News & Notes: Cam Talbot stars again for Oilers

TALBOT, OILERS LEAVE ANAHEIM WITH 2-0 SERIES LEAD

Cam Talbot turned aside 39 of 40 shots he faced as the Edmonton Oilers headed home with a 2-0 lead against the Anaheim Ducks in their Western Conference Second Round series after a 2-1 win at Honda Center.

* The Oilers took a 2-0 series lead on the road for the fifth time in franchise playoff history, including twice against the Ducks (also 1981 PRE at MTL, 1988 DF at CGY, 1990 F at BOS and 2006 CF at ANA). Edmonton went on to win each series.

* Talbot earned his fourth consecutive win and improved to 6-2 in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (2.03 GAA, .934 SV%, 2 SO).

* Per the Elias Sports Bureau, teams that take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-7 series own an all-time series record of 309-48 (86.6%), while teams that do so on the road own an all-time record of 69-18 (79.3%).

FRIDAY'S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps

ST. LOUIS 3, Nashville 2 - series tied 1-1
Edmonton 2, ANAHEIM 1 - EDM leads 2-0

TARASENKO, BLUES EVEN SERIES AT 1-1

Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice, including the go-ahead goal with 3:51 remaining in the third period, as the St. Louis Blues rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to hand the Nashville Predators their first loss of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs and even their series at 1-1.

* Tarasenko scored his 21st and 22nd career playoff goals (all w/ St. Louis) to surpass Brian Sutter and Red Berenson (21) for sole possession of third on the franchise's all-time list, trailing only Brett Hull (67) and Bernie Federko (35).

* Tarasenko also recorded his sixth career multigoal game in the postseason; only Hull (13) and Federko (7) have more in franchise playoff history.

* Elias notes that when teams are tied 1-1 in a best-of-7 series, the winner of Game 3 owns an all-time series record of 204-99 (67.3%).

DID YOU KNOW?

Five of six games in the second round have featured a go-ahead, game-winning goal in the final eight minutes of regulation.

Game-Winning Goals in Second Round of 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs

12:36 of third period: Nick Bonino (PIT)
14:55 of third period: Vernon Fiddler (NSH)
15:20 of third period: Adam Larsson (EDM)
15:49 of third period: Erik Karlsson (OTT)
16:09 of third period: Vladimir Tarasenko (STL)

* Overall, there have been 14 go-ahead, game-winning goals scored in the third period this postseason, including six in the final five minutes of regulation.

* Elias adds that 20 of 48 games in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs have seen the winning team overcome a deficit (41.7%), 33 have been decided by one goal (68.8%) and another six have been decided by two goals following an empty-net goal (combined, 81.3%).

LOOSE PUCKS

Oilers forward Patrick Maroon scored the game-winning goal against his former club. … Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis (1-1-2) extended his point streak to five games (2-5-7), the longest such run by a defenseman in franchise playoff history. … The Ducks lost consecutive games losses for the first time since Oct. 13-15, their first two games of the 2016-17 season. … The Carolina Hurricanes acquired goaltender Scott Darling from the Blackhawks in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.

SNEAK PEEK AT SATURDAY'S ACTION

All Times Eastern

NY Rangers @ Ottawa, OTT leads 1-0, 3 p.m., CBC, TVA Sports 2, NBC
Pittsburgh @ Washington, PIT leads 1-0, 8 p.m., CBC, TVA Sports, NBC

2017 NHL DRAFT LOTTERY TAKES PLACE TONIGHT

The 2017 NHL Draft Lottery, a weighted system utilized to determine the order of selection for the first 15 picks in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft, will be held tonight in Toronto (8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, TVA Sports).

The 2017 NHL Draft Lottery will consist of three drawings: the 1st Lottery Draw will determine the club selecting first overall, the 2nd Lottery Draw will determine the club selecting second overall and the 3rd Lottery Draw will determine the club selecting third overall.

Participants in the 2017 NHL Draft Lottery include the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, who begin play in 2017-18, and the 14 teams that did not qualify for the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (or the clubs that have acquired the first-round picks of those non-playoff teams).

