Edmonton Oilers' captain Connor McDavid labouring to start NHL playoffs

Anaheim Ducks' Mason McTavish (23) defends against Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) during second period NHL playoff action in Edmonton on Monday, April 20, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Codie McLachlan

EDMONTON — Oilers captain Connor McDavid continued to fight the puck, and Edmonton’s vaunted power play had yet to strike to start the NHL playoffs.

McDavid, the league’s regular-season points leader, was held off the scoresheet a second straight game Wednesday at Rogers Place. He had four shots and went minus-2 in a 6-4 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

He weathered an injury scare early in the second period to continue playing, but his giveaway later that period led to Anaheim’s short-handed goal and a 4-2 lead.

Edmonton takes a 1-1 split to Anaheim after a 4-3 win in Game 1 in the best-of-seven series.

The Ducks host the Oilers on Friday in the first playoff game at the Honda Centre since 2018. Game 4 is Sunday.

McDavid raced the puck into the offensive zone only to turn it over or be stripped of it several times in the first two games of the series.

“He’s putting a lot of pressure on himself,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch.

“He wants the team to do well. He’s a leader and usually when we have success, he’s a big part of that. There’ve been stretches during the season that he hasn’t been the best player, nights where he hasn’t been outstanding.

“That doesn’t happen very often and I’m certain that he’s going to find his game.”

McDavid’s lower right leg appeared to buckle when he collided early in the second period with teammate Mattias Ekholm, who was attempting to check Anaheim’s Ian Moore.

McDavid finished his shift in discomfort before heading to the bench and down the tunnel. The centre returned to test his ankle and resume play in the second period.

“I just rolled up on it a little bit. It’s fine,” McDavid said after the game.

His backhand toward the blue line was picked off by Anaheim’s Alex Killorn, who dished to Ryan Poehling for a redirect and a short-handed goal at 15:50 of the second period.

“Just a little bit of a miscommunication,” McDavid said.

When Edmonton’s Zach Hyman redirected an Ekholm blast to score less than two minutes later and pull the hosts with a goal, McDavid — standing almost beside Hyman — lifted his right foot protectively.

But the captain walked into the Oilers dressing room in his bare feet and spoke to media after the game.

“It’s the playoffs and we’ve got to start going,” he said.

Hand in hand with McDavid’s struggles was Edmonton’s power play that failed to convert four chances and went 0-for-6 to start the series.

The Oilers were a league-leading 30.6 per cent successful in the regular season.

The Ducks were winning the special teams battle with a 3-for-5 power play over the first two games, plus Wednesday’s short-handed goal.

The Oilers were minus penalty killers Adam Henrique and Jason Dickinson on Wednesday with undisclosed injuries.

Edmonton’s power play generated cleaner entries Wednesday than in Game 1, but still wasn’t able to cash in a goal.

“I still thought we got looks. I still thought we had chances,” McDavid said. “We’ve got to find a way to score. Can’t give up a shorty either. It’ll come.”

He pointed out that power play linemates Leon Draisaitl missed the last 14 games and Hyman sat out the last five games of the regular season with injuries.

“As good as the power play is, it’s still a work in progress,” McDavid said. “We haven’t ran our normal routes and had our normal looks for some time. It’s not just a light switch, so we’re working at it.”

The Oilers reached the Stanley Cup final each of the last two years. Edmonton lost in Game 6 to the Florida Panthers last year and in Game 7 to the Panthers in 2024.

McDavid and Draisaitl co-led the playoffs in points in 2025 with 33 points in 22 games each.

Edmonton needs McDavid to find his scoring touch again to produce another long post-season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press