Oilers pushed to the brink against Kings

After Game 4 in Los Angeles, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor Mcdavid was photographed at the team’s hotel hugging the inspirational cancer-stricken Ben Stelter.

Did he guarantee Ben a win over the Kings at Rogers Place in Game 5?

“Ah, no, I did not,” said Mcdavid, who isn’t as bold as Mark Messier, who offered up an assurance that his New York Rangers would beat the New Jersey Devils in a crucial 1994 playoff game.

“We weren’t necessarily talking about hockey. Ben was on a trip with his family at Disneyland, just wanted to make sure he was having fun,” said Mcdavid.

Ben undoubtedly had fun with Mickey and Goofy. But Mcdavid was far from all smiles Tuesday night in a 5-4 overtime loss even though his actions spoke louder than any winning promise words to Ben. After the Oilers once again had an awful start to the game, giving up the first goal four minutes in by Troy Stecher and then tumbling down a 3-1 hole after 33 minutes, Mcdavid keyed a frantic third period rally to get the Oilers to OT.

But it was all for naught as Adrian Kempe, silent in the first four games, got his second of the night on Mike Smith 72 seconds into overtime–the fourth straight OT loss (three last spring to Winnipeg). So, while Mcdavid, set up a second-period goal by Zack Kassian with a fine goalmouth pass, then scored on the power play off a faceoff and helped Leon Draisaitl with a patented PP blast and aided on a Draisaitl shortie in the third, it wasn’t enough.

A loss in LA Thursday, and it’s another colossal firstround exit.

“We scored four tonight. That needs to be enough in a playoff game. Obviously it’s not. We’ve got to keep the puck out of our net,” said Mcdavid, who was on the ice for Kempe’s winner barely a minute into OT.