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Anaheim Ducks get even with Edmonton Oilers on Jakob Silfverberg's OT goal

By Steven Sandor, The Sports Xchange

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf had a historic night and his team evened their Western Conference second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers at two games apiece.

Getzlaf had two goals and two assists, including a helper on Jakob Silfverberg's goal at 45 seconds of overtime, as the Ducks rallied from two goals down to beat the Oilers 4-3 on Wednesday night at Rogers Place.

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Getzlaf stole the puck in the Edmonton zone and made a cross-ice pass that Silfverberg ripped into the net past goaltender Cam Talbot.

"I think Ricky (Rakell) tried to skate the puck in. I turned my back on it, and it took a rap behind the net, and I was kind of going for a change, and Getzy managed to intercept the puck," Silfverberg said. "I was kind of wide open in front. I just opened up and Getzy managed to find me. I hit a one-timer and it went in; it was a big goal for me and big goal for the team, as well."

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The road team has won all four games in this series. The scene shifts back to Orange County for Friday's Game 5, and Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said it's impossible to get a read on the series.

"It's a weird series when you take that both teams have (gone) into one another's building and won both games," Carlyle said. "So, I'm sure they're looking at it and saying, 'We've got road-ice advantage.' We're going to try to defend it. It's our serve."

With his second goal of the contest -- Getzlaf's 36th career playoff marker -- he surpassed Teemu Selanne as the Ducks' all-time leading postseason goal scorer.

The Ducks unleashed 21 shots in the second period, when they scored three times to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead.

"I was really disappointed with the way we played in the first period," Getzlaf said. "Our (penalty kill) has to find a way to get the job done a little bit and we have to find a way to dig in. I thought we lost a lot of battles in that period. I've always said that I can say anything I want in the dressing room, but I have to go out and live it. (I) tried to do that in the second period and the group went along with it and we kept playing."

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With 1:42 left in regulation and Anaheim's Antoine Vermette just stepping out of the penalty box, Oilers Drake Caggiula scored to force overtime. He was in the slot and banged home a rebound off a shot from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Looking to atone for the 6-3 loss on home ice in Game 3, the Oilers came out of the gate flying, putting the Ducks under immense pressure.

Edmonton launched 16 shots at Ducks goaltender John Gibson in the opening period, and he made a series of excellent saves on Connor McDavid, Patrick Maroon and Benoit Pouliot.

But on the power play at 15:38, the Oilers finally broke Gibson's resistance. Leon Draisaitl attempted a cross-ice pass that deflected off Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler and went right to Milan Lucic, who beat Gibson from the goal mouth.

At 17:43, McDavid made it 2-0, thanks to another Draisaitl pass that deflected off a Ducks defenseman. This time, he banked the puck off Shea Theodore, and the puck went right to McDavid, who ripped a shot under the bar.

The Ducks found life in the second period. At 1:37, Getzlaf ripped a shot over Talbot's shoulder, with Corey Perry providing the screen.

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Oilers coach Todd McLellan challenged the goal ruling as Perry's skate made contact with Talbot before the puck went in. After a lengthy video review, the call was upheld.

Talbot was incensed that the goal was allowed to stand.

"I thought that was pretty obvious," Talbot said. "I don't know what else to say on that one. I try to play with integrity and not flop and dive. Maybe I have to start doing that to get the calls. I don't know what else to do on that one. He clearly hit my blocker and my pad, and there was no way I could make that save."

Said McLellan, "Obviously, I disagree with the call or I wouldn't have challenged it. I thought he interfered with blocker and hands and he (Talbot) couldn't make the save. They didn't see it that way. They gained a little momentum at that point."

Rickard Rakell's one-timer at 5:33 tied the game, stunning the crowd.

At 14:25, Getzlaf got his second, plucking the puck off the stick of Nugent-Hopkins and sliding the puck through Talbot's legs.

Ducks right winger Ondrej Kase left during the first period after taking a hit from Lucic.

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NOTES: When the Ducks came back from 2-0 down to tie the game, it marked the 20th time in this year's NHL playoffs that a team erased a multi-goal deficit to draw a game level. ... In nine regular-season and playoff games against the Ducks, F Leon Draisaitl has 14 points. ... The Oilers are 4-1 on road in the playoffs and 2-2 at home. ... Ducks D Kevin Bieksa has been out since suffering an injury in Game 2. ... After being seen in a walking boot after Game 3, RW Patrick Eaves missed Game 4. ... The Ducks also scratched D Korbinian Holzer, D Simon Despres and RW Jared Boll. ... The Oilers scratched RW Iiro Pakarinen, C Matt Hendricks, D Eric Gryba and LW Jujhar Khaira.

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