“The power play is clicking,” Bouchard said. “I believe that’s assisting me grow in self-confidence and has fun with the puck.
“We’re getting our chances. We’re putting them in.”
Bouchard scored a power-play objective and helped on 2 others in Edmonton’s 5-1 win Saturday over the host Vegas Golden Knights to even their second-round series at a win each.
“When you can make them pay for taking penalties, it’s always an advantage,” he said following the video game.
Game 3 is Monday and Game 4 is Wednesday in Edmonton.
The best-of-seven series in between the leading 2 finishers in the Pacific Division turns back to Las Vegas for Friday’s Game 5. If needed, Game 6 is Sunday in Edmonton and a Game 7 would be May 16 in Las Vegas.
It assists that Bouchard has 2 of the very best alternatives worldwide when the Oilers have a man benefit.
Leon Draisaitl owns an NHL-topping 6 power-play objectives this post-season with Oilers captain Connor McDavid breaking in another 3.
But Bouchard has actually been a distinction maker in his own right.
He took a couple strides in from the blue-line and scored with a slapshot blast to make it 2-0 for the Oilers early in Game 2’s very first duration.
Draisaitl likewise scored on the power play simply over 2 minutes into the video game.
When Edmonton tracked 3-0 after the very first duration of Game 4 in the first-round series versus the Los Angeles Kings, it was Bouchard’s power-play objective early in the 2nd that started a resurgence in a 5-4 overtime win to even that series.
“Brings another look,” Draisaitl said of Bouchard’s contributions.
“Tyse was amazing at it. He was really good back there and we loved having him, but Bouch is maybe a bit more of a shooter. He has an absolute bomb.”
The Oilers chosen the six-foot-three 194-pound protector 10th total in the 2018 Draft from the OHL’s London Knights.
Bouchard quarterbacked Edmonton’s 2nd power-play system in 2021-22, which was his very first season as a full-time NHLer.
The Oilers’ power play was transforming at a clip of over 30 percent when Barrie was traded.
Bouchard’s had huge shoes to fill, however at 56 percent in the playoffs, Edmonton’s power play appears in good hands.
“Because he’s had time last year understudying, it’s not all brand new to him,” Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft said.
“He has an understanding of how it flows. He does have a big shot, but he brings a puck up the ice well, and the more experience he gets on it, the better he will be and he’s been pretty good.”
Bouchard’s three-pointer in Game 2 was his 3rd straight multi-point video game and 5th total in these playoffs.
He ranks 4th all-time amongst Oilers defencemen in playoff multi-point video games in a single season behind Paul Coffey (9 in 1986 and 6 in 1984), Charlie Huddy (7 in 1985) and Chris Pronger (7 in 2006).
The Golden Knights were the NHL’s least punished group in the routine season.
Giving the Oilers 6 power-play possibilities in Game 2 was uncharacteristic and eventually the Knights’ undoing.
“What the penalties were it doesn’t matter,” Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy said.
“They scored on them and we’ve got to find a way to limit those and do a better job killing them, which is not an easy task. We know that but we’ll just have to do a better job.
“Then on the other side, we’ve got to convert our power play.”
This report by The Canadian Press was very first released May 7, 2023.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
