Connor McDavid only had three goals in his last 13 games… he isn’t shooting… the depth forwards are more important than he is… (several other branches of misinformed conclusion).
The position of certain hockey fans with short-term memory issues (the vast majority of the NHL world) who are following the Edmonton Oilers in their pursuit of the Stanley Cup, and more importantly, how they think it should be won.
Now, the correct statement:
McDavid had 20 points in his last 13 playoff games.
And I suppose now 22 alongside five goals.
“I think people forget he’s a 60-goal scorer,” commented Zach Hyman, not so nicely, on McDavids’ offensive contributions. “He’s probably an underrated goal scorer.
“He just makes the right play, whether it’s a pass or a goal. And, yeah, (he’s) the best player in the world, and when he has an opportunity to shoot it, and he shoots it, there’s a good chance it goes in.”
And once more for those in the back: “he can score goals.”
Let’s pause this train of thought and take a moment to really appreciate why Hyman felt it was necessary to set the record straight. This is Connor McDavid after all. The Conn Smythe-winning, first overall draft pick, and youngest captain in the NHL, Connor McDavid.
That should mean something.
Alas, this is still playoffs, and all those little things McDavid does right, including the ones that helped the Oilers win game three, often get overlooked in place of how many goals contribute to his overall point total.
Albeit they were two very timely goals on Sunday afternoon — one to dig the Dallas Stars’ grave, and the other to kill their momentum at the end of the second.
Almost as if it were the time to score.
“So, so crucial,” agreed Stuart Skinner on McDavid’s second goal of the night. “(Dallas) had all the momentum. Even halfway through the first, I think they started to get that momentum.
“So that definitely killed their momentum for the last couple of minutes, and then we just kind of run into the third, trying to keep going.”
And so they did, with three more goals to settle a 6-1 game three blowout that included a power play goal for the special teams bracket, a check in the depth category thanks to John Klingberg, and a certified “big boy” game by Hyman with two goals and 10 hits of his own (now 109 in playoffs — wow).
And to think, if McDavid doesn’t take control of the game — twice — and maintain the Oilers’ two-goal lead heading into the third, the score looks vastly different by the end of the game. Presumably.
“I don’t think it changes my message (going into the third), but I think it changed the temperature in the dressing room and on the bench. Just knowing that we had that two-goal lead and they were pushing,” explained Kris Knolauch post-game. “Then Connor just steps up and makes a huge play, (and) we were able to just settle down and get back to what we needed to do.
“Whether it was 2-1 or 3-1, my message was going to be the same, but I think it was probably a little easier for the players knowing that we’ve got a two-goal lead.”
As Knoblauch said, it “settled things down.” Moreover, it was what needed to be done.
Much like McDavid’s rush chances early in the first, his new-ish role as a penalty-killer, his defensive game, and his always reliable ability to drive the play.
He can be found in Article III, section I, subsection e, of “How to Touch Every Area of the Game.”
Step one: Recognize when your team is in control of the game.
Step two: If yes to step one, maintain a defensive role. i.e., block shots, backcheck, break-up plays, cover the front of the net, et cetera.
If no to step one, drive the play into the offensive zone and generate chances, even if it doesn’t appear on the scoresheet.
A smart player knows how and when to do both.
“I don’t know if the puck gets bigger, but the game definitely seems to slow down,” commented Skinner on how he perceives the game when things start rolling. “If you talk to Davo, I bet the game seems really slow throughout every game.
“That’s kind of what you’re hoping for. That’s what you sometimes chase, trying to get the game as slow as possible.”
But why doesn’t he just score more?
The same reason why McDavid bought in, and everyone else fell in line.
It’s not about scoring, it’s about winning.
