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
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.