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Last week, we ranked our Way-Too-Early Top 25. Now, we’ve got some questions about the teams that made the cut. Will new quarterbacks be able to settle in before the season starts? Will new coaches be able to gain the trust of their players? And will exceptional units be able to stay strong?

Here are our writers’ biggest spring questions for each team.

Will the Bulldogs be able to replace their departing defensive stars?

Georgia’s pass defense was great again last season, ranking sixth in the FBS in yards allowed per attempt. But the Bulldogs will have to do some reloading in the secondary with safeties Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith and lockdown cornerback Kamari Lassiter departing for the NFL. Coach Kirby Smart has loaded up on highly regarded defensive backs, and piecing together a reliable rotation will be a key in the spring. Cornerbacks Daniel Harris and Julian Humphrey nearly left via the transfer portal, but Georgia’s coaches persuaded them to stick around. They’ll be in line for starting spots, along with junior Daylen Everette. All-American Malaki Starks returns at free safety, and Joenel Aguero seems to be in line for the nickelback (star) spot. Senior Dan Jackson has the most experience at strong safety, and junior JaCorey Thomas and incoming five-star freshman K.J. Bolden could get long looks in the spring. — Mark Schlabach


How will quarterback Will Howard adjust to a new offense?

Howard comes from Kansas State with the pressure to build off what Kyle McCord, who transferred to Syracuse, did for the first 11 games of last season before a third straight defeat to Michigan. How the versatile Howard (2,490 total yards and 28 total touchdowns for Kansas State in 2023) fits and adapts to the offense for coach Ryan Day and new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will be the biggest factor in determining how different things will be in Columbus in 2024. — Blake Baumgartner


Who will win the quarterback battle?

Bo Nix’s years of eligibility have finally expired, and Oregon will need to play a new quarterback this coming season. In some ways, the biggest spring question for the Ducks has already been answered as coach Dan Lanning & Co. pounced on the transfer portal to bring in not only Dillon Gabriel from Oklahoma but five-star recruit Dante Moore from UCLA. Coming off a 3,660-yard, 30-touchdown season at Oklahoma, Gabriel appears to be the likely choice to start, but Moore’s potential has clearly been unrealized through one season. Moore struggled to lead the Bruins in his first year but showed flashes of what made him one of the top high school quarterbacks in his class. Oregon has national title aspirations, and answering its quarterback question (as well as outfitting an offense around said quarterback) will go a long way toward helping the Ducks actually hoist the trophy. — Paolo Uggetti


What will the passing game look like?

This time last season, Steve Sarkisian said getting Quinn Ewers comfortable and the deep passing game going was a point of emphasis. Ewers responded with 3,479 yards and 22 TDs to just six interceptions in Texas’ final Big 12 season, and the addition of Adonai Mitchell opened up deep looks for Xavier Worthy. But Mitchell, Worthy, Jordan Whittington and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders are off to the NFL, and Johntay Cook‘s eight catches from last year lead the incumbents. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t talent on hand. Sarkisian added transfers Isaiah Bond (Alabama), Silas Bolden (Oregon State), Matthew Golden (Houston) and tight end Amari Niblack (Alabama), as well as star receiver Ryan Wingo, No. 27 in this year’s ESPN 300. Now, it’s just a matter of finding the right combinations and getting the timing down. — Dave Wilson


Can Riley Leonard shine in his first season with the Irish?

Leonard infamously has his mother text him “you suck” to keep him from getting a big head, but at the quarterback’s new home of Notre Dame, his more immediate concern might be proving to the Irish that, in fact, he’s pretty good. Yes, Leonard had a nice 1½ seasons at Duke before an injury (suffered against Notre Dame) upended his 2023 campaign, but the stakes are higher in South Bend. He’s a smart, competitive and athletic QB, but he’ll need to show he’s healthy and a good fit for coordinator Mike Denbrock’s offense. Last year, Denbrock’s passing game excelled with the deep ball at LSU. That has not been Leonard’s bread-and-butter, and he’ll need to show he can connect downfield if the Irish are to be as explosive as they’d like. — David Hale


Will all of the team’s transfer additions be able to transition easily?

