Huge development for the Oilers could change the rest of the series

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Vincent Carbonneau
April 29, 2026  (3:55 PM)

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Photo credit: Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Connor McDavid gave Kris Knoblauch exactly what Edmonton needed in a season-saving Game 5.

The Oilers were down 3-1 in the series, on the verge of a first-round exit, and McDavid entered the night as a game-time decision.

That only made the result hit harder. He played, looked far more like himself, and helped drive Edmonton to a 4-1 win over Anaheim.

This was not a loud hat-trick type of night. It was a captain's game, built on pace, pressure, and two huge assists when the Oilers needed control.

That stat says plenty about who McDavid is when the season starts closing in. He has a way of finding another gear when the room has no margin left.

It also shut down a lot of the panic around his health for one night. The ankle clearly had people wondering, but he still stepped in and tilted the game.

That is the real story here. Edmonton did not just survive. It reminded Anaheim that this series is still dangerous as long as McDavid is in it.

Through 5 games against the Ducks, McDavid now has 1 goal and 5 assists for 6 points. For what had felt like a quiet start by his standards, that number suddenly looks a lot healthier.

Career-wise, the bigger picture is even stronger. He now has 156 playoff points in 111 games, a total that keeps stacking up against some of the biggest names the league has ever seen.

And that is what makes nights like this so hard to ignore. McDavid still does not have his Stanley Cup, but the pressure moments keep showing the same thing.

When Edmonton is staring at elimination, he usually answers.

The Oilers still have work left. They are still trailing 3-2 and still have to win again in Anaheim to drag this into a full winner-take-all fight.

But Game 5 changed the emotional balance of the matchup. Instead of talking only about collapse, people are back talking about a comeback.

That shift happened because McDavid showed up, played through the noise, and turned an anxious night into another chapter of his playoff résumé.

For Edmonton, that is the hope now. As long as No. 97 is still writing history, this series is not finished.

Source : Connor McDavid Makes History in Oilers Game 5 Win

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