Edmonton Oilers' Adam Henrique (19) celebrates a goal against the Arizona Coyotes during NHL action in Edmonton on Friday April 12, 2024. The veteran centre will be in the lineup tonight when his Oilers take on the Dallas Stars in Game 3 of the Western Conference final, head coach Kris Knoblauch said. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
EDMONTON – Oilers centre Adam Henrique joined the action Monday. Stars counterpart Roope Hintz did the same.
The pair returned to their respective lineups when Edmonton hosted Dallas in Game 3 of the Western Conference final.
Henrique suffered a suspected ankle injury in Game 5 of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings before briefly returning for Game 2 against the Vancouver Canucks.
“It’s more nerve-racking watching than playing,” the 34-year-old centre said Monday morning. “But watching the guys, seeing everybody come together and push through and battle, it was certainly great to watch, and see the team continue to get better.
“You’re just itching to be a part of that.”
The Oilers and Stars entered play tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven series after Dallas picked up a 3-1 home victory Saturday. Edmonton took the opener 3-2 in double overtime.
Hintz, the Stars’ No. 1 centre, hadn’t dressed since suffering an upper-body injury in Game 4 of the second round against the Colorado Avalanche.
The 27-year-old, who took part in Monday’s optional morning skate, has two goals and four assists in 11 playoff games. He put up 30 goals and 65 points in 80 regular-season contests.
“An awesome player,” Stars centre Wyatt Johnston said. “One of the best players in the world. You can’t really replace a guy like that.”
Acquired from the Anaheim Ducks ahead of the NHL trade deadline, Henrique has a goal and an assist in six playoff appearances this spring. He combined to score 24 goals and 51 points in the regular season.
“Very important player for us,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said. “He can kill penalties, he can be on the power play, and he’s a really good five-on-five player. There’s games that we could have put him in. I would say he was very close – maybe not 100 per cent – but I’m sure if it was the Stanley Cup final Game 7 we would have had him in earlier.”
Oilers forward Ryan McLeod was a healthy scratch after failing to register a point in Edmonton’s first 14 playoff games. He has, however, been part of an Oilers’ penalty kill that had gone 20 straight short-handed opportunities without giving up a goal heading into Monday.
Knoblauch compared the 24-year-old taking a seat to the “reset” the team gave goaltender Stuart Skinner in Games 4 and 5 of the Vancouver series.
“There’s a lot to like about his game,” said the coach. “A lot of it is from the penalty kill. He’s been contributing a lot there with his quickness, his reads. Five-on-five, he hasn’t been playing quite like he had been – especially around the middle part of the season.
“We’ve got a lot of players that are playing well. It’s been difficult to take anybody out of the lineup.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2024.
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