BLOG: McLellan not succumbing to strict line matching

Ryan Kesler shadowing Connor McDavid; Andrej Sekera and Kris Russell defending against Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf.
The line matching possibilities in Round 2 against the Anaheim Ducks for the Oilers are ever-present.
"It's easy to look for the simple match," started McLellan. "The simple match right now is (Ryan) Kesler on Connor (McDavid) but there's always secondary ones that come into play in a series."
McLellan believes faceoffs can indicate what the matchups look like. After a successful draw, the team with puck possession can complete a full cycle if they choose.
"You lose a draw, they get a line change and what are you going to do, change your five guys?" asked the Oilers bench boss.
With that being said, McLellan believes there are drawbacks to line matching.
"Matching can be over-emphasized, it can take a number of players out of the game, it can destroy your rhythm and you'd like to have an edge but if you don't get it, you still got to find ways to win," he said. "We're going to play four of seven games on the road, odds are we're not going to get it, we'll find a way to get through it somehow."