Henrique looks back on tough times as Oilers Stanley Cup chances fade

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If things keep going the way they have been in the Stanley Cup Final for Adam Henrique, 2024 will mark a pretty dark chapter in his NHL career.

Getting traded ahead of the deadline to the Edmonton Oilers from an Anaheim Ducks squad that had already faded into the obscurity extended the season of the 34-year-old forward, breathing new life into his previously squashed post-season hopes.

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But to suffer the defeat of getting swept in four games in the Stanley Cup Final at the hands of the Florida Panthers would hardly be the ending he wanted to write on it.

Then again, this isn’t the only rough patch Henrique has been through.

The 2012 season wasn’t the nicest in the end, either, to the Brantford, Ont., product, who is playing in his 14th NHL season.

“I’ve been through a lot of tough times, so I’ll be alright,” said Henrique, whose first career goal came in 2011 against none other than Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, then playing for the Philadelphia Flyers.

The following year, Henrique would miss attending the NHL All-Star Rookie SuperSkills competition because of a groin injury sustained against none other than the Oilers he now plays for.

But in the Eastern Conference quarter-finals that season, Henrique scored two goals in Game 7 against none other than the same Panthers club. The second goal was the double-overtime winner that sent the New Jersey Devils on to the conference semifinals. He also scored in overtime against the New York Rangers to send the Devils on to the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.

While the Los Angeles Kings went on to win the Cup that year, Henrique knows a thing or two about playoff magic.

“I mean, it’s one game,” Henrique said. “The goal is to win tomorrow night, go from there. You can’t look too far ahead, you can’t look big picture, you have to just focus on, really, just the start of that game. First period, second period, third period. Go from there.

“That is the mindset, just one game, go from there.”

E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge

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