Larsson-y late as Oilers draw first blood
EDMONTON 5 ANAHEIM 3 (Oilers lead series 1-0)
ANAHEIM, California — Adam Larsson scored his second goal with 4:40 remaining, Mark Letestu had two power-play goals and the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Anaheim Ducks 5-3 in Game 1 of the second round on Wednesday.
Cam Talbot made 33 saves for the Oilers, who regained the lead when Larsson’s centring pass from behind the net struck Ducks defenceman Josh Manson’s skate and went in.
Jakob Silfverberg and Patrick Eaves scored 1:20 apart midway through the third period to erase a 3-1 deficit and Ryan Getzlaf had a power-play goal for Anaheim. John Gibson made 27 saves.
Game 2 is Friday night in Anaheim.
It looked as if Edmonton had broken open a cagey game when Letestu and Larsson scored 1:40 apart in the third, only for Eaves and Silfverberg to respond with hard-charging goals to erase the 3-1 advantage.
But with all the momentum seemingly against the Oilers, a fortunate bounce put them back in front for good.
Leon Draisaitl added an emptynetter with 1:05 to play to go along with three assists.
After being overwhelmingly outplayed in the second periods of their first-round series against the Calgary Flames, the Ducks were initially able to reverse that trend against the Oilers. Getzlaf put a wrist shot into the top corner 37 seconds into the middle frame for his fourth goal of the playoffs and third on the power play.
Cam Fowler, making his first appearance this post-season after suffering a knee injury in the last week of the regular season, and Ryan Kesler had assists on Getzlaf’s 33rd career playoff goal.
However, the Oilers quickly responded through their own power play.
Letestu cleaned up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ shot during 55 seconds of 5-on-3 play to tie up the game. Getzlaf broke his stick on the faceoff, leaving the Ducks at a greater disadvantage before Letestu picked up his second goal of the post-season at 6:22.
Nugent-Hopkins nearly scored earlier on the two-man advantage, his shot hitting Gibson in the mask and then careening off the post into the crossbar.
The series opened in contentious fashion, starting with the anticipated matchup of Connor McDavid and noted agitator Kesler. McDavid drew the game’s first power play when he was tripped up by Kesler following an uncalled high-sticking, only for Draisaitl to give away the advantage with a slash.
Predators 4, Blues 3
ST. LOUIS — One nifty little flip by Vernon Fiddler provided a big lift for the Nashville Predators on a rough night.
Fiddler scored with 5:05 left and P.K. Subban had a goal and two assists, powering Nashville to a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game 1 of their secondround playoff series.
The Predators lost Kevin Fiala to an ugly leg injury in the second period and blew a 3-1 lead before Fiddler poked a loose puck by Jake Allen in the third.
“They had a little push there,” Fiddler said. “We got 3-2 and then 3-3 and the building’s rocking. You have to give our guys credit. We just regrouped and went back at them and found a way to get the two points.”
It was the fifth goal in 43 career playoff games for the 36-year-old Fiddler.