Mattias Ekholm beats the odds to return from injury for Stanley Cup Final
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Prior to playoffs, he made one last attempt to return to the ice on April 11, but only managed to last a pair of shifts in just 1:52 of ice time, which ended with him falling down twice all on his own before making an unceremonious exit.
Let's just say it didn't instill any confidence in fans or his fellow players that they would see him again this season.
'We thought maybe there was a chance of getting into the Finals late, but that was just wishful thinking if everything went well,' said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. 'So, for him to join us in the Third Round, that was a bonus. We weren't expecting that.'
Ekholm ended up returning in the tail end of the Western Conference Final to pitch in on the way to a 6-3 doubling of the Dallas Stars in Game 5, picking up a pretty assist that sprung captain Connor McDavid on a long breakaway to pretty much seal the deal.
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