The allocation of odds for the 1st Lottery Draw is as follows:

1. Colorado Avalanche: 18.0%

2. Vancouver Canucks: 12.1%

t-3. Arizona Coyotes: 10.3%

t-3. Vegas Golden Knights: 10.3%*

5. New Jersey Devils: 8.5%

6. Buffalo Sabres: 7.6%

7. Detroit Red Wings: 6.7%

8. Dallas Stars: 5.8%

9. Florida Panthers: 5.4%

10. Los Angeles Kings: 4.5%

11. Carolina Hurricanes: 3.2%

12. Winnipeg Jets: 2.7%

13. Philadelphia Flyers: 2.2%

14. Tampa Bay Lightning: 1.8%

15. New York Islanders: 0.9%

*VGK assigned same lottery odds as team finishing 2016-17 regular season in 28th place

The odds for the remaining teams will increase on a proportionate basis for the 2nd Lottery Draw, based on which club wins the 1st Lottery Draw, and again for the 3rd Lottery Draw, based on which team wins the 2nd Lottery Draw.

Hurricanes Acquire Scott Darling from Chicago

RALEIGH, NC - Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has acquired goaltender Scott Darling from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Ottawa's 2017 third-round draft pick. The Hurricanes will have exclusive negotiating rights with Darling until July 1, when he could become an unrestricted free agent.

"Scott had a very successful season in Chicago and was a big part of the Blackhawks finishing with the best record in the Western Conference," said Francis. "He played a critical role on Chicago's 2015 championship team."

Darling, 28, went 18-5-5, with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage in 32 games played for Chicago in 2016-17. He recorded the decision in each of his career-high 27 starts (18-5-4), with his lone non-start decision coming as an overtime loss on March 21 against Vancouver after he entered a 4-1 game just moments into the third period. Darling's .924 save percentage in 2016-17 ranked tied for fourth among all NHL goaltenders who started more than 25 games.

Born in Newport News, VA, but raised in Lamont, IL, Darling (6'6", 232 lbs.) made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks on Oct. 26, 2015. In 75 career NHL games with Chicago, he has posted a 39-17-9 record, a 2.37 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. In 2015, Darling went 3-1 in five opening-round playoff appearances against Nashville, helping the Blackhawks win their first-round series en route to their third Stanley Cup championship in six years. Originally drafted by the Coyotes in the sixth round, 153rd overall, in the 2007 NHL Draft, Darling played two seasons at the University of Maine before turning professional. Before making his NHL debut, he played games at nearly every North American professional level, including the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), ECHL, Central Hockey League (CHL) and American Hockey League (AHL).

Cam Talbot carries Oilers past Ducks 2-1, to 2-0 series lead

By GREG BEACHAM
AP Hockey Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – While the Anaheim Ducks dominated the puck and peppered the Edmonton net with shots over the final 2 1/2 periods, Cam Talbot stood tall - when he wasn't sprawling, diving or gloving everything in sight.

While Connor McDavid is getting most of the attention during the Oilers' impressive Stanley Cup playoff run this spring, their hardworking goalie is doing much of the hard work to keep them sailing forward.

Talbot made 39 saves, Patrick Maroon scored a power-play goal and Edmonton moved halfway to the Western Conference finals with a 2-1 victory over Anaheim in Game 2 of their second-round series Friday night.

Andrej Sekera scored an early goal for the Oilers, who took the first two games on Pacific Division champion Anaheim's home ice. Talbot got credit from both teams for the result in Game 2, making all manner of impressive saves while Anaheim dominated the last 30 minutes.

"I felt good off the start," Talbot said. "I made some big saves early. It kind of gets you in the game. We get a big goal early, which really helped, too. We started the game the way we wanted to start it. Down the stretch, we bent but we didn't break, and that's the sign of a good team."

Game 3 is Sunday in Edmonton.

Edmonton's first playoff appearance in 11 years is off to a rollicking start, with the Oilers following up their six-game defeat of defending Western Conference champion San Jose by taking two games from the five-time champions of their division.

Everybody in hockey knows McDavid is in his first postseason run after winning the NHL scoring title, but Talbot had just two games of backup playoff experience in his entire career before this spring. He followed up a two-shutout first round against San Jose and a wild Game 1 victory in Anaheim by protecting a lead for nearly 59 full minutes in Game 2.

Although the Ducks dominated long stretches of play in both contests, Talbot stopped 72 of 76 shots in the first two games in Anaheim. The Ducks also hit multiple posts in Game 2, but nothing could get by Talbot, who made most of his tough saves well before the final eight minutes.

