Congrats to NHL referee Kyle Rehman for officiating his 1000th game on Thursday night. Leon Draisaitl gave him some congratulatory taps before the opening face-off, with the Sportsnet broadcast jokingly quipping that the sentimental would wear off right after the game started, and it did. Not that it matters anymore after your team wins by three goals, but Draisaitl took a penalty in the first period that was eerily similar to one from last year’s Playoffs. When Blake Lizotte took him down, he didn’t like that too much and gave him a slash on the leg. It wasn’t a hard slash, but it was enough to take a retaliation penalty.
To remind you of that penalty I was referring to from last year, The Oilers had just a go-ahead goal on the powerplay in Game 3, and Leon decided to lightly tap an opposing player’s leg, I think that player was Drew Doughty, the same way he did with Lizotte. That wound up being a penalty and the Kings wound up scoring on the man advantage themselves right after Draisaitl’s team got their momentum. Hockey is a very passionate sport, and players won’t hide it. But there is a difference between playing with emotion and just being emotional. Sometimes when your team is getting a PP anyway, just leave your opponent alone and let the initial penalty be called. If you’re pissed off, get your revenge on the scoreboard.
Not a whole lot of the last game to critique, I just thought that penalty was worth discussing. Stuart Skinner had a great game and it’s a shame that he lost the shutout in the third period. Tonight, the Oilers finish their brief homestand, going from a potential Round 1 rematch to a lowly team that was just mathematically eliminated. The keys to the game are…
Points Indifference: The Ducks will eventually be a good team. They have good pieces in their rebuild. But Oilers fans can relate to a time when the basement of the standings was all they knew before the McDavid era started. There’s no pressure right now for Anaheim, they can play for pride as they say.
Reverse Homecoming: Adam Henrique, and I’d think Sam Carrick as well, will be playing against their former team for the first time three weeks after the Trade Deadline. Henrique has contributed to the Oilers with good face-off numbers and three Hyman-esque goals. Carrick has dropped gloves, and added a goal of his own. Look for these two to try and have a nice showing against their old teammates in their new rink.
Medicine For Offense?: The Ducks are ranked 30th in Goals For Per Game, 30th in Goals Against Per Game, 25th on the Powerplay and 31st on the Penalty Kill. If some Oilers players are looking to get off a scoring slump or add on to their goal contributions opening up, this would perhaps be a good game to start getting their confidence back before the start of the Playoffs.
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