New York. When it was most needed, the best in the world really was the best.
Conor McDavid literally carried the Edmonton Oilers to victory in Game Seven tonight against the Los Angeles Kings.
His desire to win tonight was really great, teammate Cody Cisse said after winning 2-0 at home at Rogers Place Boiling.
He was accused from time to time of insufficient interest and participation, Conor MacDavid — but those who have expressed such opinions before will not do so again after tonight’s Game 7 show.
The 25-year-old played like a maniac, tearing relentlessly and doing everything for his team – including the crucial 2-0 goal, which he scored literally just over 16 minutes into the third half.
– He’s the best player in the world. He’s shown it with a message in the last two games, says second-team established star Leon Drysitl.
– It’s not about skill. Of course he has this too, everyone knows that, but now it’s all about will. You see it in his eyes. There was no way to stop him or us from winning tonight.
Cody Cisse, who scored the evening’s first goal after preparing for McDavid, agrees.
His desire to win tonight was really great, he says.
Kept zero – stopped 29 rounds
Veteran goalkeeper Mike Smith also had an unforgettable evening, stopping 29 shots and keeping clean sheets in the most important game of the year.
In the next round, the Oilers will face either Dallas or Calgary – the latter of which will be waiting for the first “Battle of Alberta” in the playoffs since 1991.
The Kings did well when they took the Oilers up to Game 7, but now they are forced to go on summer vacation.
Adrian Kempe, who is third in the Swedish Shooting League with 35 hits, behind Philip Forsberg and Elias Lindholm, is a potential World Cup booster for Trey Kronor – as well as veteran defender Alex Edler and Karl Grundstrom.