Game #3: Ducks vs. Oilers Gameday Preview (10/07/26)

And then there were two. After Tuesday's results, the Ducks and the Colorado Avalanche are the only unbeaten teams remaining in the league. It hasn't been the smoothest of journeys thus far for the Ducks through two games, with both wins coming by the narrowest of margins.

Stellar special teams and goaltending have been at the forefront, with all three goals from Sunday's overtime win against the Florida Panthers coming on the power play. They have also killed off six of seven penalties.

“We’re trying to cause a little bit of mayhem out there,” forward Tim Washe said. “Try to apply a lot of pressure, and I like the way we've been getting pucks out.”

“I think our sticks have been really good,” defenseman Tristan Luneau said. “We went over the game plan, I think everyone (is) executing that. Sticks (have) been good in the first two games, I think that makes a huge difference.”

It's been all gas and no brakes for the Edmonton Oilers early on. They've scored 17 goals through three games, but have also conceded 14 goals. Devon Levi, who will start for the Oilers against the Ducks, was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in July in an effort to bolster their goaltending. Tristan Jarry has been less than serviceable since his acquisition from the Pittsburgh Penguins last season and offseason signing Frederik Andersen is currently rehabbing from a knee injury and won't be back until late November at the earliest.

The Oilers also have a new face behind the bench in Mike Babcock. The former Ducks, Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs head coach was hired this summer after Kris Knoblauch was fired following a disappointing playoff result, which coincidentally came at the hands of the Ducks. Babcock has not coached in the NHL since a brief stint as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023, a tenure that lasted just two months before he resigned following allegations of improper behavior and subsequent investigations.

“My son worked for Anaheim, so I got a real good idea at what happened in the playoffs,” Babcock said. “I’ve known (Quenneville) a long time, we’ve worked together a bunch of times. He’s a good man. His team’s gonna play fast. He’s got a bunch of young players with size and speed and skill. Maybe, with our lineup, normally, we could race up and down the rink. To have success, we can’t play like that today. We have to play a forechecking, trap game, take care of the puck. Because if we want to race up and down the rink, it’s not gonna go our way.”

18-year-old Nikita Klepov will make his NHL debut for the Ducks after being a healthy scratch for the first two games. He is expected to skate on a line with Nikita Nesterenko and Ryan Poehling.

“It’s awesome,” Klepov said on getting to make his NHL debut against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. “You’ve been watching them since you were a little kid, but now I don’t really think (about) who I’m playing against, just trying to be myself and do the best as I can.”

“Yesterday’s practice, I think he felt that he was going to be playing today and you could sense the nervousness in his game,” Quenneville said. “And I said, ‘Hey, relax. Tomorrow’s a different game and a different place, but you've watched a couple of games now and you can handle these guys’. It’s a great accomplishment getting to the NHL at his age and getting to play. Just play. Just have fun out there and we'll keep you going as far as technically, but don't think too much and just be comfortable out there.”

Jason Dickinson will make his season debut for the Oilers after missing the first three games due to an undisclosed injury.

Ducks Projected Lines

A.J. Greer - Leo Carlsson - Cutter Gauthier
Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke
Nikita Nesterenko - Ryan Poehling - Nikita Klepov
Jeff Malott - Tim Washe - Judd Caulfield

Jackson LaCombe - Tristan Luneau
Pavel Mintyukov - Travis Mitchell
Tyson Hinds - Noah Warren

Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)

Oilers Projected Lines

Vasily Podkolzin - Connor McDavid - Leon Draisaitl
Trent Frederic - Jason Dickinson - Kasperi Kapanen
Max Jones - Colton Dach - Isaac Howard
Alex Formenton - Owen Michaels - Mathieu Joseph

Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard
Ryan Shea - Connor Murphy
Jake Walman - Ty Emberson

Devon Levi (confirmed)