"He has had some really good games," Maroon said. "Two shutouts the last series against San Jose? I mean, he's been excellent for us. And like I tell him all the time, goalies are supposed to stop the puck."

Jakob Silfverberg scored and John Gibson stopped 21 shots for the Ducks, who had gone 18 games without a regulation defeat before this series. Anaheim has never recovered from an 0-2 series deficit, losing all seven series after digging that early hole.

Anaheim has lost two straight games after an 18-game run since March 10 without a regulation defeat. Perhaps that's why the Ducks' second straight loss at home barely caused a flicker of apparent concern in their calm dressing room.

"We've just got to keep doing what we're doing," said Silfverberg, who scored Anaheim's only goal through a screen. "We're doing a lot of good stuff out there, and it's the last piece that's missing, and it's correctable. We've got to make sure that we've got more bodies in front of the net. We're taking a lot of shots, but he's a good goalie, so we've got to make sure to push him back in the net and get in front of him."

After a four-goal third period in the series opener, the Oilers entered the rematch with plenty of the same energy. The sellout crowd was still finding its seats when Sekera scored just 65 seconds into Game 2, slipping a long shot past Gibson for the defenseman's second career postseason goal and his first since 2011.

Anaheim gradually turned the period in its favor, but couldn't score. Edmonton also had golden chances, such as McDavid getting alone and untouched in front of Gibson during a power play, but couldn't cash in.

Honda Center fell silent when Jordan Eberle's puck toward the net hit Maroon's skate and arched over Gibson for the power forward's second goal of the playoffs. Maroon spent two productive seasons with the Ducks before they gave up on him in February 2016, but he has reinvigorated his career up north with a 42-point regular season.

The Ducks kept up their pressure and finally beat Talbot on the power play with a typically wicked wrist shot by Silfverberg. The Swede got his fourth goal of the postseason, matching his career high from the 2015 playoffs in 10 fewer games.

The Ducks again played without two top defensemen. Sami Vatanen missed his fifth straight game with an upper-body injury, while Kevin Bieksa sat out with an upper-body injury incurred during Game 1.

NOTES: Edmonton F Drake Caggiula played just one shift after the first period, apparently due to an injury. ... The Ducks scratched F Nick Ritchie with an apparent case of the flu. Jared Boll replaced him, appearing in the fourth playoff game of his 10-year NHL career. ... The Ducks lost the first two games of a series at home twice in the previous three postseasons, eventually losing those series to Nashville and Los Angeles.

Tarasenko scores 2, Blues beat Predators 3-2 to even series

By JOE HARRIS
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Vladimir Tarasenko was at the right place at the right time to take advantage of a lucky bounce and help the St. Louis Blues get a big win.

Tarasenko scored twice, including the tiebreaking goal with 3:51 left to give the Blues a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night, tying their Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece.

On the go-ahead goal, Jaden Schwartz led the rush and initially tried to pass it to Joel Edmundson, but the pass was off the mark and Edmundson kicked it right to Tarasenko's stick.

"It's a great play by Schwartzy and then I probably scream for Eddy to give it to me and he made a good play," Tarasenko said. "It's a good goal for us. We lost the first game, we couldn't lose this one."

It was the first lead for St. Louis in 116:09 of the series.

"It ended up actually going off a stick and in, but I'm not taking anything away from him (Tarasenko)," Predators goalie Pekka Rinne said. "He has a great shot for a reason."

Jori Lehtera also scored for the Blues, and Jake Allen stopped 22 shots - including 14 in the third period.

Ryan Ellis had a goal and an assist and James Neal also scored for the Predators, who had their franchise-high five-game postseason winning streak snapped. Rinne finished with 17 saves.

Game 3 is Sunday at Nashville, Tennessee.

Tarasenko, who scored 39 goals in the regular season, had scored just once in the Blues' first five playoff games.

"He's just a big game player and those kinds of guys find ways to make big plays at big times," Blues coach Mike Yeo said. "My only concern was that if he continued to play well and didn't get rewarded that his game would drop. And he has shown me that he hasn't done that."

Blues defenseman Colton Parayko said Tarasenko should be measured by more than just goal-scoring.

"He's always doing the little things right," Parayko said. "He's always working hard, he's shoving pucks in and he's always making our team better."

