Ducks 6, Oilers 3, McDavid still no. 1
Despite that Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers failed to grab a 3-0 stranglehold in their playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks last night, falling 6-3, McDavid devotees were as flush as ever with adoration for the NHL's Millenial Dream. Having won an Edmonton-wide essay contest on "Why Connor McDavid is the best Oiler", on hand with guest press credentials was 18 year old McKayla Mackey, President of the Official Oilers Fan Club at Harry Ainlay School in Edmonton, Alberta."He wears 97 on his back, but we carry him as number one in our hearts," said Mackey.
Also coming to the aide of the Oilers' Top Gun following the game was McDavid's head coach, Todd McLellan. When asked if he thought he could get more out of McDavid (1g, 0a, 1pts, -2), McLellan was quick to provide the hoi polloi with the correct perspective:
"Hey you're talking about a guy who, at the age of 20, sold out Rogers Place 41 times during the regular season and four more and counting in his first playoffs. Garth Brooks toured for 28 years before selling it out nine times and getting his banner raised to the roof!" chided McLellan. But he did not stop there:
"I mean, how many times did Einstein write e=mc3 before getting it right? How many times did the Challenger explode before Lance Armstrong got to the moon? How many times did Oswald fire before finally clipping Kennedy?! Connor McDavid can't win the cup in a single game, damn it!" said the 49 year old McLellan.
The awkward silence that fell over the befuddled and aghast crowd in front of McLellan was thankfully broken by the timely arrival of the NHL's third overall all-time scorer, Mark Messier, who casually quipped with a wry grin, "I've been on hold for so long, I thought I should tell Connor, 'It's Mess!' in person," before exiting to deliver a pep talk to "Conny and the boys.”
Shortly thereafter the crowd fell into its second awkward moment, however, as it dawned on McLellan that the microphones were still live as he had been muttering, "stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid" while dejectedly banging his forehead with a clenched fist gripping the pair of matching orange and blue friendship bracelets he had been carrying around since last September. No relief for the crowd was to be had this time, though, as the ensuing silence was broken only by the sound of Mackey quietly repeating, "Missus McKayla Mackey-McDavid," to which the press corps - and everyone else - silently shuffled out.
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