Oilers' controversial ending creates trouble, including Connor McDavid's future

Oilers' controversial ending creates trouble, including Connor McDavid's future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Edmonton Oilers are in trouble. Connor McDavid's future is in doubt.

And it all was made worse by a controversial game-winning goal by the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night.

The overtime goal was called as such on the ice, then held up after video review.

The problem, in essence, is that camera angles didn't see the puck definitively go across the goal line. But because the angles also can't totally confirm that the puck didn't cross, the call on the ice stands.

The reality, whether the Oilers agree with it or not, is that they're now down 3-1 in the series to Anaheim.

This was an Edmonton team expected to be dangerous because of its two superstars, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

McDavid didn't even tally a point in either of the first two games of the series. This hasn't been his best stretch of hockey, and the Oilers may not be deep enough around him to overcome that.

They'll have to rattle off three consecutive wins, or the worries about McDavid's future will start getting louder.

He signed a two-year contract extension before this season to eliminate the stress of a contract year. But now those next two years look shaky.

After two years in a row of losing in the Stanley Cup Finals, bowing out in the first round would be a rough look. McDavid is going to have to decide whether his best shot to actually hoist the Cup is elsewhere.

An Edmonton rally and deep playoff run can still change the vibes. But right now, the controversial ending on Sunday has the Oilers on the brink of disaster.