Oilers coach speaks on legendary effort from Connor McDavid in win vs. Columbus

In a game that could just as easily have turned ugly for the Oilers, Connor McDavid did what he does best, setting the stage for a comeback win against the Blue Jackets last night.

Connor McDavid attacks the slot in game versus Columbus Blue Jackets

Photo credit: Perry Nelson – Imagn Images

McDavid refuses to allow his team to lose

«Connor wasn’t going to let us lose tonight,» said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. «He was so focused on getting the job done.

I’ve seen Connor rise to the occasion and play some tremendous games, and I’m not going to say this was his best game that I’ve seen him play, but under the circumstances, it’s got a rate up there He had an incredible night, two fabulous goals, but there was just so much determination to his game that it was like, it’s not going to happen again tonight, and he just willed the team to win.»

Yet, at the end of the 2nd-period it looked like Edmonton would would dig further into the hole they’ve dug for themselves, with boos from the stands adding to the ugliness of it all.

Then, only 58 second into the 3rd, the Captain scored his first of the game to make it 3-2 for the bad guys. Though Columbus scored again to make the score 4-2, Connor would not allow his team to go down – no way.

With the puck on McDavid’s stick, he moved freely around defenders and showed why he’s arguably the best in the business tucking the puck into the far side on the goal.

And sometimes, all it takes is a lucky bounce for the hockey gods to say, ‘You’ve suffered enough.’ Jake Walman tossed the puck at the net that bounced off Olivier’s stick and into the Columbus goal, to tie the game with 58 seconds remaining in the 3rd.

«It was a big win. This was a big win at home before going on a long stretch here after obviously what happened on Saturday,» said McDavid. «So it felt like a little bit more of a bigger game than you usually get in November, and I thought it showed. We hung on and hung on right to the end to tie it and won a game.»

The victory was the kind of win that shows-up on more than just the score-sheet. It’s the kind of win that usually precedes a winning streak. And it could not have come at a better time.