Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid admitted that his team is “in a hole” after going down 3-1 in their playoff series versus the Anaheim Ducks.
The Ducks beat the Oilers 4-3 in overtime on Sunday in a thrilling game that saw Anaheim score the game-winner on a lucky bounce that just barely crossed the goal line. The Ducks now have a 3-1 series lead as the teams head back to Edmonton for Game 5 on Tuesday night.
With the Oilers on the brink of playoff elimination, McDavid was asked his assessment of where his squad is at the moment, and the team’s captain did not mince his words.
“We’re in a hole. We’re in a hole, no doubt about it. Gotta find a way to get a win at home,” McDavid said.
Edmonton Oilers Made Stanley Cup Finals the Last Two Years
The Oilers went to the Stanley Cup finals the last two years, losing both times to the Florida Panthers. Coming into this season, the Oilers were still considered one of the favorites to come out of the Western Conference and make it back to the finals. But so far, through the first four games of this year’s first-round playoff series versus the Ducks, the Oilers have not played championship hockey. The team is now on the brink of elimination and will need to win Game 5 at home on Tuesday to keep their season going.
For the Oilers, a first-round playoff elimination could spell trouble for head coach Kris Knoblauch and/or GM Stan Bowman. Yes, the Oilers made deep runs in the last two Stanley Cup finals, but when you have the best hockey player in the world on your team, anything less than a championship is a disappointment. Knoblauch is clearly a good hockey coach, but the team may decide to shake things up behind the bench if they get bounced in the first round. As for Bowman, he has not put together a good enough team behind McDavid, especially when it comes to goaltending, and if the Oilers lose to the Ducks, the fans will be calling for him to get fired.
Oilers Players Need to Step It Up
If the Oilers are going to turn things around and get back in this series against the Ducks, then they need their players to turn things around.
McDavid hasn’t played his best hockey, with just 1 goal and 4 points in 4 games, but there are rumblings that he is banged up right now, so he can get a pass for an average first-round performance. However, other players need to step it up.
Zach Hyman only has 1 goal this playoffs, which is not good enough for a player of his caliber. The same goes for Jack Roslovic, who only has 1 assist, and Darnell Nurse, who has 0 points. In the playoffs, all 20 players on the roster need to contribute, and right now, there are several Oilers players who are simply not doing enough to help their team win. If the Oilers are going to make a comeback against the Ducks, then players like Hyman, Roslovic, and Nurse need to start scoring.
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