Oilers’ Connor McDavid becomes third player in NHL history to score 40+ points in a single playoff

Connor McDavid’s brilliance continued Tuesday night, racking up his second straight four-point performance, becoming the only player in Stanley Cup Final history to do so as his Oilers downed the Panthers 5-3 in a pivotal Game 5.

The Oilers have dragged the Panthers, as well as their friends and family, all the way back to Alberta. If they thought it was loud for Games 3 and 4, it would surely be even louder on Friday for Game 6.

And when McDavid hits the ice, he’ll do so as the third player in NHL history to record 40+ points in a single playoff run, joining the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. The Great One did it three times: first in 1985, when he set an NHL record with 47 points, in 1988 (43 points) and 1993 (40 points), while Lemieux did it once, racking up 44 points in 1991.

“I seem to be getting this question a lot which is a good thing,” said McDavid after Game 5, when asked about being in the same company as those two. “Anytime you’re compared or in the same realm as those two, it’s always a good thing.

“I love playing in the playoffs, I love playing with this group, and it’s not possible without everybody. It’s been a fun ride, we’re glad it’s going to go one more day, but that’s all we’ve earned here is another day, another flight. We’ll be ready to go on Friday in Edmonton.”

It’s elite territory for McDavid, further cementing what will be a Hall of Fame career and a likely spot on Mount Rushmore alongside Gretzky and Lemieux.

Other accolades hit on Tuesday night saw him become the third player in NHL history to record 10 or more points in a three-game span of Stanley Cup Finals games, trailing only Wayne Gretzky (6-3—10) and Paul Coffey (3-7—10), who did so between Games 3 and 5 of the 1985 Finals.

McDavid’s production over that time also helped the Oilers set a modern-day NHL record for most goals when facing elimination in the Finals, with 13. The only team to have more? The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, who scored 19 goals to help overcome a 3-0 series deficit to win the Stanley Cup.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.