In the first game of the series, the battle in the faceoff circle wasn't even close.
The Carolina Hurricanes in general, and Rod Brind'Amour in particular, dominated the faceoff dot.
On Saturday, the Oilers were back to the form displayed in the regular season and through the playoffs.
"We're just bearing down a little bit more and getting to know guys a little bit better, what's effective and what you can get away with," said Oilers centre Michael Peca. "We're a team that has always been very strong on faceoffs. It wasn't going to be a case where they were going to have the upper hand throughout."
The Hurricanes won 62% of the draws in the opening game of the series. Brind'Amour was 28-6.
In the second game, the Hurricanes claimed 58% of the draws. Brind'Amour was 10-10.
On Saturday, the Oilers won 58% of the draws. Brind'Amour was 10-17.
"Every good faceoff guy has the ability to cheat and get away with it and we're no different," said Peca. "I'm not saying he's the only one that does it, but when he's on the road, he's got to get his stick down first and it allows us to have a cleaner faceoff."
Following the opening game of the series, the Oilers suggested Brind'Amour was cheating in the circle.
Head coach Craig MacTavish, however, denies the Oilers sent a tape into the NHL.
"We didn't send a tape to the league," said MacTavish. "The league is here. They'd have to reroute it back here to actually see it."
On Saturday Peca was 15-6 in the faceoff circle, while Shawn Horcoff was 11-7 and Jarret Stoll was 1-5. In total, the Oilers were 28-20 in the faceoff circle.
"You have a big advantage at home when the visiting team has to pause and put his stick on the ice first," MacTavish said. "It's certainly one they were exploiting on us in Carolina, it's good to see that we were able to turn the tables here at home.
"Faceoffs are so critical to the success and it was no small matter that we won the faceoff battle and we won our first game of the series."
The Carolina Hurricanes in general, and Rod Brind'Amour in particular, dominated the faceoff dot.
On Saturday, the Oilers were back to the form displayed in the regular season and through the playoffs.
"We're just bearing down a little bit more and getting to know guys a little bit better, what's effective and what you can get away with," said Oilers centre Michael Peca. "We're a team that has always been very strong on faceoffs. It wasn't going to be a case where they were going to have the upper hand throughout."
The Hurricanes won 62% of the draws in the opening game of the series. Brind'Amour was 28-6.
In the second game, the Hurricanes claimed 58% of the draws. Brind'Amour was 10-10.
On Saturday, the Oilers won 58% of the draws. Brind'Amour was 10-17.
"Every good faceoff guy has the ability to cheat and get away with it and we're no different," said Peca. "I'm not saying he's the only one that does it, but when he's on the road, he's got to get his stick down first and it allows us to have a cleaner faceoff."
Following the opening game of the series, the Oilers suggested Brind'Amour was cheating in the circle.
Head coach Craig MacTavish, however, denies the Oilers sent a tape into the NHL.
"We didn't send a tape to the league," said MacTavish. "The league is here. They'd have to reroute it back here to actually see it."
On Saturday Peca was 15-6 in the faceoff circle, while Shawn Horcoff was 11-7 and Jarret Stoll was 1-5. In total, the Oilers were 28-20 in the faceoff circle.
"You have a big advantage at home when the visiting team has to pause and put his stick on the ice first," MacTavish said. "It's certainly one they were exploiting on us in Carolina, it's good to see that we were able to turn the tables here at home.
"Faceoffs are so critical to the success and it was no small matter that we won the faceoff battle and we won our first game of the series."
