Mike Smith Criticized for Inconsistent Play in Connor McDavid, Oilers' Game 3 Loss
Jun 5, 2022
EDMONTON, AB - JUNE 04: Edmonton Oilers Goalie Mike Smith (41) makes a save during the Edmonton Oilers versus the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Western Conference Finals, game 3 on June 04, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Edmonton Oilers fell at home to the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday at Rogers Place, and fans aren't happy with the play of goaltender Mike Smith.
After the Oilers tied the game 2-2 in the third period on a goal from Ryan McLeod, Avs forward J.T. Compher scored what went on to be the game-winning goal just minutes later.
After Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard rung a shot off the post on the power play, Compher raced out of the penalty box, fended off Bouchard to grab the puck and fired it past Smith from the dot.
It's a shot that Smith likely should have stopped. Instead, the puck squeaked through his legs and trickled into the back of the net.
J. T. Compher jumps out of the penalty box and gives the Avalanche the lead again 🚨pic.twitter.com/AnmIrGWonN
— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) June 5, 2022
There is no middle ground with Mike Smith. It’s straight up hot or cold.
my favourite thing about Mike Smith is how he always looks around angrily after a goal as if he was prevented from making the save by a vengeful spirit only he can see
Smith, as many fans have put it, has been a rollercoaster for the Oilers this postseason. He has made some incredible saves, but he has also let in some dreadful goals and could ultimately be the reason Edmonton fails to reach the Stanley Cup Final.
Smith entered Saturday's game with an 8-4 record in the postseason, including a .916 save percentage and two shutouts. However, he hasn't been great against the Avs, posting a .846 save percentage over the first two games of the series. And though he saved 39-of-42 shots (.929 save percentage) in Game 3, he failed to make the most important stop of the night.
If the Oilers are going to extend this series, they're going to need Smith to play more consistently. Mikko Koskinen has posted an 0-2 record and an .897 goals-against average this postseason, leaving Smith as the best option in an elimination game.
The Oilers enter Monday's Game 4 in a must-win situation and likely won't see Game 5 unless Smith or Koskinen come up big.
Avalanche Praised for Explosive Offensive Outburst in Wild Game 1 Win vs. Oilers
Jun 1, 2022
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 31: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates with teammates Gabriel Landeskog #92 and Valeri Nichushkin #13 after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in Game One of the Western Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 31, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
In the time it takes you to read this sentence, the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers may have scored two more goals.
Tuesday's Game 1 of the Western Conference Final was a track meet on ice that Colorado won 8-6. The Avalanche's attack overwhelmed Edmonton's defense from the start, and they are now three wins away from their first Stanley Cup Final since 2001.
A high-scoring game wasn't exactly surprising with the star power in a series featuring Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, but few probably envisioned five combined goals in the first period and six combined goals in the second period.
Social media could barely keep up with the pace:
Oilers-Avalanche is just going to be two weeks of making goalies feel bad about themselves
In a contest where seemingly everyone stuffed the stat sheet, J.T. Compher (two goals) and Cale Makar (one goal and two assists) stood out for Colorado, while McDavid (one goal and two assists) did for Edmonton.
The first period saw Evander Kane open the scoring just for Compher to answer in a mere 36 seconds. That was far longer than Makar needed when he responded to Zach Hyman's goal with one of his own just nine seconds later. The Makar goal was somewhat controversial because of an offside review, but it stood.
Intermission didn't cool down the respective offenses, as goals from Nazem Kadri, Ryan McLeod, Mikko Rantanen and Compher in the first seven minutes of the second period made it 6-3.
The second period also marked the end of the day for both goaltenders with Edmonton pulling Mike Smith for Mikko Koskinen and Colorado inserting Pavel Francouz because Darcy Kuemper suffered an upper-body injury. McDavid managed a goal against the backup, but the Avalanche still led 7-4 heading to the third.
