Mike Smith Is The Savior That Connor McDavid Needs In Edmonton
Andy Devlin. Getty Images.The other day I read an article somewhere saying some nonsensical bullshit like "Mike Smith Is Going To Drive Connor McDavid Right Out Of Edmonton". You can read that here if you're interested in losing the brain cells.
Cleary that was written by some hack who doesn't know shit about shit. Because even though Mike Smith gave game 1 away with a brutal turnover up the slot, anyone with half of a functioning brain would know he's still the best goalie that Connor McDavid has had throughout his career in Edmonton so far. Anyone with half of a functioning brain would know Mike Smith would come out and lock it down between the pipes in game 2 to make sure Edmonton evened out the series before making like Gretzky and head out to LA.
Which is exactly what Mike Smith did last night when he faced 30 shots and made 30 saves.
It took back-to-back shutouts by Cam Talbot against San Jose in the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs to help clinch the Oilers their only playoff series win in the McDavid era. So I guess we'll have to wait and see if 40-year-old Mike Smith has another performance like that left in the tank for game 3 in LA. But in the meantime, anybody who ever once questioned Mike Smith being the guy who can simply just not fuck up and let Connor McDavid do his thing is looking like a complete and total bozo. Never a doubt, baby.
Sidenote: Oilers will never win a Cup as long as they're wearing those ridiculous uniforms at home.