Lane Kiffin once again hit the transfer portal hard with some talented additions to the roster at a variety of different positions. It’s never easy to incorporate new players into a locker room every year and continue to maintain chemistry. Kiffin himself would tell you that’s a challenge, especially in the world of name, image and likeness. But he has had success thus far, and with massive expectations surrounding Ole Miss’ program in 2024, the spring will be the first time the Rebels get everybody on the field together and see whether it all meshes. — Chris Low


Will the Tigers be able to have another strong defensive season?

Much was made last season of Missouri’s offensive production on its way to an 11-win season, but the way the Tigers played on defense might have been the real story. Getting back to that level will be key for Missouri, and that process starts this spring with a new defensive coordinator (Corey Batoon) and a slew of new faces in starting roles. The Tigers are losing 10 players on defense who either started or contributed significantly in 2023, including All-SEC performers Darius Robinson at end, Ty’Ron Hopper at linebacker and Kris Abrams-Draine at cornerback. — Low


Will Andy Kotelnicki be able to revitalize the Nittany Lions’ offense?

James Franklin fired offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich a day after the home loss to eventual national champion Michigan in November. Kotelnicki has come from Kansas to fill that position after helping revitalize the Jayhawks behind quarterback Jalon Daniels. Now Kotelnicki will be asked to do the same with former ESPN 300 signal-caller Drew Allar. Allar was fourth in the Big Ten in passing yards (2,631) and tied with Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa for the conference lead with 25 touchdowns. But he had only one 300-yard passing game (325 yards in a 38-15 win over West Virginia). — Baumgartner


Can Kalen DeBoer deal with the pressure of his new job?

The buy-in process has already started for new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, who takes on the kind of challenge in replacing Nick Saban that would send a lot of coaches sprinting in the other direction. Spring practice poses the first chance to get the holdovers and some of the newcomers together on the same field with somebody not named Nick Saban running the show. DeBoer has won everywhere he has been and took Washington to the national championship game last season. But every move he makes and everything he says will be intensely scrutinized, especially by his players. — Low


Will the Utes thrive with a returning Cam Rising at quarterback?

Rising is back and healthy for one final run as one of the Utes’ most successful players ever. With two Pac-12 titles under his belt, Rising will lead Utah into the Big 12 after a year of not being able to play because of an offseason shoulder surgery. What adjustments will Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig make to give Rising his best chance at winning another conference title and maybe more? Running back Micah Bernard will return after missing the first 11 games of the 2023 season because of an injury, while an offensive line that has lost two of its best players will need a few young players to step up in order to protect Rising’s health and fuel his — and the offense’s — productivity. — Uggetti


What will Brent Brennan’s version of Arizona look like?

After a breakout season for the Wildcats under Jedd Fisch in 2023, the program saw the head coach leave for Washington. Brennan, on paper, could be a great hire, as he brings a reputation for being an offensive coach to a team that has a clear strength on that side of the ball. Keeping players such as quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan in the fold (for now) is crucial in order to maintain the offensive continuity that could make the Wildcats a force to be reckoned with in the new Big 12. But how Brennan sets the tone on defense — where the Wildcats improved significantly under Fisch over his time there (107th in points allowed in 2022 to 30th in 2023) — might be what determines how quickly he can succeed. — Uggetti


Will LSU be able to shore up its pass defense?

LSU’s pass defense was uncharacteristically porous last season, as the unit formerly known as “DBU” surrendered 255.6 passing yards per game, which ranked 118th in the FBS. Tigers coach Brian Kelly responded by firing defensive coordinator Matt House, safeties coach Kerry Cooks and cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples. Kelly poached Missouri’s Blake Baker to replace House, and former Tigers assistant Corey Raymond came back from Florida to help shore up the secondary. Jake Olsen followed Baker from Missouri to coach LSU’s safeties. Two Ohio State transfers, JK Johnson (who missed all of the 2023 season because of a leg injury after enrolling at LSU) and Jyaire Brown, might get long looks at cornerback. Freshman Ju’Juan Johnson set Louisiana high school career records as a quarterback but will start his LSU career at cornerback. Major Burns is back at one of the safety spots; Texas A&M transfer Jardin Gilbert should be in the mix on the back end as well. — Schlabach


Who will win the Wolverines’ quarterback battle?

