Connor McDavid etches his name in NHL history
Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers secured a 5-3 victory in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday. Along with the win, McDavid made history by becoming the first-ever player to record two four-point performances in back-to-back Cup Final games.
The Oilers have now secured consecutive dominant wins in the series, shifting the momentum on their side. In both Games 4 and 5, McDavid has proved himself crucial on the ice for his team.
He posted four points (one goal, three assists) and a plus-minus of +2 in Game 4 while recording another four-point performance (two goals, two assists) and a plus-minus of +2 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. This makes him the first player to record consecutive four-point games in the SCF and the only other player besides Wayne Gretzky with two four-point performances at any time in the Cup Final.
Back-to-back four-point performances for Connor McDavid!
Talk about clutch. 😤 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/AeCNQ3IIUS
— NHL (@NHL) June 19, 2024
So far, Connor McDavid has posted three goals, eight assists and a plus-minus of +4 in five games in the series. The Oilers have beaten the LA Kings, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars in the postseason to reach the Final against the Florida Panthers.
In the process, McDavid has recorded a total of 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) with a plus-minus of +11 in 23 games in the 2024 playoffs. This, in fact, makes McDavid’s tally the fourth-highest in NHL history, joining Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the only players to reach 40 or more points in a single postseason.
Connor McDavid’s 42 points in the playoffs is the 4th most in a single postseason in NHL history.
The list of players with 40 or more points in a single postseason goes like this:
1. Wayne Gretzky (3x)
2. Mario Lemieux (1x)
3. Connor McDavid (1x)There is no No. 4. That’s it.
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) June 19, 2024
Connor McDavid opens up on mindset heading into Game 6
In a post-game interview with ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, Connor McDavid spoke on their Game 5 victory. When asked about what it took to secure the win, McDavid mentioned that it had been a challenging game for his team:
“It took everything,” McDavid said. “It took everything, a little bit of everything. Special teams were great, goaltending was amazing. You know, guys dug deep, not an easy building to win in. Backs against the wall and we found a way.”
When inquired about the Oilers’ ability to consistently deliver under pressure, McDavid credited their success to a strong belief in each other and their ability to overcome any obstacle:
“We believe, honestly. We believe in each other, we believe that, you know, we can get through it. We can get through anything and we stick together in there. You know, and it was an impressive show from everybody,” he added.
Discussing the team’s current form, McDavid maintained a grounded perspective:
“It’s just one game. It’s just another game. We get to play another game, get to go on another flight.”
The significance of bringing the series back to Alberta was not lost on McDavid. He mentioned his excitement for playing in front of the home crowd:
“We talked about dragging them back to Alberta. They’re coming to Alberta, and we’ll play them there and see what happens.
“We love playing in that building, we love playing in front of those fans. I’m sure they’ll be excited. We’re excited for the game,” he added.
Finally, when Kaplan asked McDavid to rate his own performance, he was quick to share the credit with his teammates. The Oilers captain will be looking to take their momentum into Game 6 at Rogers Place on Friday.
The Panthers still hold a 3-2 lead in the series and could clinch their first-ever championship with a win, but recent results suggest the series could be headed to a Game 7.