Edmonton Oilers' defenceman Darnell Nurse faced intense scrutiny early in their series against the Dallas Stars. Despite contributing three assists over 16 games, his minus-12 rating drew criticism, with many feeling he wasn't living up to his $9-million salary. Adam Vingan of Sportlogiq remarked, Nurse has been a liability defensively during the Oilers' playoff run. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/oilertweets/status/1795806074815037881'> </a></blockquote></div> <h3>Edmonton Oilers need more from Nurse if they are going to win the Stanley Cup</h3> Understanding the pressure of playoff performance is six-time Stanley Cup champion and former Oilers star Mark Messier. On Real Kyper & Bourne on Sportsnet 590, Messier emphasized the importance of handling the heat: <q> You're not going to play great for two months straight. You are going to make mistakes. You are going to hear the consequences of not performing at the level that people expect of you. </q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/FAN590/status/1795955032786907592'> </a></blockquote></div> Nurse demonstrated resilience with a standout performance in Game 4, recording an assist, 12 hits, and three blocked shots, including a crucial block leading to the Oilers' game-winning, short-handed goal in the second period. <h3>Nurse's numbers are promising in the long road to The Cup</h3> Messier advises that the key to overcoming criticism is maintaining focus and confidence. <q> You have to have an unwavering belief in yourself because it is hard to be a Stanley Cup champion. For me, the most important thing is that the players believed in me because they saw the effort put in during the year. </q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/soIoucity/status/1795982540852920752'> </a></blockquote></div> He stressed the importance of team support and self-awareness. <q> If someone is struggling, we try to pick him up. For Darnell Nurse, there's nowhere to hide. You have to be conscious enough to understand why you're not playing well and be willing to change your game at this time of year. </q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/RossMoore111/status/1796544403575877900'> </a></blockquote></div> In the high-stakes environment of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Nurse's ability to handle pressure and bounce back showcases the determination required to succeed at the highest level. Source: Sportsnet <a href='https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/messier-says-oilers-nurse-needs-to-be-able-to-handle-the-heat/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Messier says Oilers' Nurse needs 'to be able to handle the heat'</a>