As the Edmonton Oilers get set for a second-round playoff series with the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, one of the narratives going into the series is the fact the Canucks dominated the Oilers during the regular season. Winning three of four versus the Los Angeles Kings, the Oilers were the clear favorite. Oddsmakers still have Edmonton as the favorite in the series versus the Canucks, but the fact Vancouver beat the Oilers four times and badly outscored them 21-7 in those four games is something Canucks fans will point to as evidence the Canucks shouldn’t be overlooked.
Indeed, this series won’t be a cakewalk for the Oilers. Still, Connor McDavid isn’t putting much stock into the regular-season record versus Vancouver, even going so far as to brush off and shoot down mocking questions from reporters about the opening-night 8-1 beating the Canucks laid on the Oilers.
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When asked about how the Oilers are feeling going into the series and whether their regular season record versus Vancouver mattered, McDavid noted that Winnipeg beat up on Colorado all year long and the Avalanche disposed of the Jets without much effort in the playoffs. “It’s different hockey in the playoffs,” said McDavid. He did give the Canucks credit for playing well and beating Edmonton, but added, “We don’t carry much stock into it.”
McDavid Shuts Down Question Mocking the Opening Night Loss
One reporter asked if McDavid remembered opening night and how it felt to start the season with high expectations and then have that first game go so sideways. When asked if it was the Canucks or the Oilers that were the reason for the end result of that game, McDavid responded, “It was so long ago, I’m not even going to answer that, it was so long ago.” The follow-up question was about whether Vancouver has seen anything close to Edmonton’s best and McDavid said he could say whatever he wants but they just need to play the series. “I am looking forward to the challenge, they are a great team.”
The series between the Canucks and Oilers starts Wednesday night at 8 pm MT. It will feature two games in Vancouver on Wednesday and Friday, then shift back to Edmonton on Sunday and Tuesday with the times still to be determined.
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