Oilers' Kane confirms status for Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final
Evander Kane cleared the air this morning after speculation ran rampant on whether or not he would be available for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight.
The 32-year-old power forward was not on the ice with the team this morning and it’s been well-documented that he is fighting through at least one injury. Adam Henrique was skating in his spot on the second line alongside Leon Draisaitl and Dylan Holloway, and it seemed plausible that Kane would not be playing tonight.
Yet, in a pre-game availability, Kane himself confirmed that he would be playing.
“I think I’m going to be playing tonight,” Kane told a scrum of reporters. “It’s the Stanley Cup Final, so I think everybody’s geared up and ready to play.
“There’s lots of guys going through different things. I’m excited about tonight’s game and responding from Game 1.”
Kane on his status for Game 2 tonight:
"I think I'm going to be playing tonight. It's the Stanley Cup Final so I think everybody's geared up and ready to play."
Sounds like he'll play after not skating this morning. Where in the lineup is not exactly clear. #Oilers
— Preston Hodgkinson (@NHLHodgkinson) June 10, 2024
What isn’t known quite yet is where Kane will slot into the Oilers lineup. He spent Game 1 playing on the second line, but it appears that will be Henrique’s spot tonight. A bump down to the third line with Ryan McLeod and Corey Perry could make some sense. Warren Foegele was in that spot this morning, but there is always a chance he could be a placeholder.
We most likely won’t know the exact lineup until warmups.
Kane has had an up-and-down playoff run with the Oilers this season. He hasn’t scored quite as much as hoped, with just four goals and eight points in 19 games. On the flip side, Kane has proven valuable in the physicality he brings with each shift.
He brought that physical style of play in the opening game of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, but it will be important that he finds a way to make an impact on the scoresheet. There is no better time to get the offensive gears turning than right now.
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