Oilers coach explains Connor Ingram gamble that paid off in Game 5 win

Connor Ingram stood tall when it mattered most in the first round of the NHL playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks, and head coach Kris Knoblauch made it clear the decision to start him was never a gamble.

>Facing elimination in Game 5, the Edmonton Oilers turned back to Ingram despite benching him in Game 4. The move paid off as he stopped 29 of 30 shots in a 4-1 win over the Ducks, keeping the series alive at 3-2.

>Knoblauch backed his goaltender after the game, pointing to Ingram’s calm style.

>“Yeah, I thought he made a lot of good saves,” Knoblauch said. “A lot of his talent is making hard saves look easy just because he’s compact, he doesn’t move very much. I thought there was a couple times where they’re perimeter shots, but they were dangerous because they had really good net front and you’re not sure if the goalie is going to pick it up. I thought he was on his game because he was picking those up.”

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>The decision raised questions before puck drop, given Ingram’s uneven playoff numbers. He had allowed 14 goals across his first three starts and lost the crease briefly. Still, Knoblauch stressed that Ingram had been the team’s starter late in the season and earned trust in key moments.

>“He was our starter down the stretch,” Knoblauch said. “We had a lot of confidence and maybe a little bit different if we played game one or sorry the game that he played in game four if we would have lost one nothing that would have made it a little more difficult.

>“But before the game we discussed about when we’re at our elimination game most likely you’re going to go with back with your starter the guy that’s been carrying the load for the last few weeks. So, yeah, I thought it was an easier decision.”

>That belief shaped the call, and it delivered under pressure.

>Edmonton gave its goalie support with a sharp start. Leon Draisaitl scored twice, while Evan Bouchard recorded three assists. Vasily Podkolzin and Zach Hyman also found the net as the Oilers built early control.

Connor McDavid on Connor Ingram’s late first-period saveAnaheim Ducks forward Mikael Granlund (64) looks for a loose puck in front of Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram (39) in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn ImagesConnor McDavid also highlighted Ingram’s impact, especially a crucial late save in the first period.

>“Really big, really big,” McDavid said. “Ingram was timely, and he didn’t face many in the first. So, that was a huge save at a big big moment.

>“You know, goaltending, as I’ve said before, is not about saving them all. It’s just about saving the right ones. And that was the right one.”

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>The Oilers had struggled to protect leads earlier in the series, but Ingram’s presence helped steady the group in the final two periods. Edmonton sat back at times, yet the goalie held firm against late pressure.

>With momentum shifting, the Oilers now head into Game 6 with renewed belief.