Oilers preparing for Colorado Avalanche in NHL Western final
The Edmonton Oilers have made it through two rounds of the NHL playoffs, but they've used two Game 1 mulligans along the way.
They'll look to start strong this time around against the Colorado Avalanche when the Western Conference final kicks off Tuesday in Denver.
“We want to have a good first 10 minutes, good first period,” defenceman Tyson Barrie said Saturday after the Oilers practised at Rogers Place. “Everyone has got to be ready, that's a good club coming against us. In those two (Game 1s) we probably could have played better for sure.
“But they're in the past and they don't carry over.”
In the first round, the Los Angeles Kings built an early 2-0 lead on Edmonton en route to a 4-3 Game 1 victory. The Oilers came back to win the series in seven games.
In their second-round series opener against Calgary, the Oilers gave up two goals just 51 seconds into the game. The Flames went on to win 9-6 before Edmonton stormed back to win four games in a row.
The top-seeded Avalanche, meanwhile, led by blueliner Cale Makar and star forward Nathan MacKinnon, secured their spot in the third round with a Game 6 win over St. Louis on Friday night. Makar was second among league defencemen with 86 points this season and MacKinnon has 13 points in 10 playoff games.
The Oilers, who finished in fifth place - 15 points behind Colorado - in the conference standings, have had standout performances by Connor McDavid and linemate Leon Draisaitl, who share the playoff scoring lead with 26 points apiece.
“We're playing good hockey, we beat a good Calgary team (and) it's only going to get harder,” McDavid said. “We're playing a real good Colorado team and it's going to take our best.”
Coach Jay Woodcroft promised his team would be ready to come out strong at the start of Game 1 against the Avalanche, but noted the Oilers managed to rally in their previous series openers.
“We didn't come out with the wins in game No. 1, but we were in both games,” said Woodcroft. “Both of them were tied in the third period. For us, we look at every inch of film, every inch of preparation and see where we can be better. It's just what we do.
“And in the end, we want to make sure that we're ready to play game No. 1 on Tuesday night. That started today with a little bit of practice, and it's going to carry into our following practices. We will be ready.”
The Oilers and Avalanche faced each other three times in the regular season.
The Avalanche won twice, once in a shootout and another in overtime. Edmonton won 6-3 on April 22, with Evander Kane - who has 12 goals so far in the playoffs - notching a hat trick.
Colorado may be a slight favourite given its top seeding but the fact that the Oilers earned points from all three matchups should buoy them going forward.
Edmonton also enjoyed a little more rest after dispatching the Flames on Thursday night.
Woodcroft said his players have adjusted their styles and handled adversity well in both series.
“Both of those teams represented pretty different challenges,” he said. “For us to navigate our way through each series, which was completely different, I think it serves us well.
“It strengthens and heartens our belief.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.