Dostal, Ingram Goalies to Watch in Western Conference First Round

Anaheim's Lukas Dostal, Edmonton's Connor Ingram have different paths to NHL starting roles

Apr. 19, 2026 at 1:19am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey goalie's movements and positioning broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape, conveying the complex technical aspects of the goaltending matchup between the Ducks and Oilers.The contrasting styles and tendencies of Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal and Oilers goalie Connor Ingram could be the key factor in determining which team advances in the Western Conference First Round.Anaheim Today

The Western Conference First Round matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks features a goaltending duel between Lukas Dostal of the Ducks and Connor Ingram of the Oilers. Dostal set a career high in wins this season, while Ingram worked his way into the Oilers' starting role after being acquired in a trade. An analysis of 100 goals allowed by each goalie late in the regular season reveals their strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies that could determine the outcome of the series.

Why it matters

Goaltending is often the key factor in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the ability of the Oilers and Ducks to identify and exploit the tendencies of Dostal and Ingram could be the difference in this first-round matchup. Both goalies have unique paths to their current starting roles, and understanding their individual strengths and weaknesses will be crucial for their teams to advance.

The details

Lukas Dostal of the Ducks set a career high with 30 wins this season, but his .888 save percentage was a career low. An analysis of 100 goals allowed revealed that Dostal struggles with lateral plays across the middle of the ice, with 37% of the tracked goals coming off those types of chances. He also tends to stay squared on puck carriers outside his post lanes, making it harder for him to push across on those plays. Connor Ingram of the Oilers, meanwhile, has a more balanced game, with no major extremes in his tactical approach. However, he has struggled with low-lateral plays below the hash marks, and his tendency to square up shooters from the faceoff dots and below can leave him stranded and unable to recover quickly.

  • Dostal represented Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games earlier this season.
  • Since the Olympics, Ingram is 10-6-2 with a .901 save percentage for the Oilers.

The players

Lukas Dostal

The Ducks' starting goaltender, who set a career high with 30 wins this season despite a career-low .888 save percentage.

Connor Ingram

The Oilers' starting goaltender, who worked his way into the role after being acquired in a trade and overcoming injuries to other Edmonton goalies.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This goaltending matchup between Dostal and Ingram could be the key factor in determining which team advances in the Western Conference First Round. Both goalies have unique strengths and weaknesses that their teams will need to exploit or mitigate in order to win the series.