With Jim Harbaugh’s mission of bringing a natty back to Ann Arbor now accomplished (and with Harbaugh now the coach of the Los Angeles Chargers), the Wolverines will go through a bit of a reset under new head coach Sherrone Moore. That starts and ends with who will replace J.J. McCarthy at quarterback. Jack Tuttle being approved for a seventh year of eligibility changes the dynamic for Moore. In addition to Tuttle, Jadyn Davis (No. 166 in the 2024 ESPN 300), the cycle’s fourth-best dual-threat quarterback, comes into the program as part of a 16th-ranked class and joins Jayden Denegal and Alex Orji on the roster. The beginning of the Moore era will be defined by who gets the keys to the offense. — Baumgartner


How ready is Jackson Arnold?

Arnold, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2023 ESPN 300 and the No. 3 overall prospect, was thrust into a starting role for the Alamo Bowl after the transfer of starting QB Dillon Gabriel, who decamped for Oregon while Jeff Lebby, the OC/QB coach who recruited Arnold, also left to be the Mississippi State coach. The good: Arnold threw for 339 yards and two TDs. The bad: He also threw three interceptions. With a full spring as the starter under new coordinators Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley, the spring will be a sprint to get Arnold up to speed for the Sooners’ first SEC season and one of the country’s toughest schedules. — Wilson


Can another elite transfer class help Florida State repeat as ACC champions?

The key players on the team that brought the Seminoles back to relevance last season have all gone, leaving the team in rebuild mode. The good news is Florida State signed yet another high-level transfer class to help plug some holes. But will they jell in time to continue building off what was accomplished last season? The answer might very well come down to transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who is back in the ACC after beginning his career at Clemson and then transferring to Oregon State in 2023. Uiagalelei wanted to come to Florida State to play for Mike Norvell; Norvell said he has seen enough from the quarterback’s skill set to believe he can put it all together in 2024. — Andrea Adelson


Will Tennessee’s new defensive backfield excel?

The NCAA poking around Tennessee’s program and its recruitment of quarterback Nico Iamaleava and then Tennessee’s fiery legal response to that probe has dominated offseason headlines. Tennessee fans can’t wait to see Iamaleava as QB1 for the Vols. He has tons of talent, but one of the things to watch this spring will be how Tennessee retools its defensive backfield. The starters from 2023 are all gone, and there was also an exodus in the portal. But the Vols like some of their younger players in the secondary and also did their own mining in the portal, including Oregon State cornerback Jermod McCoy. We get our first chance this spring to see Tennessee’s new-look defensive backfield. — Low


Can the Cowboys stay healthy?

You could ask that for just about any team, I know. But there’s simply not a lot that we don’t know about the Cowboys going into this spring, because they return so much of 2023’s production. Sure, there were some departures in Jaden Bray, Blaine Green and Jaden Nixon on offense, but they still return four of their top six pass-catchers. QB Alan Bowman is back for a seventh season, and Doak Walker award winner Ollie Gordon is, too, of course. In total, the Pokes return 79% of their offensive production and 74% of their defensive production. In a reformed Big 12 with Texas and Oklahoma gone, it seems like as good a time as ever for Mike Gundy’s team to make a mark on the conference. — Harry Lyles Jr.


Will the Wolfpack be able to improve their run game?

The biggest concern for NC State entering the spring is likely the same one that loomed over the past few springs, too: the ground game. Last year, NC State’s running backs totaled just 930 yards rushing, last among ACC offenses. In 2022, NC State was 10th in running back yards in the ACC and managed just three touchdowns from its stable of backs. The year before that, the Wolfpack were near the bottom of the league, too. In 2023, Dave Doeren’s group made up for the lack of production by using QB Brennan Armstrong and electric freshman receiver KC Concepcion as runners, too. That tactic might work again in 2024 (albeit with new QB Grayson McCall), but the far better course for the Pack would be figuring out what has ailed the backfield in recent years and getting that group on the right path. — Hale


What’s going on with the offense?

Is it painting with too broad a brush to just say, “the offense?” Cade Klubnik enters a make-or-break year. Garrett Riley’s scheme was often ineffective in 2023 but should be a better fit this year. The O-line struggled badly at times last year, but new position coach Matt Luke figures to have the unit improved. The receiving corps has been woefully thin in recent years, but Dabo Swinney likes his personnel. There’s upside everywhere on offense, but getting each group to take a step forward at the same time has been an issue. — Hale


How will Chris Klieman’s new offense look?

