The Edmonton Oilers will battle the Florida Panthers tonight with everything on the line. Edmonton gave up the first three games of the series, but has surged back to make the series 3-2 heading into Game 6. They will play in front of their home fans tonight with their season on the line. Their superstar center Connor McDavid will be one of the most important players on the ice.
McDavid is having a season for the ages. He had a strong regular season and is following it up with an incredible playoff run. His efforts have not gone unnoticed by his teammates.
Oilers' goalie Stuart Skinner praised McDavid's self-assurance. He says it extends off the ice.
“He's got so much confidence in us,” Skinner told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. “For me, personally, he gives me a ton of confidence whether I let in 5 [goals] or I get a shutout, he's always in my corner. He always has my back and telling me that he believes in me,” Skinner said before grinning. “Plus, he always lets me win on the plane when we play games.”
Head coach Kris Knoblauch said McDavid's dominance has helped the Oilers gain the confidence needed to fight back against the Florida Panthers.
“Sometimes you're in the dressing room and you're looking across at your leaders and you're not sure if they're ready to play,” Knoblauch said. “They're nervous or struggling, and it puts a lot of doubt in your team. But when you look at Connor McDavid putting together back-to-back four-point games, that gives your team a lot of confidence. Your best players do that. When they're ready to play, you're like, ‘all right, we're going to be OK.' I just gives confidence throughout the dressing room.”
Oilers' Connor McDavid setting numerous records during this postseason run, favorite for Conn Smythe award
Connor McDavid thought that playing in the Stanley Cup Final would feel more magical.
“You spend your life working to get into a position like this,” McDavid said on Thursday ahead of Game 6. “You get here and expect there to be this magic feeling, but to be honest, it's all been pretty normal.”
McDavid might not be feeling the magic, but he is having an absolutely special playoff run.
Connor McDavid has set a number of records during the Oilers' trip to the Stanley Cup Final this year.
Those accolades include:
• Setting a record for most assists in a single NHL postseason (34).
• Posting the fourth-highest single postseason point total (42) of any player in NHL history. McDavid trails Wayne Gretzky's all-time record by five points.
• Becoming the first player in NHL history to post back-to-back four-point games in the Stanley Cup Final (Games 4 and 5).
• Scoring 11 points in the Stanley Cup Final, which is just two points shy of Gretzky's record of 13 points in 1988.
As a result, McDavid is now regarded as the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP. His team hasn't won the Stanley Cup Final, and they are not favored to win either. Regardless, McDavid may win the award based on his accomplishments up to this point.
“I don't think you're thinking about that,” McDavid said. “Those things just happen. They're a byproduct of being prepared, all the work that we've done throughout the regular season, all the work that we've done through this run. Those moments are a product of guys who are ready for the big moment. There's no group that is more ready for the moment than this one here.”
Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final takes place at 8PM ET tonight in Edmonton.
Follow Us
Subscribe