The Ducks found a hole they couldn\u2019t climb out of in Game 5 but returned home for Thursday\u2019s Game 6 with another chance to close out the Edmonton Oilers, who were the best team in the West two years running.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still have a chance to win the series at home. It was a tough start last night, but a good finish,\u201d Ducks center Leo Carlsson told reporters Wednesday before returning home.<\/p>\n
The Ducks allowed the first goal in 49 of 82 regular-season games, rallying to take 21 of those decisions, and have done so in each of the five matches in this best-of-seven series, which they lead 3-2. In Tuesday\u2019s Game 5, they were already down three goals at the first intermission and never fully recovered<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to be better from the start. It\u2019s been an issue all season. We need to have a better start next game, for sure,\u201d Carlsson added.<\/p>\n Much like the Buffalo Sabres, whose playoff drought spanned 14 years and led their series with the Boston Bruins 3-2, the Ducks have been spurred on by crowds dying of thirst for postseason success. The Ducks qualified for the first time since 2018, won a playoff game for the first time since 2017 and now seek to advance against the same opponent they last bested that same spring.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve been very supportive all year long and they\u2019ve been great in the first two home games. We expect a big crowd that\u2019s gonna be ready to go, and we\u2019re gonna be ready to go,\u201d Ducks coach Joel Quenneville told reporters.<\/p>\n On the Edmonton end, Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid, who led the NHL in defensive scoring and scoring period, respectively, are humming along offensively after wobbly starts to the series. Meanwhile, Leon Draisaitl is tied for the playoff scoring lead with Minnesota\u2019s Kirill Kaprizov, at nine points each,\u00a0and tied Wayne Gretzky for the most postseason goals in franchise history.<\/p>\n In last year\u2019s playoffs, the Oilers had winning streaks of five and six games. During this competitive stretch, which began with a run to the 2022 conference finals and continued with two Stanley Cup Final berths as the last two springs turned to summer, they\u2019ve eliminated the Kings with runs of four consecutive wins (last season) and three straight (2023), in addition to reeling off three in a row when trailing 3-0 to Florida in the 2024 Final.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what it is with us,\u201d Bouchard said to reporters after his three-assist showing. \u201cWhen our backs are against the wall, we play good hockey, and we did that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt shows we\u2019re a good team,\u201d he added. \u201cWe know that and we proved it tonight. Good teams find a way to do it multiple times in a row.\u201d<\/p>\n