In a highly anticipated showdown, the Edmonton Oilers are gearing up to clash with the Colorado Avalanche for the first time this season. This matchup carries significant weight, especially considering the history between these two teams. For the Oilers, it’s about exercising demons and picking up a win against a top Western Conference opponent. For the Avalanche, it’s about showing their sweep of the Oilers in the 2022 Western Conference Final was not a fluke. As both teams are considered Stanley Cup contenders, their three encounters as the 2023-24 NHL season winds down promise to be intense battles. The personal matchup between Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon will personify all three.
The first of the three games takes place on Saturday night in Edmonton. A Hockey Night in Canada matchup, the storyline is the two Art Ross Trophy candidates going head to head with Canada’s broadcast likely debating who has the better odds of taking home the trophy.
MacKinnon and McDavid are 2 Art Ross Trophy Favorites
Trying not to ignore the season Nikita Kucherov is having, the Tampa Bay Lightning star will take a back seat for one night as MacKinnon and McDavid get the bulk of the attention. Both are eyeing the scoring race title, something McDavid has won the past three seasons and five times in the last seven seasons. It’s a prize MacKinnon has never won.
Right now, MacKinnon is in the lead to take home this season’s prize. He’s the odds favorite to win the award. He’s also got Colorado’s stacked offense to back him up. They’ve been undeniable this season, leading the league in goals scored. Notably, their top line, consisting of MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Val Nichushkin, has been instrumental in their success, contributing 101 of the team’s 249 goals.
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For MacKinnon, this season presents a prime opportunity to do something he’s not done before. To say he’s motivated might be putting it lightly. Leading the league with an impressive 115 points, he stands on the cusp of reaching the 50-goal milestone for the first time in his career. MacKinnon has been directly involved in nearly half of Colorado’s goals this season and he’s made a solid case for MVP honors.
Never Rule McDavid Out of Anything
MacKinnon might be the favorite today, but he faces stiff competition from McDavid, who has been lighting up the scoresheet with four goals and 15 assists in his last 10 outings. This is the time of the season when he gets hot and only nine points behind, McDavid could literally make up that ground in two or three games. That is, of course, if we assume MacKinnon doesn’t go on to have a similar offensive outburst.
McDavid loves these kinds of challenges and he relishes the opportunity to compete against the league’s best. The Oilers are the hotter team of late and they’re coming off a 7-2 win over the Washington Capitals, feeling good about their game. Edmonton is the favorite to win.
With both players ranking among the top point-getters in the NHL this season, the stage is set for an electrifying showdown between two of the game’s elite talents. What McDavid might need is a little help from his teammates. If the Oilers can limit MacKinnon’s offense, that will go a long way to McDavid overtaking the Avalanche superstar. it won’t happen tonight, but it could close the gap.
When asked if shutting down MacKinnon was possible, Darnell Nurse said of the Avalanche captain:
“He’s the full package as a player. You give him an inch, and he seems to make it a foot. For us, when we’re defending, it’s got to be quick. We’ve got to be moving our feet.”
source – ‘Connor McDavid-Nathan MacKinnon matchup a ‘big test’ for Oilers, Avalanche before playoffs’ – Daniel Nugent-Bowman – The Athletic – 03/15/2024
2 Good Teams and 2 Good Players Square Off
As the Oilers and Avalanche prepare to get up for a big game, the team matchup versus the individual one makes for a fascinating narrative. Colorado has struggled on the road since the All-Star break, while Edmonton has emerged as the best team in the league since Remembrance Day. Edmonton has an edge while playing in front of their home fans.
Still, Edmonton has to stop the NHL’s best offense, led by the current Art Ross Trophy favorite. Fans can expect a high-octane showdown between two powerhouse teams and for both MacKinnon and McDavid to bring their best.