If there may be one justification for the NHL schedule matrix, through which each workforce performs dwelling and away towards all 16 non-conference opponents to the detriment of intradivision rivalries and playoff races, it’s that it means No. 97 for the Oilers can be on the Backyard ice Saturday afternoon.
Sure, Connor McDavid can be on the town to face the Rangers, who're bobbing on the playoff cutline at 10-7-4 after a primary quarter of the season categorized as, “OK, not nice. OK,” by head coach Gerard Gallant.
The identical evaluation doubtless applies to the Oilers, who, additionally coming off a visit to the convention finals, are 10-10-0 after going 3-7 of their final 10 following a 7-3 getaway. They may come into this one following losses on the Devils and Islanders.
McDavid shares the NHL lead with 16 objectives and is alone in entrance with 35 factors. The 25-year-old, who struck for a profession excessive 44 objectives final season, has only one in his final 5 video games, so he can be hungry. That solely will add to the duty confronting the Rangers who can be matched towards him.
The Blueshirts have typically break up the task between the Ryan Lindgren-Adam Fox and Ok’Andre Miller-Jacob Trouba defensive pairs, whereas Mika Zibanejad’s unit has drawn the vast majority of ice time towards McDavid. However whereas shifting Artemi Panarin up with Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, Gallant has constructed a Jimmy Vesey-Vincent Trocheck-Barclay Goodrow unit that is perhaps used as a checking line towards McDavid.
“I wouldn’t take them off the ice, for positive, once they’re taking part in towards him, positively” Gallant mentioned of the Trocheck mixture. “I’m not saying they’re going to play towards them each shift, Mika can do this additionally, however I really feel comfy with that line on the ice towards any of these traces.
“I don’t assume anyone within the league likes to match up towards McDavid however you’ve obtained to throw anyone on the market.”
McDavid has 15 factors (6-9) in 10 profession video games towards the Rangers and 6 (2-4) within the 4 video games between the golf equipment since Fox, Trouba, Miller and Panarin joined the Blueshirts and Lindgren caught with the varsity in 2019-20.
There was, in fact, the sprint by way of your entire workforce that culminated in a spectacular 5-5 objective late within the third interval of the Blueshirts’ 6-5 OT loss in Edmonton on Nov. 5, 2021. Trouba and Zibanejad (with Patrick Nemeth, Kevin Rooney and Dryden Hunt) have been on for that one, which has been memorialized on YouTube.
That led to a query to Zibanejad of whether or not there's a concern of being embarrassed when matched towards McDavid.
“For those who’re afraid of being roasted by him, then he’s already crushed you,” Zibanejad instructed The Submit. “You may’t sit again and be scared. You may’t give him open ice. For those who do this, he’ll benefit from that with that pace by way of the impartial zone.
“This doesn’t solely go for McDavid, however it’s a lot simpler to defend high traces in case you have the puck. You need to play robust on high of him and attempt to be good with decision-making, however you additionally wish to play as a lot offense as you may.”
McDavid recorded a objective and two assists final season in that Oilers victory in Edmonton, however was held off the sheet within the Blueshirts’ 4-1 victory on the Backyard on Jan. 3. The Miller-Trouba pair was the first match in that recreation, with a handful of shifts extra towards McDavid than Lindgren-Fox took.
“You at all times have to concentrate on him, however you may’t overlook the opposite guys, particularly [Leon] Draisaitl,” Trouba mentioned. “It’s cliché, however it takes a five-man unit to attempt to sluggish him down when you may.
“You recognize he’s constructing pace. You need to be prepared for it. It’s like three strides coming by way of the impartial zone and he’s at your blue line on the assault, forcing you again. You wish to cease him earlier than he will get began.”
If Trouba and Lindgren are about positioning and muscle and if Miller is about skating and mobility, Fox is about utilizing his formidable hockey IQ in matchups like this.
“You may’t let him wheel out of his defensive zone untouched,” Fox mentioned. “Like all high participant, however him particularly, it's important to take away time and area.
“However you may’t run at him, he’ll simply spin away and go away you behind. You need to be smarter when you've the puck so that you don’t give him good ice on transitions and it's important to be smarter together with your positioning as a part of a five-man unit.
“You need to be extra-aware. It’s a problem.”
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