Oilers 'can't rely on' playing McDavid and Draisaitl together despite Game 1 success

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl joined forces on Edmonton's top line to help spark a comeback win in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, but it doesn't sound like the superstars will stick together.

"It’s nice to know that when those two get together mid-game that the results are pretty good, but it’s something that we can’t rely on," said coach Kris Knoblauch. 

The Florida Panthers tilted the ice in the second period on Wednesday night, outshooting the Oilers 17-8, which prompted Knoblauch to make a line change. 

"We got to our game in the second," said Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk. "They mixed and matched and changed up some of their lines in the third, got some momentum from it."

Shots favoured the Oilers 10-2 in the nine-plus minutes that McDavid, Draisaitl and Corey Perry shared the ice in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime win. 

"They play incredibly well together," Oilers winger Evander Kane said of McDavid and Draisaitl. "They read off each other well. They have different skill-sets that elevate their skill-sets together."

The Oilers dominated possession in the third period with McDavid setting up the tying goal by defenceman Mattias Ekholm with a slick pass through traffic from behind the net. Did they make eye contact beforehand? 

"Not that I know, but sometimes he’s got eyes in his neck, so you never know, right," Ekholm said with a smile. "He put it on a platter for me. I had to score that one."

The Oilers outshot the Panthers 14-2 in the third period and 10-6 in overtime. McDavid set up Draisaitl for the game-winning goal on the power play. 

"It’s on the rest of the group to step up and contribute as well when you don’t have them going 1-2 down the middle," said Kane. "I thought we did a good job of that in the latter half of the game."

So, why is Knoblauch reluctant to simply stick with his two top players together? 

"Leon playing centre just spreads out our scoring a little bit," the second-year coach noted. "It also gets him in the game a little bit more. He’s skating and involved. It also allows the rest of our team [to know] that they got a role, they got to play well, and we’re not just relying on this one line that is going to do all the work."

So, Draisaitl will likely be back between Kane and Kasperi Kapanen to start Game 2 with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins expected to rejoin McDavid and Perry.

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Still, Knoblauch is turning to the team's nuclear option more often during this playoff run. The Oilers have played McDavid and Draisaitl together on 17 per cent of 5-on-5 shifts, which is up from 10 per cent a year ago. 

The team's improved depth is a big reason why. Kapanen, for example, produced two assists in Game 1, including on Draisaitl's opening goal in the first period. 

"It’s the best days of my life right now," Kapanen said. "I’m just trying to enjoy it. It’s a special group so I for sure want to make the most of it."

The Oilers claimed Kapanen off waivers from the St. Louis Blues back in November. He started the playoffs as a healthy scratch, but now has five points in eight games since drawing back into the lineup. He scored an overtime winner to clinch the second round series against the Vegas Golden Knights. 

What's Kapanen enjoying most right now? 

"Just coming to the rink and playing these games," the 28-year-old Finn said. "Listen, my blood pressure is high during the games and it is nerve-racking, but as players this is what you dream of when you’re a little kid."

Kapanen's father, Sami Kapanen, played in the 2002 Stanley Cup Final while with the Carolina Hurricanes. The younger Kapanen recalled how hard it was to make it to this stage for his dad and how much harder it got in the championship series against the Detroit Red Wings. The Hurricanes won Game 1 in overtime before falling in five games. 

"It was a dream for him and it was a dream for me. I can talk to you guys for 10 minutes about how I feel about it, but I’m just overwhelmed that we’re here."

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Draisaitl scored two goals in Game 1, but teammates were quick to highlight his defensive acumen after the game. 

"Yeah, he scores the goals, and the winner, whatever, but he does so much on the defensive side of the puck too that me, as a defensive defenceman, really enjoys," Ekholm said. "I really enjoy playing with him out there because I know he’s got my back."

Draisaitl's plus-12 mark is tied for tops in the playoffs with Panthers centre Anton Lundell. 

