FEATURE: To Cali with confidence

EDMONTON, AB - Confidence is key.
And scoring five points in one game will no doubt give reason to pump one's chest.
So too will defeating the National Hockey League's best team - the Tampa Bay Lightning - by a four-goal margin, causing one of the premier goalies in the League to be yanked and containing arguably the most lethal offensive tandem from appearing on the scoresheet.

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PRACTICE RAW | Oilers Head Coach McLellan
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There's something to be said about the Oilers performance on Monday night when 21-year-old Connor McDavid electrified his club with another amazing effort - going from 13th in League scoring to a tie for third in a matter of 60 minutes.
"This game is all about confidence," McDavid said Tuesday. "How you're feeling out there and how you're feeling with the puck. When you go through a night like that, it's definitely good for your confidence."
Not only for McDavid but for the group as a whole.
A group that rejuvenated the special teams by going 2-for-4 on the power play when they were unable to strike in 17 man-advantage opportunities through eight games prior.
A group that killed penalties at home and got solid contributions from each line - whether they appeared on the scoreboard or not. And for a group that will embark on a three-game road trip against a division they are 10-2-0 against in the 2017-18 campaign.
"It affects everybody," said Oilers Head Coach Todd McLellan. "When your high-end players are playing that way, they feel good and can drag everybody's confidence up with them. Connor's been able to do that lately."

Ryan Strome, feeling good about himself with a two-point power-play performance against the Bolts, confirmed the assertion.
"Obviously, he's going to be our leader," said Strome of McDavid. "We know that. We know we draw our inspiration from him and how good he can be but everyone did their job. Everybody pulled their weight. The fourth line chipped in with a goal and the other two lines were really steady and didn't give up much."
Confidence is a weapon in the NHL. Alongside hard work and skill, it can debilitate opposition on any given evening.
"When you feel good about your game as an individual, you tend to make more plays," said McLellan. "The risk you play with, you get rewarded with a little bit more."
The Oilers will play the next five of six on the road against the Pacific Division. Following Monday's outing, there's certainly no shortage of belief in the Oilers Dressing Room heading into Cali.
"If we can do that every night and if everybody pulls the rope, we'll be fine," said Strome.