On Sunday in Edmonton, Game 3 of the Oilers and Anaheim Ducks series was a game of three’s including Jakob Silfverberg‘s game with three points on two goals and an assist.
The Ducks a 3-0 first period lead before yielding three strait to the Oilers to tie it up at
3-3.
The Ducks then responded with three straight, again, to get back into the series with a 6-3 win.
“We’ve been in this position before, we’re not proud of it, but it’s a position that we’ve been in before, and we have the belief in each other that we can come in here and win some games,” the Ducks’ John Gibson said.
Gibson made 24 saves to get the win and was never busier than in the middle frame when he made 12 saves as the Oilers were pressing to take the lead.
“We knew they were going to come,” Gibson said. “They came hard. They’re a good team, they’re going to get their chances.”
Rickard Rakell opened the scoring on a breakaway off a brilliant long pass from Ryan Getzlaf to beat Cam Talbot for the 1-0 lead.
Silfverberg and Getzlaf scored for the 3-0 lead.
Patrick Maroon and Anton Slepyshev scored to get the Oilers within one before Connor McDavid tied it at 3-3 with a high shot over Gibson’s shoulder.
As the scoresheet was being announced on McDavid’s goal, Chris Wagner scored to put the Ducks ahead for good at 4-3.
“Just chalk it up to a bad game. We were bad all over the ice and got beat all over the ice. It’s almost like that San Jose [Sharks] game (a 7-0 loss in Game 4 of the first round). You try and learn from it, take the positives, and wash it away,” McDavid said.
The Oilers continued to press their case in the second after Wagner’s goal but Gibson was up to the challenge.
“It (Gibson’s effort) got us through the toughest period of the hockey game for us,” Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle said. “We were able to get into the intermission and regroup, then play more of the type of game that’s required.”
Ryan Kesler and Silfverberg scored in the third period to relieve the pressure on the Ducks.
“If you look at the stats sheet tonight, he (Silfverberg ) was all over it. He’s the type of guy that’s kind of [an] unsung, unassuming individual. But he really is a tremendous hockey player. He can do a lot of things,” Carlyle said.
[WATCH: All Oilers vs. Ducks highlights | RELATED: Complete Anaheim vs. Edmonton series coverage]
Talbot made 22 saves in taking the loss.

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