A big part of Kansas State’s success over the past two seasons — which included 19 wins and a Big 12 championship — was its offense. That offense is now losing four of the six offensive linemen who started in 2023, including Cooper Beebe, who will hear his name called at April’s NFL draft. The Wildcats also lose quarterback Will Howard and their only two players who were reliable pass-catchers in Phillip Brooks and Ben Sinnott (another NFL prospect). Dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson steps in with a lot of potential, but there’s no question the Wildcats are entering spring with a lot to prove. — Lyles


Will the Cardinals be able to get their new-look offense into shape?

Similar to Florida State, Louisville signed a stellar transfer class to help not only fill holes on the roster but take the program beyond just appearing in the ACC championship game. As great as last season was, Louisville wants to win championships, and coach Jeff Brohm feels an urgency to deliver for his hometown team. Tyler Shough is expected to take over at quarterback after transferring from Texas Tech, and there are transfers coming in at receiver in Caullin Lacy and Ja’Corey Brooks to pair with Chris Bell to help get more consistency out of the passing game. Upgrading the offensive line was huge, too, as Louisville signed four from the portal. Getting the offense on the same page will obviously be big this spring and into fall camp. — Adelson


How will the Jayhawks adjust to changes along the offensive line?

In the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the Jayhawks allowed the fewest sacks in the Big 12, and over the past three years allowed an average of just 1.1 sacks per game. But now, they lose three starters on the offensive line in Dominick Puni, Mike Novitsky and Ar’maj Reed-Adams. In addition to those losses, OL coach Scott Fuchs joined Brian Callahan and the Tennessee Titans as an offensive assistant. That makes this transition more interesting, given the improvements the Jayhawks’ offensive line saw under his leadership. — Lyles


Can Brock Vandagriff adjust to a new system?

Quarterbacks Stetson Bennett IV and Carson Beck blocked Vandagriff from getting on the field often at Georgia. Vandagriff was one of the most highly regarded dual-threat prospects in the country in 2021. Lincoln Riley had hand-picked him to run his offense at Oklahoma before Vandagriff flipped from the Sooners to the Bulldogs. Vandagriff will have a clean canvas at Kentucky, and Wildcats coach Mark Stoops is hoping he can help revive an attack that ranked 11th in the SEC in passing (211.6 yards) and total offense (339.5) last season. Vandagriff’s running ability should take some pressure off Kentucky’s offensive line. Getting Vandagriff comfortable in new offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan’s system will be a priority this spring. — Schlabach


What can Cam Ward do for the offense?

It is as tantalizing a question as there is headed into the season, because the Hurricanes return talent across the board at the skill positions, from running back Mark Fletcher to receivers Jacolby George and Xavier Restrepo. Ward has proven to be prolific in the passing game, with three straight seasons of 3,200 or more passing yards. That is one area where Miami simply had no consistency over the past two seasons with quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. In fact, Miami has not had a 3,000-yard passer since Malik Rosier in 2017 — the last time Miami won 10 games in a season. How quickly Ward gets up to speed will be a spring storyline to watch. — Adelson


What does everything look like under Mike Elko?

Talent was not a problem under Jimbo Fisher. A stubborn lack of offensive evolution plagued the Aggies over the past several years, but so did a lack of discipline or accountability, according to sources inside the program. Elko has plugged holes in the transfer portal, particularly at wide receiver and defensive back. But the biggest question mark will be that offense, and how new coordinator Collin Klein, who ran a highly effective system at Kansas State that often featured the quarterback run, will look with Conner Weigman, who is one of the Aggies’ best QB prospects in years. — Wilson

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Gushin’ with goals: Oilers avoid sweep, win 8-1

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Gushin' with goals: Oilers avoid sweep, win 8-1

EDMONTON, Alberta — Connor McDavid scored, “La Bamba” played in the Edmonton Oilers locker room and the Stanley Cup Final is heading back to Florida after a statement win.

McDavid scored his first goal of the series as part of a four-point performance, and Stuart Skinner was spectacular in making 32 saves as the Oilers routed the Florida Panthers 8-1 in Game 4 on Saturday night, chasing Sergei Bobrovsky and avoiding a sweep. Game 5 is Tuesday in Sunrise.

“It’s just one win,” McDavid said. “That’s all it is, whether you score eight or you score one. It’s just one win. We’ve got to go to Florida and do a job and drag them back to Alberta.”

