MATHESON: For this Cup final, Oilers' Kane is able

National Post

2 days ago

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'This group worked really, really hard to get back to this point. I know more than anybody, not knowing if you'll get another shot to win. I've been in the conference final a bunch of times and the one final last year and not being able to help the team the way I knew I could, it was very difficult,' said Kane, who has 10 points in 16 games this spring.
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'Florida plays a certain brand of hockey. The way we've been looked at from outside our room is that we're just this offensive team and we've started to change that narrative. Obviously, we can score goals, but we can lock things down. And we can play a physical, in-your-face brand, whatever kind of game you want,' said Kane, who has another big body, Trent Frederic, this year, along with Darnell Nurse.
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Is intimidation still a thing this late in the playoffs, with two teams left?
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'Yeah, it's always a factor. It's important to have that aspect to your group because you never know when it can play in your favour,' he said.
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Indeed, playing the game with a snarl can be a winning recipe.
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'They know us, we know them. It went down to the bitter end last year. Both teams understand this will be the toughest challenge they've faced. Any sort of edge you can create could possibly be the difference,' he said.
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'As a team we're better equipped, especially up front, a lot more physical players,' said Knoblauch. 'We didn't have Evander last year but for the first two games, and not healthy. Do I think he'll make a difference now? Absolutely. Physicality, scoring. We missed him last year. But we've also added Frederic. He plays a similar game. Not as much offence as Evander but pretty darned physical.'
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Knoblauch agreed with the game-within-the-game theme for Kane. Not everybody gets their competitive juices flowing like Kane's manner of agitation, though.
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'Some players talk between the whistles. Other players think that distracts them from their game. Others thrive on it. Like Corey Perry, like Evander Kane. That gets them involved in the game and they can distract somebody else,' he said.
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'Yeah, Evander's a good player and hopefully, he can provide something more that we didn't have last year (against the Panthers),' said Knoblauch.
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We know Kane will arrive at Game 1 in ill humour, but in which luxury car? He's been in a Lamborghini and a Rolls-Royce this spring.
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'You'll have to tune in to find out,' laughed Kane, who told Jeremy Roenick and former NHL referee Tim Peel on a Stars and Stripes podcast that he would be in a Lamborghini here, but in Florida for Game 3?
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'Guys were talking like, 'Do I chopper in in Florida?' ' he said.
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THIS 'N' THAT
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Knoblauch said Oilers captain Connor McDavid is just fine after he only skated for 10 minutes Sunday before leaving the ice, so relax in Oilers Nation. 'He'll be skating tomorrow (Tuesday).' … Knoblauch said winger Connor Brown will be playing Game 1 which means Jeff Skinner, who scored in Game 5 in Dallas, will be out … Florida captain Aleksander Barkov has just won his third Selke award as the NHL's best two-way forward. He also won in 2023-24 and is the fourth back-to-back winner over the last 25 years, following on the heels of Patrice Bergeron, Pavel Datsyuk and Rod Brind'Amour. Barkov beat out teammate Sam Reinhart, with Tampa's Anthony Cirelli third and Jersey captain Nico Hischier fourth. Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl was sixth behind Vegas' Jack Eichel.
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