With Oscar Klefbom and Andrej Sekera out of the lineup, Benning moved up to the second defensive pairing and afirst power-play unit for Game 6. The 22-year-old played a team-high 23:38 against the Ducks in Game 6 and set up Mark Letestu for his second goal of the game.
Head Coach Todd McLellan said Benning made a smooth transition from the NCAA to the NHL during the regular season. That strong play has carried his strong play over into the playoffs.
“Benning has been tremendous,” McLellan told Oilers TV following practice on Tuesday.