BLOG: Desharnais draws in for Stanley Cup Final debut

SUNRISE, FL – Vinny is inny for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Desharnais draws in on the Oilers back end in place of Cody Ceci, making his return to the lineup after being the odd man out for the final three games of the Western Conference Final vs. Dallas and Saturday's opening matchup of the championship round.

Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said he hopes the towering blueliner can provide a boost.

"Vinny has been played very well for us this year, whether it's been through the playoffs or regular season," the bench boss said. "We have a lot of confidence in him. He can move the puck out. He's a big defender. We've inserted some new bodies, new life into our lineup, throughout the playoffs, and it's paid off. So we've got an excellent, capable person who hasn't been playing the last few games and we feel that he can help us."

Desharnais will have Darnell Nurse as his defence partner on Monday. The duo has played 84:12 together at even strength so far in the playoffs, holding a slight edge over opponents in both scoring chances (39-38) and high-danger scoring chances (18-17) per Natural Stat Trick.

"When we work together, we communicate well," he said of his chemistry with Nurse. "I think we make a very good pair. We're hard to play against and we try to be as physical as possible."

Desharnais said it's been difficult to not be on the ice for the last four games, but he feels he can bring a fresh perspective and awareness of what he needs to do to be successful.

"It sucks... I'm not gonna lie, it sucks," he laughed. But you just try to learn as much as you can and just try to see the small details that can make a difference in my game that I can improve on."

Despite being 28 years old, Desharnais just completed his first full season in the NHL after playing four years of college at Providence and spending four more years honing his craft in the minors.

As much as he appreciates the opportunity to play in the Stanley Cup Final after his long journey to get to this point, he's focused on the trophy rather than the participation ribbon.

"It's definitely something I'm proud of and I think I've had my moment to kind of enjoy it and let it sink in after Game 6 against Dallas," he said. "I talked about it with my family and my friends and it was really cool. But I'm not here just to come to the Final. I want to win and I have a job to do. As much as I will enjoy it, I've got to stay dialled in and be sharp tonight."