Ellis put the Predators ahead 2-1 at 3:07 of the third period as he took advantage of a turnover by Vladimir Sobotka and fired a slap shot past Allen.

"I don't think we expected to win 16 games straight and walk to a Stanley Cup," Ellis said after Nashville's first loss of the postseason. "We were bound to lose a game. Obviously, I thought we played a decent game but probably didn't deserve to win that one and obviously didn't win that one."

Lehtera tied it at 7:39. Parayko's shot came loose in front of the net and Patrik Berglund took a whack at it before Lehtera buried it for his first goal of the postseason.

Neal gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 7:49 of the first period. Ellis took the shot from the point and it deflected off Colton Sissons and then Neal before deflecting over Allen and into the net.

Tarasenko tied it 1-1 with a power-play goal with 19.4 seconds left in the opening period. It came after Nashville's Vernon Fiddler received a 5-minute major and game misconduct penalty for kneeing Parayko, who limped to the locker room but returned in the second period.

"That's a dangerous play," Blues forward Paul Stastny said. "We're fortunate that (Parayko) didn't' get too banged up. ... I think for such a big guy, I think he's a fluid mover so when he does get hit in different positions like that he doesn't stiffen up."

It was the Blues' lone power-play goal in five chances. St. Louis is just 2 for 21 with the man-advantage, last among all postseason teams.

"I think we just get too excited to go on the power play and everybody tries to be too nice and tries to make good plays," Tarasenko said. "I think we need to be more simple."

IN THE CROWD

Former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan, who has a house in Nashville, attended the game wearing a Predators jersey.

NOTES: Predators D P.K. Subban, a Toronto native, spent Thursday's day off at Busch Stadium watching the Blue Jays play the Cardinals in an interleague doubleheader. ... Nashville recalled G Marek Mazanec from Milwaukee (AHL) on Thursday. ... Blues F Ivan Barbashev was in the lineup after sitting out Game 1, replacing F Magnus Paajarvi, who was a healthy scratch.

NHL Playoff Capsules (April 29, 2017)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Cam Talbot made 39 saves, Patrick Maroon scored a power-play goal and the Edmonton Oilers moved halfway to the Western Conference finals with a 2-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 of their second-round series Friday night.

Andrej Sekera scored an early goal for the Oilers, who took the first two games on Pacific Division champion Anaheim’s home ice. Talbot was the difference in Game 2, making all manner of impressive saves while Anaheim dominated the last 30 minutes.

Jakob Silfverberg scored and John Gibson stopped 21 shots for the Ducks, who had gone 18 games without a regulation defeat before this series. Anaheim has never recovered from an 0-2 series deficit, losing all seven series after digging that early hole.

Game 3 is Sunday in Edmonton.

BLUES 3, PREDATORS 2

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice, including the tiebreaking goal with 3:51 left to help St. Louis tie the Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece.

Jori Lehtera also scored for the Blues, and Jake Allen stopped 22 shots – including 14 in the third period.

Ryan Ellis had a goal and an assist and James Neal also scored for Nashville, which had its franchise-high five-game postseason winning streak snapped. Pekka Rinne finished with 17 saves.

Game 3 is Sunday at Nashville, Tennessee.

Tarasenko’s game-winner came on lucky bounce. Jaden Schwartz led the rush and initially tried to pass it to Carl Gunnarsson, but the pass was off the mark and bounced off of Gunnarsson’s foot right to Tarasenko’s stick.

It was the first lead for St. Louis in 116:09 of the series.

News & Notes: Nick Bonino scores winning goal for Penguins in Game 1 vs. Capitals

CROSBY, OVECHKIN EACH SCORE AS BONINO LIFTS PENGUINS IN GAME 1

Sidney Crosby scored twice in a span of 52 seconds to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 2-0 lead, but Alex Ovechkin got the first of two straight Washington Capitals goals to help even the score, setting the stage for the Penguins' Nick Bonino to score the game-winning goal in the third period for a 3-2 win in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Second Round series.

* Bonino scored his sixth game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and second against the Capitals. He scored the series-clinching overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2016 second round against the Capitals, inspiring the famous "Bonino! Bonino! Bonino!" call by play-by-play broadcaster Harnarayan Singh.

