Flames still searching for a way to slow down Oilers
Trailing 2-1 in a playoff series is not uncharted territory for the Calgary Flames. They were in this exact situation in their opening-round set with the Dallas Stars before winning three of four games to advance.
However, as the Flames prepare for Game 4 of their Western Conference second-round clash at the Edmonton Oilers, they are up against a team that has been dominating play for much of the past two games. On Sunday, the Oilers rode four second-period goals to a 4-1 victory.
History will show Evander Kane scored a natural hat trick and Leon Draisaitl set a league record with four assists during that period, but unquestionably the player leading the way is Edmonton captain Connor McDavid, and the onus is on the Flames to find a way to stop him.
"They've got one player that plays half the game and is playing some great hockey right now," Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk said. "We've got to find a way to stop that. When we get in their zone, we've got to hold pucks, nothing blind, and get shots to the goalie. That's where they can have some trouble, with rebounds and loose coverage with that."
The Flames claimed the Pacific Division crown in the regular season by being a dominant five-on-five team, using all four lines. Against the Oilers, they have been guilty of taking far too many penalties, which has helped Edmonton's top trio gain momentum.
"They're a tight team and they check well in the neutral zone, but we can still move (the puck) a little bit faster and we've got to find ways to ... get in on the forecheck," defenseman Rasmus Andersson said. "Once we get into their zone, we're fine."
The Oilers, who finished second in the division, are playing a strong team game, but McDavid's exploits are filled with superlatives.
McDavid, who has amassed 23 points in 10 playoff games, is the first player in NHL history to record nine multi-point games in the first 10 games of a playoff run. Only Wayne Gretzky (29 in 1983, 25 in 1985) and Mario Lemieux (25 in 1992) ever scored more points in the first 10 games of a postseason.
"He's been on fire in the playoffs," Kane said. "He's taking his game to the next level. ... He's physical. He's involved. He's winning puck battles along the wall, both in the defensive zone and in the offensive zone. He's a dominant force out there."
McDavid, Draisaitl and Kane have combined for 55 points in 10 games, numbers reminiscent of the Gretzky-led Oilers teams of the 1980s.
As quick as he is to praise McDavid and crew for their offensive abilities, though, coach Jay Woodcroft is just as fast to note their defensive play, especially in this series.
"That line, I think Connor and Leon both finished plus-4," Woodcroft said. "When our best players are leading the way defensively and setting the tone for what's expected for the full 200 feet of the rink, I think it makes us a better team."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
Galen Weston pushes back on 'misguided criticism' of Loblaw as boycott begins
Loblaw chairman Galen Weston, as well as the company's new chief executive, pushed back on what they called 'misguided criticism' of the grocer as a boycott against the company gains steam online.
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Orangutan observed treating wound using medicinal plant in world first
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of U.S. dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
There's a limit to how much interest rates in Canada and U.S. can diverge: Macklem
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadian interest rates don't have to match U.S. or global rates, but there is a limit to how much they can diverge.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.