Connor McDavid Scores OT Winner, Ends Battle of Alberta

A decisive Game 5 began in ideal fashion for Darryl Sutter. Sutter's notoriety for being a defense-first head coach contrasts directly with the identity of the Flames nemesis, the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers play a fast-paced, high event game. So it plays much more to the Flames' strengths to play low-event, boring Darryl Sutter hockey. And for the first seven minutes of this one, that's what we got; both teams combined for one shot in that time. The rest of the period featured ten shots, so much more action in the latter half of the opening frame.

Andrew Mangiapane opened the scoring off a patented forecheck from Mikael Backlund & Blake Coleman, who fed his teammate with a perfect cross-slot pass:

Each team would finish the period with a number of other chances, but both goaltenders did well to limit the scoring to one. Connor McDavid & Leon Draisaitl each generated several chances on one shift late in the first after McDavid took a high-sticking penalty. The Flames took their 1-0 lead into the second period.

Edmonton opened the period with their foot on the gas, generating several high quality chances & if not for Jacob Markstrom's timely saves, they would have tied the game, possibly took the lead. However, the effective forechecking of Blake Coleman, Mikael Backlund, & Andrew Mangiapane would overshadow their goaltender with their second goal of the evening. This time a tip-in from Backlund off the Michael Stone point shot. It would't take long for the Oilers to answer though. Darnell Nurse scored off a pass from Leon Draisaitl low-to-high & pulled the Oilers within one.

Then chaos ensues. Calgary would add another goal, but that would be followed by utter madness. Four goals would be scored in a 1:11 span, three for EDM & one more for CGY. That would be the fastest four-goal grouping gin NHL history by a pretty wide margin---22 seconds faster than second place. The second period would end tied 4-4. Shockingly, zero points for Connor McDavid to this point.

Both teams opened the third with minimal success in generating scoring chances. A very dump & chase heavy opening five minutes. Blake Coleman would break the tie. Or so we thought.

But the goal would get called back, citing a distinct kicking motion on the goal. After a now scoreless third period, to overtime we go. The first playoff overtime game for the Battle of the Alberta since 1991. And of course, as fate would have it...Connor McDavid wins it for the Oilers off a feed from Leon Draisaitl.

Edmonton plays the winner of Colorado & St. Louis in the Western Conference Final.

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