Evan Bouchard scores twice as Edmonton Oilers defeat Anaheim Ducks 5-2 at Honda Center

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

ANAHEIM — Evan Bouchard had two goals and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers scored all five of their goals in the second period to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 at Honda Center on Wednesday.

Leon Draisaitl finished with four assists and Connor McDavid contributed a goal and two assists for the Oilers, who improved to a 3-0-1 record during the trip’s first game. Edmonton rallied after falling behind 2-0 in the opener of its three-game California road trip and secured its third straight victory, while Devon Levi stopped 29 shots.

For Anaheim, Beckett Sennecke scored two first-period power-play goals and Leo Carlsson added two assists. The Ducks also generated all of their goals while on the man advantage in their earlier 3-2 overtime win against the visiting Florida Panthers on Sunday.

Anaheim built its lead quickly. Sennecke pushed the puck through Levi’s pads from in close to make it 1-0 at 4:11 of the first period, then scored again at 15:28 by redirecting Carlsson’s centering pass from below the goal line to extend the lead to 2-0.

Bouchard answered for Edmonton early in the second. He scored 11 seconds into the period with a slap shot from the right point to cut the Ducks’ lead to 2-1.

Kasperi Kapanen tied the game 2-2 at 6:30 by scoring his 100th NHL goal on a power play, finishing with a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle.

Bouchard then took the lead for Edmonton, scoring his NHL-leading sixth goal of the season at 14:12 with a slap shot from above the circles to put the Oilers ahead 3-2.

Edmonton added to its advantage at 16:49, as Draisaitl made a stretch pass to Vasily Podkolzin. Podkolzin slipped behind the Ducks’ defense and finished on a breakaway to make it 4-2.

McDavid capped the scoring with 52 seconds remaining in the second period during 4-on-4 play. Entering the Anaheim zone with speed, he slid the puck between Dostal’s pads from above the left hash marks to extend Edmonton’s lead to 5-2.

On the goaltending side for Anaheim, Lukas Dostal made 12 saves through two periods before being replaced in the third by Ville Husso, who finished with two saves.

In the closing minutes, the Oilers committed two minor penalties 45 seconds apart. Anaheim pulled Husso for a 6-on-3 situation but was unable to capitalize as Edmonton held on for the 5-2 final.

The victory kept Edmonton rolling on its California trip and ensured the Oilers’ scoring surge in the second period remained decisive in the matchup against the Ducks at Honda Center on Wednesday night.