Edmonton Oilers centre Connor McDavid, right, shoots as Anaheim Ducks defenceman John Carlson, left, defends during the second period of Game 4 in the first round of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Oilers coach says McDavid a game-time decision, Ingram back in net for Game 5

Apr 28, 2026 | 10:37 AM

EDMONTON — Connor McDavid’s participation was in question with his team’s season on the line and Connor Ingram was to return to the Edmonton Oilers’ net for Tuesday’s Game 5 of a first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch declared both McDavid and Jason Dickinson, who didn’t participate in the morning skate, game-time decisions.

The Oilers reached the Stanley Cup final each of the last two year before bowing out to the Florida Panthers both times.

Edmonton was in danger of an early exit this post-season. The Oilers trailed the Ducks three games to one in the best-of-seven returns.

McDavid has looked uncomfortable at times and his trademark bursts of speed have been fewer since rolling his ankle in the second period of Game 2 at Rogers Place when he collided with teammate Mattias Ekholm.

The NHL’s regular-season points leader with 138 nevertheless scored his first goal in Game 3 and posted his first multi-point games of the playoffs in the third and fourth games of the series in Anaheim. McDavid didn’t participate in Saturday’s off-day skate in Anaheim.

He was nominated Tuesday for the Ted Lindsay Award alongside San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.

The award is for the league’s “most outstanding player” as voted by NHL players. McDavid has won it four times.

Ingram was to draw back into Edmonton’s net on Tuesday night after Tristan Jarry made 34 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss in Game 4 at the Honda Center.

Ingram started the first three games of the series. He earned a 4-3 victory in Game 1, but then allowed 11 goals in two straight losses behind a leaky Edmonton defence.

“Nothing against Jarry,” Knoblauch said. “I thought he had a solid game the other night, but going down this last few weeks or months, Ingram’s been our starter. He’s been our guy.

“Now that our season’s on the line, we felt that we would go with our guy.”

Dickinson sat out the second and third games of the series with injury.

He scored twice in Edmonton’s win in the opener and assisted on the Oilers’ first goal in the Game 4 loss.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press