The Edmonton Oilers are sick and tired of hearing about it. They donB次元官网网址檛 want to be asked anymore about it.
They know full well that the Vancouver Canucks swept the four games between the two teams in the regular season. They also know from experience that regular-season results mean nothing during the playoffs.
Yet, the Oilers canB次元官网网址檛 shake the narrative heading into their Western Conference second-round series against the Canucks, which begins Wednesday in Vancouver.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how much more we need to talk about this,B次元官网网址� said Leon Draisaitl, who was dominant in the Oilers first-round series win over the Los Angeles Kings. He had 10 points and was also a major part of the penalty-killing unit that didnB次元官网网址檛 allow a goal in five games.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going into Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. We donB次元官网网址檛 care about what happened in the regular season. And I bet you that they donB次元官网网址檛 either, as much as you think. WeB次元官网网址檙e a different team now. ItB次元官网网址檚 going to be tight-checking, with two really good teams going at it. The team that plays better hockey will win.B次元官网网址�
Draisaitl referred to the fact that three of those Canucks wins over Edmonton B次元官网网址� including a season-opening 8-1 demolition B次元官网网址� came very early in the season, when the Oilers were undergoing a crisis that eventually cost former coach Jay Woodcroft his job.
The Oilers started the season 3-9-1 under Woodcroft. After coach Kris Knoblauch took over, the team went 46-18-5.
B次元官网网址淚t is old, for sure,B次元官网网址� Oilers defenceman Vincent Desharnais said of the season-series talk. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been so long. People keep asking about it B次元官网网址� Those first three games were, like, six or seven months ago. WeB次元官网网址檙e a different team. And, at the end of the day, whatever happened in the regular season doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean anything.
B次元官网网址淭he most important part is the first game on Wednesday, the rest doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter.B次元官网网址�
Core players like Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and defenceman Darnell Nurse know the B次元官网网址渞egular season doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean anythingB次元官网网址� mantra all too well. Back in 2020-21, they were on the other side of this discussion, with the Oilers winning seven of nine regular-season games against the Winnipeg Jets, including all six final matchups, only to be swept by the Jets in the first round of the playoffs.
The Canucks-Oilers series is a de facto Canadian NHL championship, as the winner will be the final team standing from north of the border.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 exciting,B次元官网网址� said Draisaitl, comparing it to the OilersB次元官网网址� playoff series win over the Calgary Flames two seasons ago.
B次元官网网址淭he Battle of Alberta was great, it was a lot of fun to be part of. IB次元官网网址檓 sure this series will write its own story. WeB次元官网网址檙e ready.B次元官网网址�
The Oilers will have had a full week off by the time the second round starts on Wednesday, providing extra time for forwards Adam Henrique and Evander Kane to recover from whatever has been keeping them away from the ice. Both players missed MondayB次元官网网址檚 practice, but Knoblauch expects both to be skating Tuesday.
B次元官网网址淲e are hopeful they are available for Game 1,B次元官网网址� said Knoblauch.
If one or both of them canB次元官网网址檛 go, Knoblauch was noncommittal about how he may have to shuffle the lineup. Henrique played the first round as a winger on the top line with McDavid and Zach Hyman, while Kane moved up to the second unit to play with Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
B次元官网网址淲e got a lot of guys who can fill in that spot,B次元官网网址� said Knoblauch of the potential vacancy on McDavidB次元官网网址檚 line. Mattias Janmark played there in practice.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think thereB次元官网网址檚 one guy who can play there and do it all, but I think we can maybe do it by committee. Different guys, different situations. We also have the opportunity of Zach Hyman playing left wing, if we need someone else to play right wing.B次元官网网址�
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