Connor McDavid expressed feeling well when questioned by the media about his condition after enduring a cross-check to the back and face during Game 3 against the Vancouver Canucks. He laughed off inquiries about his injury status, acknowledging that such incidents are part of the game, especially in intense playoff series. McDavid assured that he’s fine and doesn’t seem to be experiencing any negative effects from the play, nor does he anticipate missing any playing time.
Regarding the cross-check incident, McDavid declined to comment as the NHL is still investigating. The Department of Player Safety is expected to announce any potential suspension following their hearing with Carson Soucy later in the day.
McDavid found himself on the receiving end of a brutal cross-check after an altercation with Soucy, who pushed him, prompting a retaliatory slash from McDavid, and then a double-handed cross-check to the face as he was going down, simultaneous to a cross-check from Nikita Zadorov. Although McDavid immediately got back into the action, he narrowly avoided serious injury.
Despite the physicality of the series, McDavid appreciates the intense style of play. He described it as enjoyable and emphasized the passion of the matchup between two Canadian teams.
"We’ve been in this situation before & we’ve always responded, I would expect us to do the same."
McDavid on being down 2-1 in the second-round series vs. the Canucks.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/lu0DCnCjpW
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 13, 2024
Even if McDavid were feeling sore, he wouldn’t let the Canucks know. It’s crucial for him to project resilience and acceptance of the physical play. Now, the response needs to come from the Edmonton Oilers, either by capitalizing on Canucks’ penalties or by matching physicality, something they haven’t done much of in the series so far. When asked about the Oilers’ physical response, McDavid emphasized using their speed to challenge the Canucks’ defense and tilting the series in their favor based on skill.