There is just simply no stopping Connor McDavid at this point.
I penned something a couple of weeks ago on why Connor McDavid is a human cheat code after another jaw-dropping play, and the Edmonton Oilers star was at it yet again on Saturday during what was a huge, huge win for his team over the Toronto Maple Leafs in a mouthwatering North Division showdown.
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Going into the contest 3-6-0 on the year and having dropped a 4-3 decision to the Maple Leafs on Thursday, the Oilers needed to step up and be counted because, while still early, there will be little room for error in what is a shortened 56-game season and a couple of bad weeks or a really sluggish start could prove critical when it comes to the postseason race.
And, thanks to some perfectly-timed heroics from their Captain, the Edmonton Oilers pulled out a massive win in OT against Toronto, snapping the Maple Leafs’ four-game winning streak and keeping pace with the top four teams in that division.
But there was no doubt that Connor McDavid was the true star of the show on Saturday night, producing a sublime performance that perfectly illustrated why he is one of the best players on the planet and why, if the Oilers do make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2020-21, then it will largely be down to their franchise icon.
Connor McDavid pulls off more gravity-defying heroics for the Oilers
With the game tied at 1-1 after Dominik Kahun scored first for Edmonton before William Nylander replied for the Maple Leafs, McDavid began to take over and he did what he does best with seconds left in the first period by going to his office behind the net and then firing a pass to Josh Archibald who one-timed the puck past Frederik Andersen to give the Oilers a 2-1 lead heading into the second.
End. To. End.
— NHL (@NHL) January 31, 2021
If you haven't watched Connor McDavid's (@cmcdavid97) UNREAL goal from last night... you better now! pic.twitter.com/3twdj3R6bJ
Now, this is where it gets interesting. With Edmonton on the power play at 6:13 in the second period, the genius of Connor McDavid came to play and the superstar center displayed in one insane highlight-reel just why he is arguably the most naturally-gifted player to lace up a pair of skates in the NHL since the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby.
Starting with the puck in his own zone on the PP, McDavid began to travel with the puck on his stick, gradually picking up speed as he hit the blueline and then he really put the turbo engines on, displaying all the grace of a elegant ballet dancer in the process as he weaved his way through three Toronto players before having the composure to weave one way and then another and stick the puck past Andersen for a power play goal.
It was yet another stunning, jaw-dropping, gravity-defying play from McDavid who already has plenty in his collection, and it was another reminder of the fact that when he’s on and when he’s at full speed, there is literally nothing any player on the planet can do to shutdown or stop Connor McDavid and that was evident last night.
And, if that goal of the year candidate wasn’t enough, McDavid also put the game on his stick when, after Auston Matthews and Zach Hyman had scored unanswered goals to take the game to Overtime, McDavid needed just 42 seconds of OT to wreak more havoc after dishing the puck to his running mate Leon Draisaitl before getting to the front of the net and tipping home the German star’s saucer feed to win what was a huge game for the Oilers.
Overall, Connor McDavid is a one-man highlight reel and he showed once again on Saturday why he is not only one of the most naturally-gifted players on the planet but also one of the best, putting his team on his shoulders and dragging them over the finishing line with two absolutely incredibly clutch plays, one of which will live long in the memory as proof of just how insanely talented No. 97 is. And, if the Edmonton Oilers are to make a push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year, then expect to see more god-like heroic displays from Connor McDavid, who isn’t even at his prime yet and that’s very scary news for the rest of the NHL.