Vasily Podkolzin sends Jeffrey Viel to the ice after Oilers' terrible Game 3 collapse
Vasily Podkolzin gave Kris Knoblauch one late spark, dropping Jeffrey Viel as the Oilers let Game 3 slip away in Anaheim.
That's the hard part for Edmonton. Podkolzin clearly got the better of the fight with 25 seconds left, but it came in a 7-4 loss that pushed the Oilers behind 2-1 in the series.
The scrap broke out after a nasty finish to a game that had already turned against Edmonton. Viel went after Podkolzin in the final seconds, and Podkolzin answered fast, landing clean and finishing the exchange on top.
It was a real response from a winger who had already opened the scoring earlier in the night. But by then, the only thing left for the Oilers to win was the final fight.
That's what makes the sequence stand out. Edmonton had a chance to grab control of the series, carried a 3-2 lead in the second, and still walked out of Honda Center chasing the series again.
Podkolzin ripped off his gloves, threw with pace, and ended the night by planting Viel to the ice in one of the few Oilers moments that actually had some bite.
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Podkolzin showed push, but Edmonton lost the plot
The bigger story is still the collapse around him. Anaheim scored 4 goals in the third period, and the Ducks finished with a 39-24 edge in shots after driving play for long stretches.
Jeffrey Viel even scored with 3:03 left to make it 6-4, which only added more heat to the final minute. His goal should have been a dagger. Instead, Podkolzin made sure the last image of the night had some resistance in it.
Still, Knoblauch won't care much about the optics of one fight when the Oilers are now staring at a 2-1 hole. Edmonton finally got its first power-play goal of the series, but the defensive detail just wasn't there.
Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville got exactly the kind of game he wanted from his side. The Ducks stayed on top of pucks, forced mistakes, and fed off a building that had been waiting 8 years for playoff hockey at home again.
Podkolzin at least gave Edmonton a pulse. He scored once, fought late, and looked like one of the few Oilers ready to drag the game somewhere ugly when the scoreboard got away from them.
That doesn't change the standings in the series. But inside a playoff matchup that suddenly has real edge, Podkolzin made it clear the Oilers aren't backing off, even after a rough night.
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YESTERDAY
APRIL 24, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mikael Granlund | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Lawson Crouse | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Leo Carlsson | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Kirby Dach | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jackson Lacombe | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Connor McDavid | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Alexandre Texier | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Mackenzie Weegar | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Evan Bouchard | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Leon Draisaitl | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Clayton Keller | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Nic Dowd | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Dylan Guenther | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brandon Hagel | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Lane Hutson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Kasperi Kapanen | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Alexander Killorn | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mason McTavish | 1 | - | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||
| 2025-2026 NHL STANDINGS | ||||||
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Sabres | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 109 | |
| Lightning | 82 | 50 | 26 | 6 | 106 | |
| Canadiens | 82 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 106 | |
| Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 100 | |
| Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 99 | |
| Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 92 | |
| Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 84 | |
| Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 78 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Hurricanes | 82 | 53 | 22 | 7 | 113 | |
| Penguins | 82 | 41 | 25 | 16 | 98 | |
| Flyers | 82 | 43 | 27 | 12 | 98 | |
| Capitals | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | 95 | |
| Blue Jackets | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | 92 | |
| Islanders | 82 | 43 | 34 | 5 | 91 | |
| Devils | 82 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 87 | |
| Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Avalanche | 82 | 55 | 16 | 11 | 121 | |
| Stars | 82 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 112 | |
| Wild | 82 | 46 | 24 | 12 | 104 | |
| Mammoth | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Blues | 82 | 37 | 33 | 12 | 86 | |
| Predators | 82 | 38 | 34 | 10 | 86 | |
| Jets | 82 | 35 | 35 | 12 | 82 | |
| Blackhawks | 82 | 29 | 39 | 14 | 72 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Golden Knights | 82 | 39 | 26 | 17 | 95 | |
| Oilers | 82 | 41 | 30 | 11 | 93 | |
| Ducks | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Kings | 82 | 35 | 27 | 20 | 90 | |
| Sharks | 82 | 39 | 35 | 8 | 86 | |
| Kraken | 82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 79 | |
| Flames | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| Canucks | 82 | 25 | 49 | 8 | 58 | |
COMPLETE STANDINGS | ||||||