It looks like the Edmonton Oilers may have found their top-six forward after all.
It looks like the Edmonton Oilers may have found their top-six forward after all.
EDMONTON -- Duck hunting season is over.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R69e3jo4y1M[/embed]
At least, it is for the Edmonton Oilers. They cap off their season series against the Anaheim Ducks with a commanding 6-1 victory. In a game where the win was never called into question, the Oilers showed up ready to play and made sure they came away with two points.
Connor McDavid was playing the game at two-times the speed of everyone else - buzzing everywhere on the ice. He finished the night with three points. Two of them were goals, one of them was of the highlight reel variety.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMQRbrA3vIU[/embed]
He wasn't the only one who played a fantastic game. Adam Henrique has put together a string of excellent games.
Henrique has scored three goals in the past four games and he seems to be fitting like a glove with Leon Draisaitl. Henrique has five points since joining the Oilers - four of those points are goals. Draisaitl had the primary assist on two of his goals, and he was on the ice for another.
It's not hard to see why he is scoring these goals. Simply put, he's just going to the net. The more he does that the more playmakers (like Draisaitl) will find him there. He has the puck skills to capitalize on those opportunities. The more he plays with Draisaitl, the more goals like this will go in for him.
McDavid spoke about Henrique (and the other new additions in Sam Carrick and Troy Stecher) in his post game comments, "all three are just really great guys, they fit into the room really well. On the ice their games have blended well with our group - they've done everything that's been asked of them."
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddjThVa87sw[/embed]
After the Oilers win against the Los Angeles Kings earlier in the week Henrique spoke to the media. He talked about how things have been developing with Draisaitl, "I've been building that chemistry. The finer details of how these guys play - play with high tempo and high skill - [I] just try to find those open areas."
"I don't change too much in my game."
Ken Holland was hoping to acquire a top six winger at the trade deadline - someone to play with Draisaitl on the second line.
It's safe to say that Henrique might not look the part, but he's certainly playing the part.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0Gxnl_d3gU[/embed]
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