The Panthers’ party will have to wait after a complete meltdown from a team with many players who have never been this close to hoisting the Cup. Bobrovsky was pulled five minutes into the second period after allowing five goals on 16 shots — more than he gave up in the first three games of the series combined.

“It had nothing to do with ‘Bob,'” Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said. “It was more of a wake-up call to everybody. We know he’s going to come back better than ever.”

Whether it was a last-gasp effort in front of a jacked up home crowd hoping to see the start of a historic comeback or the breakthrough coach Kris Knoblauch has been foreshadowing, the Oilers were dominant in every facet of a game they needed to win.

It started with Mattias Janmark scoring 3:11 in on a 2-on-1 rush with Connor Brown. Janmark staked Edmonton to a two-goal lead less than five minutes later, setting up Adam Henrique for his second career goal in the Cup Final 12 years after the game winner for New Jersey that also prevented a sweep in the Final.

The odds remain long for the Oilers, given that the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs are the only team to erase a 3-0 deficit at this stage of the playoffs and only four teams total have ever done it.

“Obviously that was a massive win, but we still know what the circumstances are,” said Dylan Holloway, who had two goals after not scoring since the second round. “We’re still down 3-1. The biggest thing for us is kind of just to forget that and use it, bottle it kind of, keep notice that [we] can do it but just move forward.”

The belief will certainly be tangible after breaking out offensively and building a lead rather than holding on to protect it, a quality they had in spades through the first three rounds to win the Western Conference. Florida cutting its deficit to one on Vladimir Tarasenko‘s goal midway through the first period did not cause Edmonton to fold, with Skinner making the most important save of the night on Carter Verhaeghe on a 2-on-1 chance and Holloway answering before intermission.

“He was great,” McDavid said of Skinner. “You talk about goaltending and needing timely saves. He made some really timely saves. That was as big a save as you’re going to get.”

The offense just kept coming. McDavid, the reigning and three-time NHL MVP, beat Bobrovsky early in the second and minutes later set up Darnell Nurse for the defenseman’s first goal of the playoffs. That sent the goalie known as Bob to the bench amid derisive chants of “Sergei! Sergei!” as Anthony Stolarz came in for his postseason debut.

The Panthers, hours after family members arrived for a potential celebration more than 2,500 miles from home, took their frustrations out in a handful of post-whistle scrums. One of them gave the Oilers’ power play more target practice, and the unit that came into the final looking nearly automatic but started 0-for-12 in this series made them pay with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scoring on the 5-on-3 advantage.

“I’m not counting 5-on-3,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said.

McDavid’s three assists Saturday gave him 32 total for this run, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record from 1988 for the most in a single postseason. McDavid had more points Saturday night than in the first three games of the series combined, and he was the Oilers’ leading scorer while other top players were quiet.

“He just continues to impress everyone,” Knoblauch said. “It was a great performance.”

At even strength and on the power play, another adjustment by Knoblauch paid off for Edmonton’s rookie coach. He moved Nugent-Hopkins down to play with Leon Draisaitl, and each of the first two lines scored a big goal.

The outburst and a comfortable lead got fans going with everything from “We want seven!” to a singalong of Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life.” They got it when Holloway scored with under six minutes left and some extra when Ryan McLeod added the exclamation point with the eighth goal with 3:19 on the clock.

Skinner also heard “STUUUU!” plenty as he had his best game of the final, denying the Panthers on several high-quality scoring chances as they tried to get back into it.

The confidence in the possibility of extending the series that was evident inside the home locker room extended around downtown Edmonton. A fresh sign reading, “BELIEVE” was added to a window around the corner from Rogers Place on Saturday.

Inside, one fan held up a sign reading, “So you’re saying there’s a chance?” And now the Oilers have another chance to put pressure on the Panthers with the series returning to South Florida.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Maurice: Blowout loss ‘all part of this process’

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Maurice: Blowout loss 'all part of this process'

EDMONTON, Alberta — The Florida Panthers said their blowout loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final was a learning experience.

What a harsh education it was: Losing 8-1 on Saturday night, watching their star goaltender get pulled, and squandering a chance to win the Cup in a series sweep.

“We either win or we learn,” captain Aleksander Barkov said. “It only counts as one win. It doesn’t matter how much you lose — whether it’s 2-1 or 8-1. Obviously, we need to bounce back. We need to recover now and think about the next one.”

