BLOG: Athanasiou draws praise from Coach Tippett

EDMONTON, AB - Oilers Head Coach Dave Tippett had plenty of reasons to be pleased following his club's 6-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 2 of their best-of-five Stanley Cup Qualifier series.

The bench boss received a three-goal performance from Captain Connor McDavid, strong goaltending from Mikko Koskinen, solid penalty killing from his shorthanded units and steady depth throughout his lineup.

Another positive sight for Tippett was the play of winger Andreas Athanasiou, who was acquired by the Oilers at the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 25.

Athanasiou - known as 'Double-A' in the dressing room - energized the Oilers in just under 10 minutes of ice time. The former Detroit Red Wing was confident with the puck and flashed his wheels, moving momentum forward with several individual rushes and net drives over his 12 shifts.

"That's probably the best game we've seen him play," Tippett said after his post-game coach's meeting on Monday. "Dynamic speed and acceleration. Wanted the puck all night and really brought something to the table for us."

On Tuesday, Tippett doubled-down on his praise for Double-A.

"You see those individual bursts and plays where he's really hungry for the puck, those are things that a player like him - even though he might not be getting as much ice time as some players - he can have an impact," said the Oilers coach.

"You noticed his speed throughout the game… I was happy to see how he played, how he reacted and, hopefully, that's a good step forward for him."

Despite his quick feet, Athanasiou wasn't able to get up to speed with the Oilers when he was first obtained. The 25-year-old appeared in nine outings with his new club before the National Hockey League pause, picking up one goal and one assist.

For Athanasiou, hearing his coach's approval in the playoffs is motivating.

"Any time you hear that it's definitely a confidence booster," the former 30-goal scorer said.

"I just try to go out there and just do the best I can."

Edmonton's depth upfront will be needed going forward against the 'Hawks. Athanasiou, with just one point in seven career post-season outings, is hoping to provide support as he gets more comfortable.

"We have four good lines right now," he said. "It's a good feeling to be part of that."