The Edmonton Oilers unravelled in awful fashion, giving up four third period goals to lose 6-5 to the Anaheim Ducks, with their best players leading the charge in defensive miscues.

Just a ghastly defensive collapse in the third.

The Grade A shots in the game were 20 to 16 for Edmonton, with the subset of 5-alarm shots 10 to 10.

Cult of Hockey player grades

Cult of Hockey player grades

Connor McDavid, 6. Some great attacking, some weak defending. Swell pass to RNH for the 2-0 goal. Charged in early in the second for a nasty shot. He zigged when he should have zagged on the PK, taking himself out of position to stop Leo Carlsson’s outside shot on the Ducks 2-2 goal. He made a good pass on the 3-2 and was all over the 4-2 goal, making several fine passes. He failed to get the puck in deep on the 4-3 Ducks goal, then puck watched as Carlsson smashed in a rebound. Almost scored going through five Ducks with two minutes left in regulation. Grade A shots plus-minus: Even Strength (EV): +8, -3; Special Teams (ST): +2, -2

Zach Hyman, 6. Quiet game until he won a board battle late in the second, kicking off the virtuous cycle that saw him tip Ekholm’s shot-pass hit into the net on the 3-2 goal. The kind of goal Team Canada could have used against the American’s no? But he lost a board battle on the 4-3 goal. Grade A +/-: EV +2, -2; ST +0, -0

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 7. Got the puck top shelf where Momma keeps the cookies on the 2-0 goal. He was part of the great passing play to set up Bouchard on the 4-2 goal. Grade A +/-: EV +5, -2; ST +0, -0

Leon Draisaitl, 5. He ripped his Executioner’s Shots early in the second but a Ducks d-man blocked it to stop a goal against. He set up Podz and sent in Frederic for dangerous chances in the second. He failed to cover Gauthier on the 6-5 goal against. Grade A +/-: EV +4, -2; ST +1, -0

Jack Roslovic, 8. Charged in on his off wing off Savoie’s pass and hammered in a great 1-0 snipe. He returned Savoie’s favour a moment later, setting up the winger for a 5-alarm slot harpoon half-way through the first. Some solid attacking plays in the second. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +5, -0

Matt Savoie, 8. He sent Roslovic in on his early goal rush. A short time later he won a battle for the puck to kick off the quick scoring sequence on the 2-0 goal. Almost scored himself a moment later on a wicked slotter. Slammed home his tenth of the year on the power play to make it 5-4. Grade A +/-: EV +3, -0; ST +1, -0

Vasily Podkolzin, 7. He launched a 5-alarm slot shot in the first off a Frederic pass. He ripped one off the post off a Draisaitl feed in the second. Broke in for another hard shot a moment later. He went to the net for great tip shot on the 5-4 goal. Grade A +/-: EV +3, -1; ST +2, -0

Adam Henrique, 5. Quiet game. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -1

Trent Frederic, 7. Good game. Sweet low-high pass to set up Podkolzin’s first period slotter. He looked sharp again breaking in and almost scoring in the second. Grade A +/-: EV +3, -0; ST +0, -0

Andrew Mangiapane, 4. Super quiet. He missed the net on a wide open slot shot in the third. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -0

Mattias Janmark, Incomplete. Out early with injury. Reportedly been playing hurt all year. Time to shut him down for the season due to injury? Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -0

Curtis Lazar, 5. He got a tip shot on net in the first off an Emberson outside shot. He was slow to Kreider on a first period PK slotter. Grade A +/-: EV +0, -0; ST +0, -2

Mattias Ekholm, 6. High event, good and bad. His turnover and stumble led to a dangerous Ducks slotter in the first. Put the puck hard on net for Hyman to tip in on the crucial 3-2 goal. He put the puck on net on Edmonton’s fifth goal. Grade A +/-: EV +3, -5; ST +2, -1

Evan Bouchard, 6. Also high event, good and bad. Part of the great unravelling on defence in the third period. Great pass to set up Drai’s early second period PP harpoon. He made a solid pass on the 3-2 goal, then crept in to score as the danger man on the 4-2 goal. He was soft on the check on the third Anaheim goal. Grade A +/-: EV +4, -5; ST +1, -3

Darnell Nurse, 2.  He gave up way too much gap to Sennecke on the fifth goal, backing right into the slot for Sennecke to rip one. He needs to do better there. He fumbled and turned over the puck, then ended up high in the defensive slot not covering anyone on the 6-5 goal against. Not even close to good enough. Grade A +/-: EV +1, -3; ST +0, -1

Jake Walman, 5. His early turnover led to a 5-alarm backhander early on.  He screened Jarry on the fourth Ducks goal. Grade A +/-: EV +1, -3; ST +0, -0

Spencer Stastney, 6.  Won a battle without his stick but with pure hustle just before McD’s end to end rush with two minutes left. Grade A +/-: EV +2, -0; ST +0, -0

Ty Emberson, 7. He took a hit to make a good pass on an Podz Grade A rush in the second. He took a penalty but likely saved a goal late in the second. Grade A +/-: EV +3, -1; ST +0, -0

Tristan Jarry, 4. Solid save on early break-in backhander. He looked iffy later in the first, beat on an outside shot. But just seconds later he came up huge on a wicked Trouba slotter, then again on Kreider’s harpoon, then Carlsson’s slotter early in the second. Little chance on Kreider’s rebound shot. Big rebound on the third Ducks goal. He was screened by Podkolzin, Walman and big Ross Johnston on the 4-4 goal. A save on the Sennecke shot would have been great, but Nurse did back in and screen him. Jarry was then pulled.

Connor Ingram, 6. Came up big as soon as he got it, stuffing Vial’s break-in attempt, then huge sliding over to stop Killorn’s bullet. No fault on the sixth goal.

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