Recap: Ducks Close 2023 on Sour Note with 7-2 Loss to Oilers

The Ducks could find no New Year's Eve magic tonight on home ice, falling 7-2 to the division rival Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center.

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The loss, Anaheim's fourth in its last five games, dropped the club to 13-23-0 on the season and 6-14-0 on home ice. The Ducks continue an eight-game homestand, and open their 2024 schedule, Wednesday against Toronto.

Max Jones and Frank Vatrano scored for Anaheim, with the latter netting his team-leading 17th goal of the season. Trevor Zegras, Ryan Strome, Radko Gudas and Alex Killorn added assists. John Gibson made 30 saves.

Warren Foegele led the way for Edmonton offensively with two goals and three assists for his first career five-point night in the NHL. Ryan McLeod, Evander Kane, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and Brett Kulak also scored. Calvin Pickard earned his third win of the season, and the 38th of his NHL career, turning aside 28-of-30 Anaheim shots.

Edmonton opened the scoring just over four minutes when McLeod found free space in the low slot and shoveled home a centering pass from Foegele behind the net.

After scoring just twice in his first 28 appearances of the season, McLeod has goals in four of his last five games.

Anaheim temporarily pulled even on a remarkable individual effort by Jones, who forced a turnover behind the Edmonton net and then tapped home the rebound on Strome's subsequent bid in tight.

The goal was the 30th of Jones' NHL career, and his fourth in 32 games this season.

With the secondary helper, Zegras has points in three of his four games since returning from a lower-body injury.

Strome's assist was his team-leading 17th of the season.

Edmonton would reclaim the lead late in the period though, in large part thanks to a favorable bounce off the skate of referee Trevor Hanson. As Anaheim tried to reverse the puck behind its own net, Hanson inadvertently redirected it to the side of the net, where Kane punched it through an unsuspecting Gibson.

The game would get away from Anaheim in the middle frame though, as three consecutive Edmonton goals would quiet any hopes of a comeback.

The first came from Draisaitl on a one-timer from a sharp angle, beating a sliding Gibson to the short side post.

Draisaitl's 17 goals on the season ties him for 14th place in the NHL.

The second was scored just as a hooking penalty against Ryan Strome expired, a tap-in for Foegele after a terrific setup dish by Nurse.

Foegele's big night then continued with his second goal of the game, another chance from right in front of the Anaheim net after a centering pass from McLeod.

The five-point night was the first of Foegele's NHL career and gave him eight points in his last four games.

Vatrano brought Anaheim back within three early in the third period with a snapshot past Pickard from the slot, taking advantage of an Edmonton turnover created by Killorn's forecheck.

Vatrano leads the team in points and goals in his second season as a Duck.

Killorn now has points in two his last three games and 10 assists in 26 appearances this season.

Hyman and Kulak then capped the scoring with a pair of late goals to seal a 7-2 Edmonton win.

The Ducks continue an eight-game homestand Wednesday against Toronto.