Vasily Podkolzin, Zach Hyman, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard stepped up in a big way for the Edmonton Oilers without Connor McDavid at 100 percent.
The biggest question facing the Edmonton Oilers coming into a do-or-die Game 5 was whether Connor McDavid would play.
He didn't practise on Tuesday morning, but he did show up in warmups and went on to record two assists in the Oilers' 4-1 win to cut the Anaheim Ducks' series lead to 3-2.
So was there really a chance of him not suiting up when Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch called him a game-time decision?
"No, there was never a doubt, obviously," McDavid said post-game.
Even with McDavid in the lineup, the early production came from everyone else around him.
Vasily Podkolzin, Zach Hyman, and Leon Draisaitl put Edmonton up 3-0 within the first 11 minutes of the game. Defenseman Evan Bouchard also had a three-point night.
While Edmonton's bad habit of sitting back as the game went on did lead to Ducks veteran Alex Killorn scoring in the second period, the Oilers set the tone early and controlled the pace enough to hang onto the lead.
The praise was the highest for Podkolzin and Bouchard on the night.
Podkolzin, in particular, has once again made the most of his chances and has done whatever has been asked of him in the lineup. He's up to two goals and five points in five games in this series, and his 27 hits are tied for the league lead.
"I just like to play hard," Podkolzin said. "I like to play all styles, especially with our season on the line, so you've got to do something. I think everyone has been stepping up, and it starts with me."
Bouchard, meanwhile, can turn around a series from the back end.
"By far the best game so far in the series," said Knoblauch. "Bouch, obviously, with the three assists, shows he was making some plays. We're going to need more of that because obviously, he's our best defenseman."
Watch the latest video column above for more.
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