The Panthers had not been beaten that emphatically all postseason. In fact, the Oilers made NHL history in the win, tying the 1918 Vancouver Millionaires for the largest margin of victory when facing elimination in Stanley Cup Final. They were one goal away from the tying the largest margin of victory in Stanley Cup Final history, a record eight goals set by the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Minnesota North Stars in 1991.

Florida coach Paul Maurice downplayed the blowout loss.

“I’ll fire up at least once cliche for you: We came into Edmonton to get a split and we got what we needed,” he said. “But most cliches have some merit to it. In general, things will be far more extreme outside your room than inside it. So at 3-0 (in the series), we’re not sitting there, getting the engravers out. We lost the game tonight.”

Edmonton couldn’t have scripted a bigger reversal of fortune after three straight losses.

Their star center, Connor McDavid, had a four-point night, setting an NHL record for most assists in a single postseason (32) in the process. His 38 points are fifth all-time in a single postseason.

Their other standout offensive players hit the score sheet for the first time in the series, as Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard all recorded their first points against the Panthers. The Oilers power play finally converted, having now gone 1-for-16 in the series – although Maurice said he’s “not counting” that one, as it was scored on a 5-on-3 power play.

Perhaps most of all, they chased goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, scoring five goals on 16 shots against the netminder. That gave them seven goals in their last three periods vs. the previously impenetrable goalie, who entered Game 4 with a .953 save percentage in the series.

“He’d have enough,” said Maurice, who replaced Bobrovsky with Anthony Stolarz at 4:59 of the second period. “My number on Bob’s probably five (goals) in general. So that’s (a) steady decision.”

Winger Matthew Tkachuk said he’s not worried about carry over to Game 5 for Bobrovsky.

“We gave up eight goals, and zero of them were the goalie’s fault,” he said. “(Bobrovsky) has been unbelievable all year, all playoffs. That was more of a wake-up call to the forwards and the D as opposed to [him]. It had nothing to do with Bob. We know he’s going to come back better than ever and with that being said, none of them were his fault.”

The Panthers had a chance to win the Stanley Cup in a sweep. The chalice was in the building. The players said that wasn’t a distraction. Their coach acknowledged it presented a different kind of challenge.

“It’s the first opportunity that we’ve had as a franchise really to feel the two (past) days — the excitement of it, the emotions of it. We’ll learn how to channel it. That’s all part of this process,” he said.

Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final is Tuesday night in Sunrise, Florida.

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McDavid sets single-postseason assists record

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McDavid sets single-postseason assists record

Oilers captain Connor McDavid set the NHL record for most assists in a single postseason, picking up his 32nd on Saturday night during Edmonton’s 8-1 win over the visiting Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

McDavid broke the record previously held by Hall of Fame center Wayne Gretzky, who led the Oilers to four Stanley Cup titles in his tenure in Edmonton. Gretzky posted 31 assists in the 1988 postseason.

The Oilers’ victory trimmed their Final deficit to 3-1, and also featured McDavid’s first goal of the series. He finished with three assists, and four points, as Edmonton forced a Game 5 on Tuesday in Sunrise, Florida.

“Very high, just because of what was at stake,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said, when asked where this performance ranks on his list of great nights for McDavid. “An elimination game, here in the Final, he just continues to impress everyone, quite a night for him to set the record and we’re obviously very happy for him to be part of that. But yeah, he just keeps on making plays and scoring goals, making assists, whatever, but yeah, it was a great performance.”

McDavid now has 38 points this postseason, the most by an active player in a single postseason and tied for fifth most ever. He has 23 points in games following a loss this postseason, passing Doug Gilmour (20 in 1993) for the most in one playoff year.

All told Saturday, he helped to ignite an offense that had shown serious signs of wear and tear earlier in the series.

“It’s just one win,” McDavid said. “That’s all it is. It doesn’t matter if you score eight or if you score one. It’s just one win and we’ve got to go to Florida and do a job and drag them back to Alberta.”

Along the way, he also became the first player since 1987 to record four points in a Stanley Cup Final game when facing elimination. And he did so on a night, when the intimidating power-play unit that he’s on, delivered a goal in six tries.

“We’ve had lots of looks over the first four games, certainly created enough to have a couple go in,” Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said. “It’s just not the way the game works sometimes. I’m just proud of the way we always stick with it, continue to work at it, and stay work based. Hopefully we can build off that a little bit.”

Information from ESPN Stats & Information was used in this report.

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