Dallas – This playoff race has felt different for Connor McDavid and Edmonton Oilers, although they are now back in the same place.
They have He advanced to his second consecutive Stanley Cup finalAgain against Florida after losing a series of seven games against the Panthers last June.
“I think we are better to spend last year. It is a great learning experience and has really taken us all year,” said McDavid, his captain, after the Oilers concluded his second consecutive west conference title. “This race has felt differently last year. It has felt very normal … I don’t want to say boring because it is not bored at all. It has not been so emotional.”
Edmonton won in his first opportunity to ensure in the three series so far in this postseason. After losing their first two games in Los Angeles in the first round, the Oilers won four in a row against the Kings, they took Vegas in five games and then did the same with the Dallas Stars in a final rematch of the west that ended with a 6-3 victory on Thursday night.
The game 1 of his rematch of the Stanley Cup is Wednesday night in Edmonton.
“We have not had the ups and downs and we have not had the minimums. It has simply been stable,” McDavid said. “I think that puts us in a good position. You know that these games can be emotionally drainaders. We are not exhausted … you know, we have a chance as good as they are.”
Florida wrapped the east in five games about Carolina to reach her Third final of the consecutive Stanley Cup. The Panthers won the first three games against Edmonton last year, then they finished it with a 2-1 Victoria After the Oilers forced a 7 game.
That was the first final of the Stanley Cup for the Oilers since 2006, its only one from the five franchise titles in a period of seven seasons of 1984-90.
“I think we spent seven months preparing for this playoffs race. As I think it was in our minds since we lost that last game,” said coach Kris Knoblauch. “A long and hard summer and a training camp, regular season and was just hitting our letter, appearing, wanting the playoffs, just having another chance.”
While the best scorers McDavid (26 points, six goals) and Leon Draisaitl (25 points, seven goals) were the players on the podium after the busy west, these playoffs have been more than a show of two men for the oilers.
Nightly different players have goals, 11 of them have at least three. Corey Perry, 40, has seven goals, as many in a single postseason of any 39 -year -old player. Both goalkeepers, Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, have won six games.
The opener of the regular Skinner season was replaced on the network after the two defeats against the Kings. He took over when Pickard was injured in the middle of the second round against Vegas. Skinner ended the Golden Knights with consecutive bleached, including a 1-0 victory in extra time in the decisive factor, and published another bleached against the stars.
“We are mature. We have learned, and we are learning every game. The way we are playing, the calm in the bank and making plays when things become hairy in the ice,” Perry said. “This group has been a desire since the end of last year. Many things have been said about what happened last year and self-reflection. But here we are.”
So are they happy to receive another opportunity in the Panthers?
“It doesn’t matter. You are competing for a Stanley Cup,” said Perry, a 22 -year -old cup champion with Anaheim in 2007, and now entering his fifth final in six seasons while looking for another title.
“I mean we know what they are about. We play them seven times and they are a good team,” Draisaitl said. “We are also really a good team. Obviously, it is good to have a chance, you know, take revenge, but far from that.”
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AP NHL Playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
