Snapping a three-game win streak, the Anaheim Ducks fell to the Edmonton Oilers, 3-2, in Edmonton on Friday night.
The Ducks got the best of the Oilers in late December, 5-3, to kick off the team’s win streak — but this time around, Edmonton, the reigning Western Conference champion, had the edge.
Recently, the Ducks have been able to pull off late-game heroics to earn victories, including an overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets after going down by two goals in the first period on Thursday night.
“I just think we're believing in each other really well right now. I think we’re doing a good job at not quitting in those games,” said Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe on the Victory+ broadcast.
After going down 2-0 Friday, Anaheim had a chance to win after tying the game with a LaCombe power play goal, assisted by Ryan Strome and Leo Carlsson, nearly seven minutes into the third period.
With that goal, Anaheim finally snapped a power play scoring drought after coming up scoreless on their last 17 attempts.
However, Oilers center Leon Draisaitl put his team ahead with less than two minutes left in the game and the Ducks were unable to find the equalizer.
The other Ducks goal was scored by Brett Leason on a breakaway nearly 19 minutes into the second period.
Anaheim outshot Edmonton 29 to 26 in the game. Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal started the game in net for the team and saved 23-of-26 shots.
With the loss, Anaheim falls to 16-18-4, good for 36 points, this season.
Next, the Ducks will face the Tampa Bay Lightning — a team that’s 20-13-2 on the season — on Sunday. Puck drop is at 5 p.m. in Anaheim.