FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) 鈥� It took until 13 minutes left in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final for Connor McDavid to score his first goal of the series, and it was after he and the 3-0 to the Florida Panthers, on the way to losing and getting pushed to the brink.
Before that, he led all scorers with six assists, and only has more points than McDavid's seven. Of course, the best hockey player in the world is in the spotlight no matter what he does, and he hasn't been able to break out and put the Oilers on his back thanks in large part to and the Panthers keying in on him defensively and slowing him down at all costs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not really about me 鈥� it鈥檚 about us," McDavid said Monday when asked about his play in the series. 鈥淚 think everybody has another level, myself included.鈥�
Coach Kris Knoblauch thinks it has been a bit of an unfortunate final for McDavid given the amount of scoring chances that just haven't gone in.
鈥淚 think Connor's been one of our best players every single night, and that鈥檚 what we expect,鈥� Knoblauch said Sunday. 鈥淚鈥檝e got no issues with his game. Obviously, our team relies heavily on him and Leon and how they鈥檙e playing, but I think that it鈥檚 tight checking for everyone and it鈥檚 not going to be a midseason game against a non-playoff team when sometimes he鈥檚 had 10 or 12 scoring chances. Those numbers are obviously reduced playing against a good team like Florida.鈥�
The Panthers have defended McDavid and Draisaitl 鈥渞easonably well," according to coach Paul Maurice, who acknowledged two of the NHL's most talented forwards are bound to get their opportunities.
Barkov's line, with Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart, has been tasked with playing against McDavid, perhaps to the detriment of offense. That's the job, so Reinhart was noticeably upset to give up that late goal Saturday night.
"I鈥檓 upset every time they get a goal," Reinhart told reporters in Edmonton. "It鈥檚 a team effort defending guys like that. We鈥檝e known all series the challenge is there for us. No one really cares in our locker room who鈥檚 producing each night. It鈥檚 just a matter that someone is at the right times. And that鈥檚 what we鈥檝e had.鈥�
McDavid led all scorers through three rounds playing with Zach Hyman on his right wing. with ligaments torn, late in the Western Conference final, and left winger Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was bothered by an undisclosed injury during a stretch against Florida.
Loading up by putting McDavid and Draisaitl on the ice together 鈥� the so-called nuclear option 鈥� has not been used as often because Hyman isn't around.
鈥淲ith the absence of Zach Hyman, it makes it more difficult putting those two together because of the depth of our lineup,鈥� Knoblauch said. 鈥淲ith what we have right now, to run those two together for long periods of time makes it more difficult for our depth on our team.鈥�
That puts even more pressure on McDavid in Game 6 on Tuesday night to keep the series going, as the Panthers again focus on preventing him from doing anything of the sort.
鈥淗e鈥檚 an unbelievable player," Barkov said. "He鈥檚 probably the best player of our generation. You have to be aware of him every single time he鈥檚 on the ice and you have to try to take the space away from him as much as possible and stuff like that. But at the same time, you just concentrate your own game, your own team game, and play that as well as possible.鈥�
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AP NHL playoffs: and
Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
