Round two of the Stanley Cup playoffs gets underway Wednesday night and the Edmonton Oilers are in Anaheim to face the Ducks.
It will be a clash of orange, as the Ducks are encouraging their fans to “Paint It Orange.” Orange ‘Let’s go Ducks” towels were draped on the back of the seats at Anaheim’s Honda Centre ahead of Wednesday night’s game.
Watch below: Game 1 between the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks in their best-of-seven series has been a back-and-forth affair. Sarah Kraus reports from Rogers Place on how fans are taking in the playoff hockey game.
Watch below: Edmontonians were absolutely buzzing on Wednesday night as the Oilers got ready to face off against the Anaheim Ducks for Game 1 of their playoff series. Kevin Karius tees up the action.
Bars and pubs will be packed as Oilers fans gear up for more playoff action; as will Rogers Place, where another Orange Crush watch party will be held.
Because of the popularity of the watch parties, the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation will sell 50/50 tickets, with a portion of the jackpot going to a local charity.
“At our last round of watch parties we actually had fans showing up on the concourse asking our guest services people if they could purchase 50/50 tickets,” said Natalie Minckler, executive director of the EOCF.
“We thought, ‘you know what? This is something that fans want to have.'”
50/50 is extremely popular in Edmonton. Thanks in part to a $76,000 rollover, the 50/50 jackpot at the Oilers’ first home playoff game was $336,995. David and Tanya Idzan went home with the prize.
READ MORE: Show me the money! Edmonton Oilers fans embrace 50/50 ‘phenomenon’
The Oilers finished just behind the Ducks in the regular-season standings but won the season series between the teams.
Watch below: They’ve already made mincemeat out of some Sharks and now the Edmonton Oilers are getting ready to go Duck-hunting. Kevin Karius reports from California as the Oilers’ series against Anaheim is set to get underway.
Before leaving for Anaheim on Tuesday, Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said he likes playing the Ducks and he’s ready for an intense series.
“I think every guy has a team that they like to play against and in the regular season it was me against Anaheim,” he said. “I couldn’t tell you why I like playing against them. It seems to work out against them.
“It’s a new story now, it’s a new series.”
Captain Connor McDavid believes it goes back to how big and strong Draisaitl is.
“He’s been real good against them,” he said Tuesday.
Watch below: Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl likes playing the Ducks: ‘It’s going to be intense’
The puck drops at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. Game 2 goes down in Anaheim on Friday before the Oilers head back for Game 3 on Sunday in Edmonton.
Watch below: Kevin Karius speaks with former Oiler Todd Marchant about his magic overtime winner 20 years ago