Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid knows what it takes to win more
As the Edmonton Oilers come to grip with a loss at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, it was a frustrating matchup. It was a game that the Oilers had in the bag and had they held onto their lead going into the 3rd period, could have left MTS Centre victorious.
Unfortunately, the Oilers blew their lead and actually started the game red-hot right out of the gate. The tale so far this season is that the Oilers tend to do well when they get on the scoreboard first and then adjust accordingly as the game progresses. They were up 3-2 for two entire periods but then when it mattered most, the Oilers lost that momentum in the 3rd period and were completely outplayed to the final tune of 6-4 Jets.
It’s the kind of loss that stings but if there’s anything to know about this season, it’s that head coach Dave Tippett is focusing on things one game at a time. There is nothing the Oilers can do now but move on and prepare for their next two games at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Connor McDavid knows what it will take for the Edmonton Oilers to win more
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Captain Connor McDavid, however, wanted to chime his thoughts on this recent loss to the Jets before truly moving on. If there’s anybody that knows what it takes to win more hockey games, it’s McDavid.
In an article written by Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun, here’s what McDavid said about what needs to change for the Oilers to get the job done more effectively:
"“Obviously in the third period we have to be better. We have to be able to play with a lead, be comfortable protecting a lead – something that we’ve obviously struggled with.”"
McDavid hit the nail right on the head. It all comes down to the Oilers being confident enough to score first and then go into maintenance mode to keep that lead no matter what. Obviously, Tippett will have to continue tweaking his lineups to prepare for scoring, holding leads, and tightening up on defense but this should be a top priority to focus on this week.
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The good news is, the season is still relatively young as hopefully, with the Oilers playing at home this week, maybe it will motivate them to step up their defensive efforts and work on what they need to in practice. They have the talent, the experience, and the leadership to deliver better results but it’s all about protecting early-game leads from here on out to start getting more ticks in the win column.