Connor Ingram’s quote before Game 2 could become Edmonton’s playoff edge
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Daniel Lucente
Apr 22, 2026 (11:58)
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Photo credit: © Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
Connor Ingram owned his scars before Game 2, and that may be the Oilers' best weapon against Anaheim right now.
This was not pregame theatre.
It was a goalie telling you where his reset button lives.
Ingram reached back to that 49-save survival act against Colorado in 2022.
"I think about letting in that first goal a lot now," Ingram told The Athletic. "If it ever happens to me, I can look back and say ‘Well, f—, you ripped out 49 straight, why can’t you just go do it again?’ It’s one of those games that I kind of go back to and build off of, you could say."
- Connor Ingram
- Connor Ingram
Edmonton does not need him to be perfect.
It needs him to stay in the fight after one bad bounce.
The Oilers are trusting emotional recovery, not just raw technique.
He already gave them proof in Game 1.
Ingram stopped 25 of 28, and Edmonton erased a 3-1 hole to beat Anaheim 4-3.
His regular season finish made this possible.
He posted a .923 save rate over his final eight games and grabbed the crease late.
https://www.edmontonhockeydaily.com/nhl-team/edmonton-oilers/what-connor-ingram-just-did-before-tonight-s-game-caught-everyone-off-guard
Connor Ingram gives the Edmonton Oilers a calmer pulse
Fans in Edmonton have seen enough spring meltdowns to know calm is not a small thing.
This changes the blue line, too.
Defensemen can hold gaps when they trust the next save is still there.
It also eases the load on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
They can attack instead of playing goalie insurance every shift.
Edmonton finished the season 41-30-11.
This roster still goes as far as its crease can hold.
Ingram is 29, and this is not a prospect story.
This is a battle-tested goalie finding the right market at the right time.
The real tell comes tonight.
If Anaheim scores first and Ingram stays square, the series mood shifts hard.
That is why his quote lands.
He is not fearing the first mistake anymore, he is planning for the answer.
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