POST-GAME: Connor connection on display in Battle of Alberta blowout

EDMONTON, AB – Their chemistry is a little Erie.

Oilers fans got a glimpse of the Connor connection on Wednesday night at Rogers Place as namesakes McDavid and Brown rekindled some of the magic from their major junior days with the OHL's Otters by combining for seven points in a 7-2 blowout win over the Calgary Flames in the team's penultimate pre-season dress rehearsal.

Rather appropriately, the captain set up the newcomer for his first two goals in an Oilers uniform and added one of his own as well as another assist for a four-point performance. Brown also had an assist for a three-point night.

After the victory, Brown was asked if playing with McDavid was as fun as he remembered it to be from their Erie tenures when he scored 73 goals and 124 assists for 197 points in 131 games during their two seasons together (2012-14).

"It might be more fun," he laughed. "He's everywhere, and when he's on his game like that, he's got the puck on a string and it's fun to be out there with him."

Brown and McDavid formed a formidable trio with Evander Kane and got the offensive-zone cycle going early and often against the Flames, who did not have many of their NHL stalwarts in the lineup.

Their first goal made it 2-0 Oilers with just over 12 minutes to go in the opening frame as Brown played the puck along the end boards to McDavid, who snuck around defender Nikita Zadorov and skipped a saucer pass back to Brown in the slot for a one-timer blast into the top corner past Dan Vladar.

Tally number two came in a similar fashion with 6:20 left in the middle frame to make it 5-2, as McDavid picked the pocket of former Edmonton blueliner Jordan Oesterle and found Brown swooping to the net for the no-doubt finish past a sprawled Vladar.

Brown was Edmonton's big off-season acquisition as they addressed their need for another top-six winger by signing the 29-year-old to a one-year deal. The Washington Capitals were hoping he would fill that role on their team last season after they got him in a summer trade with the Ottawa Senators, but Brown tore his ACL just four games into 2022-23 and required season-ending surgery.

McDavid, who dealt with a serious knee injury of his own in 2019 when he tore his PCL, said Wednesday morning he's been impressed with his longtime friend's showing thus far at Oilers camp.

"Coming off a serious knee injury is always scary for any player and I think he looks great," said the reigning league MVP. "He's ahead of even where I would have thought he would have been at this point and I think he looks great. He's been fun to play with in our opener game and we have a chance tonight to build a little chemistry."

And build they did with the pair of hookups for goals in the decisive victory, as Head Coach Jay Woodcroft had plenty of post-game praise for Brown's offensive upside.

"He's someone who can make a play," Woodcroft said. "He has good offensive zone habits, a nose for the net. He's hungry. And you know what I like about him that probably no one in here knows? He's got life on the bench. He's someone that brings energy, says good things, and I think that's contagious."

Woodcroft added, "I think he's going to fit our team like a glove."

Brown's two-goal night earned him first-star honours as he got to take his curtain call and give a wave to the Oilers fans who are anxiously awaiting the start of the regular season next week.

"The passion that this city has for their team and what this organization, what this team means to the city, it's felt in this room and it's felt in the organization," Brown said of his first impressions of playing in Edmonton. "I'm loving it."