ANAHEIM — In the movies, there is always a speech before a game like tonight’s Game 7 between the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks. A Knute Rockne-like speech, like something out of ‘Rudy.’
In reality, if a team’s leaders haven’t imparted the necessary wisdom by now, it’s too late. This isn’t like cramming for an exam — either a team is ready to succeed on this stage or it’s not.
“At this point, I don’t know how much more really needs to be said,” said Milan Lucic, whose nine Game 7s are nearly half of the 19 games of do-or-die experience that Edmonton has on its roster. “More so, from a leadership standpoint, it’s just trying to have that calming presence. Not trying to overthink, over-stress on things.
“There’s no Al Pacino, ‘Any Given Sunday’ speech going on tonight.”
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Edmonton captain Connor McDavid is 20 years old and in his first-ever National Hockey League playoff run. He’ll have to do his leading on the ice after being held pointless in his team’s seven-goal outburst in Game 6.
“I’ve never been in a Game 7 before,” he said. “We have a lot of leaders in there, I’ve said that all year. We have a lot of guys who step up and talk. The beauty of our room is that everyone has a voice.
“Honestly, in a game like this everyone knows what’s at stake, everyone knows what has to be done. There’s not really much that has to be said at this point.”
This is a battle between a team with no Game 7 experience, and one with lots — all of it negative. Both teams are trying to spin positives out of their position in that equation.
“I’m a firm believer,” said the Ducks’ Ryan Kesler, “you learn a lot more from your losses than when you win a Game 7. I’ve won a Game 7 (in Vancouver) — you definitely learn more from your losses.
“We’ve been in this situation before. We’re ready for it.”
Hugging Connor
It’s a serious time around any organization, with so much on the line in a Game 7. Jobs, playoff gates, playoff revenue shares for the players, which increase with each round played. So the Oilers had some easy laughs delivered to them when the picture of McDavid and his clingy, adoring fans crossed everyone’s timelines on Wednesday.
“That picture was a little bit weird,” laughed McDavid, who looked very awkward in the picture. “I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel comfortable when they’re holding you like that. I was pretty much in a death grip. I was just trying to get on the plane as fast as I could.”
Of course, his teammates seized on it.
“One of the most awkward photos I’ve ever seen,” laughed Drake Caggiula. “And the other one, with him and (Darnell) Nurse in there? The lady is just huggin’ Connor, and Nurse is just kind of standing there, like, ‘I don’t know if I’m in the picture or not…’
“McDavid is a pretty important person in that city,” Caggiula said. “I guess, if you get your hands on him you don’t let go.”
Start Strong
How would Randy Carlyle like to see his team improve their game after that 7-1 whipping in Game 6?
“Don’t get scored on in the first 30 seconds,” the Anaheim coach quipped. “Have a good start. Your team can’t be second out of the blocks. It’s like a sprint — if you’re a sprinter, you want to make sure you have a good start. It’s imperative we get our game going right off the bat.”
Defenceman Cam Fowler is one of four Ducks who have played in all four of the Ducks’ consecutive Game 7 losses on home ice the last four springs, along with Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Andrew Cogliano.
“In a Game 7 you want to do so much,” Fowler said. “You want to help your team any way you can, and sometimes you end up doing too much. Do things maybe you (wouldn’t) do during the season.”
What did Fowler do on his day off Tuesday?
“I played with my dog, hung out with my girlfriend… It’s important that you relax.”
Lineup Notes
Kevin Bieksa skated with the team on Wednesday morning for the first time since his injury, and “could be an option for tonight,” Carlyle said. He hurt his knee in Game 1 of this series, and looked fairly tender at the morning skate. If he goes in, it is likely that Shea Theodore comes out. The question is, would the Oilers prefer to face an aging Bieksa coming off a knee injury than Theodore? Likely … Oscar Klefbom declared himself healthy and ready to go in Game 7 for Edmonton. That likely means Griffin Reinhart won’t play.
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