The Calgary Flames arguably have the better team, but there's no question who the best player on the ice is in this Battle of Alberta.
Coming off a four-point performance in the Edmonton Oilers' 9-6 loss on Wednesday, Connor McDavid did everything in his power to have a similar impact in Game 2.
The Oilers fell down 2-0 just six minutes into the game, then McDavid fed a one-handed pass to Duncan Keith, who buried it to cut the lead in half heading into the first intermission.
Then in the second, after the Flames took a 3-1 lead, McDavid pulled off a dazzling dangle between the legs of Flames defenceman Noah Hanifin and drove to the net, before the puck bounced out to fellow star Leon Draisaitl for a goal — only to have it disallowed for goaltender interference.
But the captain would not be denied.
Just moments later, McDavid corralled the puck in the offensive zone and fended off a hit from six-foot-five, 220-pound Nikita Zadorov, before pulling off a give-and-go with Keith and deking around Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom. That made it 3-2 and the Oilers scored again shortly after to tie things up heading into the third, before winning the game 5-3.
It's another brilliant play we're all too accustomed to seeing by 97, yet remain amazed by because of the sheer volume with which he does it.
With the goal, McDavid continued a remarkable run by becoming the fastest player to reach 20 points in the playoffs in 30 years.
"The way this guy's playing right now is special," said head coach Jay Woodcroft after the game. "He's driving our team forward."
