Golden Knights next in line to try and stop Connor McDavid
Connor McDavid became the 22nd player in NHL history to score 60 goals in a season when he tallied the game-winner in overtime in Edmonton's 4-3 victory over visiting Arizona on Wednesday.
And with 10 games still remaining, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that he could become the first player in 30 years to hit the 70-goal mark in a season.
But McDavid said his focus is on trying to help the Oilers (41-23-8, 90 points) continue their climb up the Pacific Division standings when they host the first-place Vegas Golden Knights (45-21-6, 96 points) on Saturday night.
"Big game for us," McDavid said after practice on Friday. "They've been playing really well since the All-Star break. If we want a chance to move up the standings, these are the teams we have to beat."
Edmonton, which has won five games in a row, trails the second-place Los Angeles Kings (41-20-10, 92 points) by two points through Thursday in the battle for home ice in the first-round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and is four points in front of the Seattle Kraken, who currently hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
"We're still 10 games away (from the end of the regular-season)," McDavid said. "A lot can happen. We are more focused on things that we can control, like our game, like our habits every day. We know if we go into the playoffs feeling pretty good, we are going to give ourselves a chance, and that's all you can ask for."
Still, the focus of the hockey world will be on whether McDavid can become the first player since Alexander Mogilny (Buffalo) and Teemu Selanne (Winnipeg) in 1992-93 to hit the 70-goal mark in a season. Mogilny and Selanne both had 76 goals that season.
"These things, they're nice but they're not what we're focused on," McDavid said of the milestones. "Obviously, we're focused on continuing to grow our game, get our game to where it needs to be heading into the playoffs. That's what is most important. If that stuff happens, it happens."
Vegas will be trying to complete a sweep of a three-game road trip through Western Canada that began with a 4-3 victory at Vancouver on Tuesday and continued with a 3-2 win at Calgary on Thursday.
The Golden Knights will be without All-Star goaltender Logan Thompson (lower-body) and winger Reilly Smith (lower-body), who both suffered injuries in the game against the Flames and returned home to Las Vegas. Defenseman Alec Martinez also will miss the contest because of personal reasons.
Thompson had just returned after missing six weeks with a lower-body injury and made 37 saves before departing with 6:07 remaining. Jonathan Quick finished up and stopped all five shots he faced.
"At first I thought he was slashed," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "I thought he was holding his hand or it was an equipment issue. to be honest with you. ... Hopefully, (the injuries to Thompson and Smith) are all short-term."
Whoever is on the ice will try and slow down McDavid, who is running away with the NHL scoring (138 points) and goal-scoring (60) titles and is riding a six-game multi-point game streak (six goals, eight assists).
"His speed separates him," Cassidy said. "McDavid reminds me of Bobby Orr, the way they changed the game with their speed and their ability to dominate."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion, 1 person seriously injured: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.