Connor McDavid got some coaching from an Oilers fan tonight, and he answered Vancouver's fast start with a beauty of a setup.
The pass found Evan Bouchard for the second goal of the game, and the building finally had something to roar about.
Before that, the Canucks had the jump. Paul Cotter finished a play off a Kevin Lankinen save, and Edmonton spent the early minutes chasing.
Somewhere in the lower bowl, a fan decided to lend a hand. "Set the pace Connor, let's go," came the call from the seats, and someone nearby shared it online with a laugh.
Consider the message received. The Oilers have been climbing back ever since, and the bench looks a lot more like itself.
Bouchard carries a $10,500,000 cap hit, fifth among NHL defencemen. Getting him involved in the attack is exactly how this roster is built to push back.
Mike Babcock's Oilers climb back with McDavid and Bouchard driving it
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McDavid carries a $12,500,000 cap hit of his own. Nights like this are the reason.
Mike Babcock's first regular-season game in Edmonton started with a wobble. How his top players responded is the part a new coach remembers.
The Oilers came in riding a four-game win streak, and this group didn't panic when the crowd got restless early.
Give the fan some credit, sure. But this is McDavid doing what he's paid to do, and the Oilers are always better off when he takes a slow start personally.
The fan yelling pace tips is like shouting "swing!" at a slugger right before he sends one over the fence. The timing makes you look like a genius.
Vancouver still has plenty of time to push back, and Manny Malhotra's group already showed it won't fold in this building.
These two meet again Thursday in Vancouver. If McDavid keeps setting the pace like this, that lower-bowl coach might deserve a headset on Babcock's bench.
Did Connor McDavid need a fan to wake him up against the Canucks?
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