Edmonton Oilers Coach Stands by Draisaitl During Stanley Cup Final Scoring Slump

Saturday, June 15th, 2024

Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch defended center Leon Draisaitl, who is the second-leading scorer in the playoffs but has yet to score a point in the Stanley Cup Final. While acknowledging that Draisaitl's performance could improve, Knoblauch highlighted his contributions to the team's overall efforts.

Even though Draisaitl has gone three consecutive games without a point, he is third on the Oilers for shots on goal and fourth for shot attempts. However, his chances on the power play and during 5-on-5 play have been limited, largely due to the strong defense of the Florida Panthers.

Coach Knoblauch pointed out that Draisaitl's impact goes beyond scoring. He referred to Draisaitl's involvement in Ryan McLeod's third-period goal in Game 3 as evidence of his positive influence on the game.

Despite being down 3-0 against the Panthers, the Oilers are confident in their ability to make a comeback. Forward Connor Brown mentioned that the team tends to perform better when under pressure and has a track record of succeeding in difficult situations.

In an effort to motivate the team, former defenseman Duncan Keith shared his experience of the Chicago Blackhawks coming back from a 3-0 deficit against the Vancouver Canucks in 2011. Knoblauch emphasized that with belief, anything is possible for players.

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