
The Edmonton Oilers were eliminated from the NHL playoffs after losing 5-2 to the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6, marking an early exit despite recent success. The Ducks advanced to the second round, winning their first playoff series since 2017.

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) â The Edmonton Oilers, exiting the playoffs early this season after two marathon runs to the Stanley Cup Final, were a dented and depleted team.
The 5-2 loss to Anahiem in Thursdayâs Game 6 ended Edmontonâs season in the first round. The Oilers were outclassed and outworked by a Ducks team that won its first playoff series since 2017 with a roster that included a dozen players under the age of 25 and 14 who were making their NHL playoff debuts.
The Oilers lost to Florida in each of the last two Cup finals in series that lasted seven and six games, respectively. Some Oilers hinted at the beginning of this yearâs playoffs that the regular season felt like a chore at times, and that they were relieved to start the postseason again with a shot at finishing the job and hoisting the Cup.
They didnât get close.
âWeâve been searching for consistency all year and we didnât find it here in the playoffs,â said captain Connor McDavid, who signed a short-term contract extension before the season. âItâs tough. We were an average team all year. An average team with high expectations, youâre going to be disappointed.â
McDavidâs ankle, Leon Draisaitlâs knee, Jason Dickinsonâs lower-body injury and penalty-kill specialist âs undisclosed series-ending injury in Game 1 weakened Edmonton up the middle. Draisaitl missed the last 14 games of the regular season.
The Oilers lost due to a deficient defense and were outclassed by the Ducks, who worked harder and had a younger roster.
The Oilers lost their final playoff game 5-2 to the Anaheim Ducks.
The Oilers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs this season.
The Anaheim Ducks last won a playoff series in 2017.


Leeds United's 3-1 win over Burnley secures a nine-point gap from relegation.
Lando Norris clinches pole position for the Miami Grand Prix sprint race!
Leeds United secures a 3-1 victory over Burnley; Farke praises team effort.
Trump's Doral Course Welcomes PGA Tour Back for Cadillac Championship
Trump's Doral Course Welcomes PGA Tour Back After 6 Years
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
McDavid and Draisaitl spent the last two games of the series as linemates instead of centring separate lines. They battled, but werenât able to will their team into a higher gear.
âToo hurt too soon,â McDavid told The Canadian Press. âThe first round is always tough. Itâs always chaotic. Itâs tough to play through things so early on, as many guys did in here. Credit to our staff for making guys available and making sure they were as comfortable as possible. That being said, itâs not an excuse either. We expected to have a longer run than we did.â
Draisaitl had three goals and seven assists in six games. McDavid, who was held off the scoresheet with the first two games of the series, finished with a goal and five assists.
Defense was Edmontonâs downfall, allowing 26 goals in six games. The penalty kill gave up eight goals on Anaheimâs 15 chances. Edmontonâs power play started 0-for-6 in the first two games before finishing 4-for-14.
âWe struggled on the PK all year too. Weâve been searching for consistency there,â McDavid said. âThe power-play could have been better to start the series.â
Edmontonâs offense compensated for a bottom-tier ranking in the NHL in goals-against in the regular season. A leaky defense was magnified in the playoffs. Edmonton scored the first goal in the first five games, yet won just two of them.
âPretty much the story for most of the year. We just didnât defend well enough,â coach Kris Knoblauch said. âYou usually win or lose on your defensive play. It wasnât good enough.â
Down 3-1 after the first period in Game 6, the Oilers had time but the Ducks turned a neutral-zone turnover by Evan Bouchard into an odd-man rush and a 4-1 lead before the end of the second period.
âAs much as it hurts, I think theyâre just a better team,â Draisaitl said.
Did the wear and tear of two long seasons factor into Edmontonâs earliest playoff exit in five years? Players weren't interested in discussing it.
âItâs not an excuse,â said forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. âWe just didnât get the job done.â