The Edmonton Oilers are amid an intense Stanley Cup Final matchup against the Florida Panthers. Edmonton went down 2-0 after their 4-1 loss on Monday. Forward Sam Carrick performed a questionable move on Dmitry Kulikov during the third period of the game that saw him avoid suspension. However, Carrick is still facing an expensive consequence.
Carrick has been fined $2,213.54, the maximum allowed under the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slashing Kulikov, per NHL Player Safety. The incident occurred at the 17:57 mark of the third period. Carrick was initially assigned a penalty for the move. Thankfully, no one was injured.
Sam Carrick has not had the impact he hoped for so far in the postseason. The 32-year-old has amassed just one assist and one point through 10 playoff games. Like Carrick, Dmitry Kulikov has not put up any notable numbers either, but his team is still giving Edmonton trouble.
The Panthers battled through the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, and and New York Rangers to face the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final. Florida won each of their prior series in six games or less. They appear to be on the same trajectory in their final matchup, but the Oilers want to stop their momentum.
Edmonton's road to the Final has not been easy. After beating the Los Angeles Kings 4-1, the Oilers endured a seven-game series against the Vancouver Canucks. Then, Edmonton faced the dangerous Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals. The Oilers have proved they have what it takes to win. They need to tighten some things up, and Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are ready to help the team rally.
Oilers look to bounce back after slow Stanley Cup Final start
Draisaitl gave an eye-opening response when asked if the Oilers need to play better or if Florida deserves praise for their hounding defense.
“It's a little of both,” Draisaitl said after Game 2's loss. “We can certainly be better. It starts with me.”
Draisaitl and Connor McDavid amassed just five combined shots on goal. The two stars need to improve to have a chance to help Edmonton rally. Furthermore, Draisaitl took self-accountability when questioned about the play of himself and McDavid.
“I can only speak for myself, I certainly have a lot more to give,” Draisaitl said. “Not my best tonight. Obviously, I'm owning that, will regroup and make sure I'll be better in Game 3.”
Despite the tough loss, Connor McDavid remains optimistic about the Oilers' chances. He believes the 2-0 deficit will further fuel Edmonton.
“It's exciting,” McDavid said per Ryan Frankson of NHL.com. “[The deficit is] another opportunity for our group to come together and dig our way out. It's supposed to be hard, it's supposed to be difficult, and I'm excited to see what our group's made of. I'm excited to see us fight through adversity and I'm looking forward to people doubting us again. We're good with our backs against the wall.”
Fans can expect the Oilers to come out with vengeance in Game 3. The club is desperate for a win to get back in the series.
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