Perhaps the biggest part of the Sharks’ series was shutting down the Oilers’ core player. Connor McDavid ended the series with just two goals and four points, as well as a plus-2 rating. Over the last few games of the series, he faced limited chances and also spent plenty of time in the defensive zone.
The Sharks were given too much space to cut off McDavid’s chances. Not to mention, they had no problem getting the puck away from him, while also just taking away his time with the puck. McDavid’s linemates, while not solely responsible for protecting the captain, did not serve as a physical presence to keep the Sharks away.