* Crosby scored each of his goals in the opening 1:04 of the second period, including one 12 seconds into the period that equaled the Penguins playoff record for fastest goal to start a period. Crosby scored 12 seconds into the first period of Game 3 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at the Ottawa Senators. Crosby scored the fastest two goals by one player to start a period in Penguins playoff history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

* Crosby, who has at least one point in each of his past five games (4-5-9), had his 51st multipoint NHL playoff game to tie Mario Lemieux for the most in Penguins history and surpass Jaromir Jagr (50) for the most among active NHL players.

* Crosby has collected 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in 14 NHL playoff games against the Capitals (1.21 PPG), while Ovechkin has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in those games (1.57 PPG).

THURSDAY'S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps

OTTAWA 2, NY Rangers 1 - OTT leads 1-0

Pittsburgh 3, WASHINGTON 2 - PIT leads 1-0

KARLSSON'S LATE GOAL GIVES SENATORS GAME 1 VICTORY
Erik Karlsson scored the go-ahead goal from the Rangers goal line with 4:11 left in the third period to lift the Ottawa Senators to a 1-0 series lead on home ice.

* Karlsson, who scored his first NHL playoff game-winning goal in his 36th postseason game, leads all skaters an average ice time of 30:11 per game and all defensemen with seven points (one goal, six assists) in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was tied for second among defensemen with five game-winning goals during the regular season, one behind Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks.

* Karlsson became the second Senators defenseman to score a game-winning goal in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, joining Dion Phaneuf, who did it against the Boston Bruins in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round. The last time the Senators had at least two defensemen score a winning goal in the postseason was 2007, when a franchise-record four defensemen scored game-winners to help the Senators reach the Stanley Cup Final.

LATE GOALS STAND AS WINNERS YET AGAIN

All four games in the second round have featured a go-ahead, game-winning goal in the final eight minutes of the third period.

Game-Winning Goals in Second Round of 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs

12:36 of third period: Nick Bonino (PIT)

14:55 of third period: Vernon Fiddler (NSH)

15:20 of third period: Adam Larsson (EDM)

15:49 of third period: Erik Karlsson (OTT)

* Overall there have been 13 go-ahead, game-winning goals scored in the third period this postseason, including five in the final five minutes.

FOLIGNO, GETZLAF AND GIORDANO NAMED FINALISTS FOR MESSIER AWARD

Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno, Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf and Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano are the finalists for the 2016-17 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, which is presented "to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season."

Mark Messier solicits suggestions from club and League personnel as well as NHL fans to compile a list of potential candidates for the award. However, the selection of the three finalists and ultimate winner is Messier's alone.

The winner of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, as well as the winners of the NHL Foundation Player Award and King Clancy Memorial Trophy, will be announced at the 2017 NHL Humanitarian Awards, a special event at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas that will honor the League's leaders both on and off the ice, on Tuesday, June 20. The winners of the 2017 NHL Humanitarian Awards also will be recognized the following day at the 2017 NHL Awards at T-Mobile Arena.

LOOSE PUCKS

Henrik Lundqvist (41 saves) stopped all 21 shots he faced in the opening frame, a personal NHL playoff career high for any period. Elias notes that in the NHL expansion era (since 1967-68), the only Rangers goaltender with more saves in the first period of a playoff game was Ed Giacomin (22) in Game 4 of the 1968 Quarterfinals at the Chicago Blackhawks. … Senators goaltender Craig Anderson made 34 saves to improve to 5-2 with a 1.81 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and one shutout in seven playoff games. … Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 33 saves, including a series of stops late in the third period, to improve to 5-1 with a 2.43 GAA and .934 save percentage in six playoff games. … The Penguins won Game 1 against the Capitals for the second time in 10 all-time playoff meetings; they also won 7-0 in Game 1 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. … Former television personality David Letterman was part of the crowd at Verizon Center for Game 1 between the Penguins and Capitals.

SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY'S ACTION

All Times Eastern

Nashville @ St. Louis, NSH leads 1-0, 8 p.m., ET, CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN

Edmonton @ Anaheim, EDM leads 1-0, 10:30 p.m. ET, SN, TVA Sports, NBCSN

- NHL Public Relations

Letestu emerging as hired gun on Oilers' PP

By Frank Seravalli / TSN.ca

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The official slogan on the sign that welcomes you to Mark Letestu’s hometown of Elk Point, Alta., reads: “The Right Place to Be.”

