Anaheim Ducks take 3-1 series lead over Edmonton Oilers in NHL playoffs

Anaheim, California — The Anaheim Ducks seized control of their NHL first-round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers with a 6-3 victory on Friday night, taking a 3-1 series lead. The win came at Honda Center, where the Ducks have now won two of the first three home games in the best-of-seven matchup.

Swedish rookie center Leo Carlsson continued his impressive postseason debut, scoring two goals to lead the Ducks offense. His performance earned praise from Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who served as a studio analyst for the broadcast.

Carlsson’s two-goal night fuels Ducks victory

The Ducks broke open a tight game with a strong third period, scoring four unanswered goals to turn a 3-3 tie into a decisive 6-3 win. Carlsson was instrumental in the surge, first scoring to produce it 5-3 midway through the final frame and later adding an empty-net goal to seal the victory.

After the game, Lundqvist congratulated Carlsson in Swedish during the TNT broadcast, saying: “Stort grattis till segern. Satan, vad bra du var!” which translates to “Congratulations on the win. Hell, you were great!”

Carlsson acknowledged the atmosphere in Anaheim, telling reporters: “I didn’t know what to expect here, but it was crazy,” referring to the energy at Honda Center during the playoff game.

Series shifts in Ducks’ favor

The victory gives the Ducks a 3-1 lead in the series, meaning they demand just one more win to advance to the second round. The Oilers, led by captain Connor McDavid, avoided a sweep by winning Game 2 but have now lost two straight games in Anaheim.

McDavid ended his pointless streak in the series with a goal and an assist in Game 4, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Ducks’ balanced attack. The Oilers have now been outscored 19-12 in the four games.

Looking ahead to Game 5

The series now shifts to Edmonton for Game 5, where the Oilers will look to avoid elimination on their home ice. If the Ducks win Game 5, they will advance to the Western Conference semifinals.

For the Ducks, maintaining their strong defensive play and continued contributions from young players like Carlsson will be key to closing out the series. The rookie has now recorded four points (two goals, two assists) in the first four playoff games of his career.

The NHL playoff schedule has Game 5 set for late Saturday night in Edmonton time, which would be early Sunday morning in Anaheim due to the time zone difference between Mountain and Pacific time zones.

As the Ducks sit on the brink of advancing, they’ll look to use their home-ice advantage from the earlier games to finish the job on the road.

What’s next: Game 5 of the Oilers-Ducks series is scheduled for Saturday night in Edmonton. Fans can follow updates through the NHL’s official channels and team websites.

Share your thoughts on the Ducks’ performance and their chances to close out the series in the comments below.