Beckett Sennecke recorded three points and Cutter Gauthier extended his goal-scoring streak to four games as the Anaheim Ducks withstood a furious late-game surge from Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers to secure a 5-4 victory on Thursday.
McDavid Extends Historic Streak as Anaheim Capitalizes on Power Play
- McDavid’s Consistency: Extends his historic season-opening point and assist streak to 17 games, locking down elite tier-one fantasy value.
- Special Teams Volatility: Anaheim’s power-play efficiency remains a primary target for over/under bettors after going 2-for-7 against Edmonton’s penalty kill.
Defensive Lapses Test Ducks Down the Stretch
Anaheim built a comfortable 5-2 lead into the third period before Edmonton mounted a frantic comeback bid. Leon Draisaitl capitalized with 45 seconds remaining in regulation, ripping a cross-crease pass through the seam from McDavid past Laurent Brossoit’s glove. The strike came with Matt Tomkins pulled to the bench for the extra attacker, slicing the deficit to 5-4. Edmonton controlled the ensuing face-off in the offensive zone, but the Ducks managed to clog passing lanes and deny the equalizer before the final horn.
McDavid recorded a goal & three assists alongside multi-point games from Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins & Bouchard, but the Oilers fell 5-4 to the Ducks in a penalty-killed affair at @RogersPlace. https://t.co/ippUn0TuSn
“We keep finding ways to leave teams in it a little bit in the past couple of games,” Sennecke remarked on nhl.com regarding the late-game defensive collapses. Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville echoed those concerns to nhl.com after watching a similar script unfold just days prior.
“Up 5-2, looked like they were going away, and then next thing you know they tie it up. Vancouver beat us similarly a week ago (6-5 in overtime on Oct. 27), same situation. So, we hung on there at the end, but I thought we had a really good third period going until they made it 5-3,” Quenneville stated on nhl.com.
CityNews Edmonton reported that Laurent Brossoit turned aside 23 shots to earn the victory in the Anaheim crease. At the other end, fourth-string goalie Matt Tomkins made 16 saves for the Oilers as injuries and illness sidelined Tristan Jarry, Devon Levi, and Frederik Andersen. The situation forced Edmonton to dress a full-time emergency backup goaltender in Brett Epp, who sat ready on the bench.
Connor McDavid strikes again. 🤷♂️ Have a look at this shorthanded tally. pic.twitter.com/BaYxUe3kof
Edmonton Penalty Kill Pressures Top-Ranked Anaheim Power Play
The matchup featured a high-stakes clash of special teams units. Anaheim entered the contest boasting the top-ranked power play in the NHL at 38 percent, a stark turnaround from finishing 23rd at 18.6 percent in 2025-26 and last at 11.8 percent in 2024-25, as detailed by CBS Sports. However, Edmonton’s penalty kill applied heavy pressure, limiting the Ducks to a 2-for-7 conversion rate.
“They have a good penalty kill and something we haven’t seen so far this season,” Gauthier explained to nhl.com. “A lot of pressure, they don’t give you any time to set up and really make a play, so it’s kind of just road hockey there.”
| Team | Record | Power Play % (Prior to Game) | Key Scorers in Matchup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Ducks | 8-7-1 | 38.0% | Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, Pavel Mintyukov |
| Edmonton Oilers | 11-3-3 | 33.9% | Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard |
Edmonton head coach Mike Babcock praised his shorthanded unit’s work rate despite the final result. As noted by nhl.com, Babcock assessed the matchup by stating, “I thought our penalty kill was excellent (6-for-8). It really set us up to win the game, to tell you the truth. It gave us a chance. And then we didn’t look after it.”
Connor McDavid Reaches Historic Milestone Despite Oilers Loss to Ducks
Despite the loss, Connor McDavid cemented his name further into the record books. CityNews Edmonton noted that McDavid rebounded after getting knocked hard into the post early in the match by Ducks defender Drew Helleson, finishing the night with a goal and three assists. The performance extended his point and assist streaks to 17 games to open the campaign, giving him an NHL-best 44 points and tying him for the fourth-longest point streak to start a season in league history.
MAKE THAT NINE GOALS IN FOUR GAMES FOR CUTTER GAUTHIER 😳 pic.twitter.com/HjipQHeaa8
The Oilers dropped to 11-3-3, ending their five-game point streak at 3-0-2, while the Ducks improved to 8-7-1 with their third consecutive victory. Anaheim will look to maintain momentum on Friday when they visit the Calgary Flames, while Edmonton continues its homestand against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.
"When that comes out, it can rattle a game up, and obviously I appreciated the response from Podzy." It was a physical game right from the hop, but the #Oilers ultimately dropped a 5-4 decision to the Ducks on Thursday. @paigymartin has your recap.@CIBC | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/XL3x5WrzOu
More on Cutter Gauthier
Cutter Gauthier is the first player in Ducks history to score nine goals in a four-game span. The last NHL player to accomplish the feat was Auston Matthews, who scored nine goals from Feb. 15-21, 2024.