Letestu recited it the second he was quizzed on Thursday.

“A little bit of irony, I guess,” Letestu said. “That’s kind of the story of my two goals in Game 1: right place, right time.”

Somehow, on a unit loaded with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Milan Lucic, the undrafted free agent centre Letestu has emerged as the hired gun for the Edmonton Oilers’ power play.

Letestu made the Ducks pay for undisciplined play w hen he banged in two rebounds from nearly the same exact spot on the Honda Center ice, helping the Oilers jump out to a one-game lead in their best-of-seven second round series. Letestu now accounts for three of Edmonton’s four power play goals scored this spring. Fourteen of his 19 goals this y ear have now come with the man advantage, nearly tripling his previous career high.

“This is new territory for me,” Letestu said, smiling.

Not bad for a Swiss Army Knife player whose teammates sometimes poke fun of his name even being on the power play lineup chart. On these Oilers, it’s almost a game of Which one of these is not like the others?

Letestu matched Evgeni Malkin ($9.5 million), Logan Couture ($6M), Tyler Seguin ($5.75M), Nick Foligno ($5.5M) and Mat t Moulson ($5M) in power-play goals in the regular season. Letestu, 32 , earned $1.8 million this year.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT - PP GOALS VS. SALARY

Player	PPG	Cap Hit
Evgeni Malkin	11	$9.5M
Logan Couture	11	$6M
Tyler Seguin	11	$5.75M
Nick Foligno	11	$5.5M
Matt Moulson	11	$5M
Mark Letestu	11	$1.8M

“We crack jokes about it all the time,” Letestu said. “At times, I feel like I have to defend myself. I feel I’m a good player. I’ ve played the power play every stop I’ve been. Just this year, the amount of success that’s come my way is a little different than it’s been.

“People start asking me ‘How is a fourth line centre doing it?’”

The answer, Letestu said, is simple. He is paid to pull the trigger, which is surprising in its own right considering his shot is n’t the most accurate or the hardest.

“It’s just a willingness to shoot the puck,” Letest u said. “We’ve got a lot on that power play that are playmakers: Connor and Leo n especially. They are pass-first guys. I know when the puck gets to m e - deliver it. There’s no trying to place it anywhere. You just try to hit it as hard as you can and hope it gets over his pads.”

It’s gone over the goaltender’s pads at an astoundi ng rate for Letestu. His career ratio of 30 power-play goals to 46 at ev en strength is virtually unmatched among forwards , according to Hockey-Refe rence.com, given the relative few goals he’s scored in almost 500 ca reer games. You would have to look back to former Oiler specialist Marc-Andre Bergeron as the last defenceman with numbers that tilted tow ard the power play.

“‘Test’ doesn’t defer to others on that power play, ” coach Todd McLellan said. “The fact he doesn’t makes that work.” 

Letestu said he learned pretty quickly playing on t he power play in Pittsburgh with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin that every successful unit needs that “certain element” of a shooter.

“It’s not in their makeup. It’s in their DNA to loo k for the play all the time,” Letestu said. “It’s my job to shoot. I’m not going to carry the mail a lot of the time, but I still have to make the play when it comes to me. It’s kind of simple for me in the recipe part, but the results a ren’t that simple.”

That adaptation and awareness is what McLellan said he has learned to really appreciate in Letestu.

“If I was going to pick an individual in the locker room that might eventually lead a team somewhere or coach, using hi s hockey acumen or IQ, it would be Test,” McLellan said. “He can ma ke adjustments personally, he can make adjustments with the group, he sees it happening, he sees concepts. He fits that [power pl ay] group well physically and mentally.”

Part of his fit is timing and feel. Being in the right place at the right time is no accident. Part of his fit is confidence. Letestu said he expects to score. He knows he is going to get looks playing with who he said was the “best player in the world.”

“You just have to make the most of it,” Letestu said. The Alberta boy, the pride of the AJHL's Bonnyville Pontiacs, is doing that. McLellan called Letestu “a great story” on Thursday, but he’s quickly becoming the story of the Oilers’ playoffs.
“I wasn’t a high draft pick. There wasn’t a whole l ot invested in me,” Letestu said. “My job was to win face-offs and be g ood on the penalty kill. For me, it’s just something that I’ve worked into. It was just the right fit for me at the right time.”