point game for 21st all-time. He’s already surpassed Brad Marchand, Gordie Howe, and Mike Bossy this postseason in that department. Connor McDavid registered his 49th multi-point game.
Draisaitl needs one more power play goal to tie Wayne Gretzky (23) for the most in Oilers franchise playoff history.
Zach Hyman’s next goal will give him sole possession of 8th most in Oilers franchise history, surpassing Paul Coffey and Craig Simpson.
As if the Oilers needed one more of these. In the 2019 draft, the Oilers selected Raphael Lavoie in the second round, 35th overall. With the next pick, the Ducks selected LaCombe.

Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4.

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