"He's invaluable," said McDavid. "Does so many good things. Clutch, faceoffs, you name it he does it. Doesn't get enough respect or credit for his defensive abilities. When he's dug in, there's not many better. Maybe nobody better."

Draisaitl finished sixth in Selke Trophy voting this year and even got one first-place vote. 

What stands out to Kapanen? 

"Just the way he leads out there and it’s not just offensively," he said. "Obviously, he scored two big goals, but really playing solid D and taking some big face-offs and just his 200-foot game is phenomenal."

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Sam Bennett also scored two goals in Game 1. He leads the playoffs with 12 tallies, including 11 on the road. 

Bennett's first goal on Wednesday was controversial. After making contact with Oilers defenceman Brett Kulak, Bennett fell into the Oilers crease, which obstructed the movement of goalie Stuart Skinner. A shot by Carter Verhaeghe then deflected in off Bennett.

The Oilers challenged the goal, but it remained on the board because officials determined that Bennett was tripped into the crease. Edmonton was assessed a delay-of-game penalty, which led to a Brad Marchand power-play goal. 

"I didn’t really get a good look at it, but I knew I didn’t just fall," Bennett told reporters after the game. "There was contact. I haven’t really seen it. Those could go either way."

With Bennett, they usually go his way. The 28-year-old is a master of manipulation around the front of the net. 

"He’s very tenacious," observed Panthers defenceman Seth Jones. "He pushes off. He makes himself big, screens goalies well, and it’s just that constant body contact around the net that really elevates his game and makes him difficult to handle."

So, how do the Oilers handle him moving forward? 

"There’s not a lot you can do," Knoblauch acknowledged. "There’s some players that just find their way getting to the net. Just [making] early contact, getting body position, that’s about all."

Bennett is also proving to be dangerous off the rush with his second goal coming on a 2-on-1 break early in the second period. 

"He’s confident," said Tkachuk. "He wants the puck and he demands the puck."

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The Panthers lead the playoffs in hits per 60 minutes while the Oilers are sixth in that category, but Edmonton matched the defending champions bodycheck for bodycheck in Game 1. Both teams were credited with 51 hits. 

The Oilers controlled their emotions well.

"We did a great job of it last night," said Kane, who recorded a game-high nine hits. "We didn’t get really too much into the after-the-whistle stuff. We kept it between the whistles. We’re a team that’s proven we’re going to play hard throughout the entire playoffs and just because we’re playing Florida that’s not going to change."

Old rivals Kane and Tkachuk got into it a couple times, but neither guy ended up in the box. Kane was asked what it's like to go up against Tkachuk. 

"What’s it like to play against him? Ah, just like any other player," Kane said. "Just likes to talk a little bit more."

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Defenceman Jake Walman showed no stage fright in his first Stanley Cup Final game. 

"It lived up to the hype for me, just dreaming about that," the 29-year-old from Toronto said. "The biggest thing is I probably got a lot more texts from friends and family after this game than any other. It’s a great experience. It’s cool. I wouldn’t want to be doing it with any other group of guys." 

The Oilers acquired Walman from the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline. They knew he was a gifted puck mover, but didn't realize how much he could contribute on the defensive side as well.  

"I didn’t understand or [know] about his all-around game," said Knoblauch. "I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Jake, among others, but Jake’s game was tremendous, especially missing Ekholm."

Ekholm only returned from injury in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final. 

Walman led the Oilers defence in blocks (four) and hits (three) in Game 1. 

"This is where I’ve wanted to be," he said. "I’ve always wanted to play meaningful games and you don’t really know if that’s going to come throughout the career, but just really proud to be in this moment right now."

Before this season, Walman had only suited up in one playoff game in the NHL. 

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Knoblauch confirmed that his team escaped Game 1 without any injury issues. 

Panthers coach Paul Maurice said fourth-line winger Jonah Gadjovich will be okay despite missing some time in Game 1.