In a game that meant a lot to the Edmonton Oilers, Evan Bouchard was the overtime hero. Tied 1-1 with the Colorado Avalanche — who had beaten the Oilers in two previous overtime losses this season — Bouchard walked the blue line, faked a pass over to Connor McDavid, and then accurately put a laser of a wrist shot past Alexander Georgiev to keep the Oilers chances of winning the Pacific Division and the Western Conference Title alive.
It was a great moment for Bouchard who has really elevated his game in the last month, but the defenseman was quick to reveal where he got the idea to do what he did.
McDavid Gave Him The Idea To Fake The Pass
The knock on Bouchard this season was that he often had shots blocked from the point and was having a hard time figuring out how to get shots through to the net. Bouchard was asked about the play and quickly revealed it was McDavid who told him to fake one over to him and see if a lane would open up. Man, did it ever.
JT Compher absolutely bit on the faked pass and Bouchard had all the time and room he needed to place his shot exactly where he wanted to. It was a genius fake that isn’t being talked about much in the grand scheme of the goal, but without that move, that puck likely doesn’t get through. McDavid was wise enough to know that Compher would probably cheat to cover him in a 4-3 overtime power play and the captain called the play. It was another example of how smart McDavid is.
In many situations, the leader and the best player in the world might want the puck, but McDavid was also gassed. He’d been on the ice for a while, was clearly breathing heavily during the timeout, and might not have had the juice to make the play himself. Why not give the opportunity to the defenseman when everyone else thinks it’s coming back to No. 97?
The Confidence in Bouchard’s Game Is Growing
This play was just one in a few examples lately of how far Bouchard has come in just the last few weeks. He’s not alone in being someone that might defer to McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, but in recent games, he’s taken charge from the blue line and his confidence with the puck and in big situations has elevated. That he was willing to take that direction and then that shot in a critical situation bodes well for the Oilers heading into the post-season where his critical thinking prowess and skill will be required.
Bouchard is dangling around players to get out of his own zone, he’s choosing the right time to fire a wrist shot instead of a slap shot (affectionately known as “The Bouch Bomb”) and he’s all-but eliminated the sloppy, soft passes at the offensive blue line leading to chances against. He’s unequivocally the quarterback of this team’s blue line now and he’s going to be trusted to make the right plays at the right times.
Whether that’s because Mattias Ekholm has offered him the steady support to feel good about his game or the opportunity afforded to him in the Tyson Barrie trade has made it possible, it’s perfect timing for Bouchard who has the obvious ability to be a difference-maker.
Teamwork at the Right Time
The Oilers are 13-0-1 in their last 14 games played. They are the hottest team going into the playoffs and they are clicking at the right time with their team chemistry jumping off the charts. The club is finding different ways to win games and the entire roster is contributing. These are all good things.
On Tuesday, it was Bouchard who was the hero with a smart assist (in more ways than one) going to McDavid. There are more than a few players on this team capable of playing the role of hero and the Oilers are going to need that if they want to go all the way and earn the ultimate prize — the Stanley Cup. This time it was Bouchard taking the shot. Next time, he might be responsible for finding the right person to finish off another team. That he’s got the ability to assess the situation on the fly is a wonderful sign of things to come.
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