Connor McDavid is in unfamiliar territory. The Edmonton Oilers captain, who dominated the regular season as the NHL's leading point-getter, has been held scoreless through the opening two playoff games against the Anaheim Ducks—a stark contrast to his usual dominance.
In Wednesday's 6-4 loss at Rogers Place, McDavid managed four shots on goal but finished minus-2, capping off a frustrating second straight game without finding the back of the net. The series now sits at 1-1 after Edmonton claimed Game 1 by a 4-3 margin.
The All-Star centre struggled with possession throughout the contest, turning the puck over or being stripped of it multiple times as Anaheim's defence proved formidable. One costly giveaway proved particularly damaging—a misplayed backhand pass that was intercepted by Alex Killorn, leading to a short-handed goal that gave the Ducks a commanding 4-2 lead midway through the second period.
Adding to Edmonton's concerns, McDavid suffered a scary moment early in the second when his right ankle appeared to buckle following a collision with teammate Mattias Ekholm. The injury momentarily forced him to the bench, but he returned to test the ankle and continue playing.
"I just rolled up on it a little bit. It's fine," McDavid said after the loss, downplaying the incident.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch offered a measured perspective on his star player's sluggish start, suggesting the pressure McDavid places on himself may be working against him.
"He's putting a lot of pressure on himself. He wants the team to do well. He's a leader and usually when we have success, he's a big part of that," Knoblauch said. "There've been stretches during the season that he hasn't been the best player, nights where he hasn't been outstanding. That doesn't happen very often, and I'm certain that he's going to find his game."
The series shifts to Anaheim for Game 3 on Friday at Honda Center, marking the venue's first playoff action since 2018. Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday. The Oilers will need McDavid to return to form quickly if they hope to regain control of this best-of-seven matchup.
Information sourced from CBC Sports.