The Edmonton Oilers met the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center, fully resolved to get the better of the three-game loss streak that the team was struggling with just before NHL activity paused to brace for the Milano-Cortina Olympics.
Alas, things just weren’t meant to go Edmonton’s way, as the Ducks took the win. The Oilers’ goaltending was as bad as it could get, and Kris Knoblauch sees it for what it is.
Kris Knoblauch Gets Blunt About Tristan Jarry’s No-Show Against the Ducks
What Connor McDavid needs desperately right now is a win. After a disappointing Olympic campaign, the Oilers captain had little opportunity to mourn before he headed back to Edmonton to assume the charge of the team and make a case for a deep playoff push.
Before the Olympic break, the Oilers had lost to the Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Calgary Flames. The game against the Ducks should have been the moment the team made a comeback, but the episode took an entirely different turn. Edmonton now has a season-high four-game losing streak: absolutely not ideal during such a critical moment in the season.
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The Oilers gave it their all, scoring five goals. But despite all their efforts, the Ducks were simply better and made optimal use of the Oilers’ underwhelming goaltending. Tristan Jarry’s time in Edmonton has been discouraging for the franchise’s fans to witness.
Over the 12 games he has played with the Oilers, the netminder has registered a SV% of .864. Against the Ducks, Jarry was pulled in the third period after making 20 saves to be replaced by Connor Ingram, who then made three saves.
“Obviously, I wasn’t happy with the goals we gave up, especially in the third period. I didn’t like those, and there were other mistakes there, but part of it is you need better goaltending and tonight wasn’t one of his best games,” Knoblauch said, regarding Jarry’s goaltending.
“I wasn’t happy with the goaltending especially in the third period. It wasn’t his best game,” Knoblauch on Jarry.
— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) February 26, 2026
Against Anaheim, Jarry had a save percentage of .800. The outcome of the match laid bare the Oilers’ longstanding goaltending issues, which were never fully addressed. At one point, Stuart Skinner was held responsible for most of the team’s woes. Now that Skinner has acclimated well to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Edmonton continues to be plagued by troubled goaltending, a case has been made for a deeper investigation of the issue.
READ MORE: Tristan Jarry’s Horror Show in 6-5 Loss to Ducks Sees Oilers World Lose Patience
A lot has been said about the Oilers’ defense. Perhaps the management’s decision to bring Paul Coffey back behind the bench is a step towards straightening things out in Edmonton. Whatever the problem is, Edmonton must address it with promptness.