Nothing about Tuesday's game was straightforward, though, so it followed that Derek Ryan and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored to make it 7-6 and put all the pressure on Colorado's side in the closing stretch.
However, Gabriel Landeskog's empty-netter ended the tension for the victors, who will look to defend home ice once again in Thursday's Game 2.
Connor McDavid Hailed as 'Best Player in This Planet' as Oilers Eliminate Flames
May 27, 2022
CALGARY, AB - MAY 26: Edmonton Oilers Center Connor McDavid (97) takes a shot on net during the third period of game 5 of the second round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers on May 26, 2022, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Connor McDavid continued his remarkable
playoff run with an overtime goal Thursday night to eliminate the
Calgary Flames and punch the Edmonton Oilers' ticket to the Western
Conference Finals.
If McDavid hadn't already established
himself as the NHL's best player before this year's Stanley Cup
playoffs, he's done it over the past month with 26 points (seven
goals and 19 assists) in 12 postseason games to put the Oilers within
eight wins of a title.
Hall of Fame winger Teemu Selanne is
among those who've taken notice:
👏👏👏NHL playoffs have been exactly as good as we thought, so many unbelievable games and so many great players playing 💪💪💪 and how good is Connor McDavid,his body language is that he is willing to win the games by himself if he has to ,by far the best player in this planet😊
Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic
analyzed McDavid's performance before Game 5. He determined
the 25-year-old center is on pace for 11.2 wins of value in the
playoffs, which would be the highest mark of the current era (since
2008) and puts him closer to the more heavily involved NBA
superstars than his own NHL counterparts.
"Connor McDavid is in god mode," Luszczyszyn wrote.
Those comments proved prophetic as the
two-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner ended Calgary's season and sent
Edmonton to the conference finals for the first time since 2006.
Here's a look at some other reaction to
McDavid's latest highlight-reel moment:
"Hard to put into words what that one meant to me."
McDavid has been on the ice for 38 goals for in the playoffs in 261:41 of TOI. STL has 38 goals in 671 min. NYR has 37 in 773 min. TB has 36 in 678 min CGY has 35 in 735 min. CAR has 33 in 723 min. FLO scored 23 in 607 min COL only team with more, 40 goals, in 560 min.
I do not watch hockey and it is so easy to figure out who Connor McDavid is. This cat is fast as all get out and every player on Calgary is constantly trying to punch him in the face.
Thank You Hockey Gods for giving us the Battle of Alberta & thank you for blessing us with Connor McDavid.
— Carlo Colaiacovo (@CarloColaiacovo) May 27, 2022
The Oilers advance to face either the
Colorado Avalanche or St. Louis Blues in the penultimate round. The
Avs hold a 3-2 advantage in that series.
A showdown between McDavid and
Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon would be must-see TV.
Connor McDavid Takes a Big Leap in March Toward Greatness with Oilers' WCF Berth
May 27, 2022
EDMONTON, AB - MAY 24: Edmonton Oilers Center Connor McDavid (97) celebrates a goal in the first period during the Edmonton Oilers versus the Calgary Flames in the Stanley Cup playoffs round 2, game 4 on May 24, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Just two weeks ago, with his Edmonton Oilers facing elimination against a lower-seeded and perceived inferior Los Angeles Kings team, stories about Connor McDavid debated exactly how long he'd put up with chronic playoff disappointment in the league's northernmost outpost.
Blow it up. Move him out. Let the league's best player perform on a worthwhile stage.
Funny how quickly a narrative can change.
Fast-forward 14 days, and after dispatching the Calgary Flames in five games—capping off the series with an overtime winner—No. 97 is reveling in a final four spotlight.
Finally.
Long the star of the internet's most clicked-upon highlights—and collector of enough summertime hardware to stock a scrap yard—McDavid is finally within hailing distance of a Stanley Cup.
And if his first 12 games this postseason are prelude, we'll see his legend continue to grow in the coming weeks and further justify the lofty comparisons he's drawn since his days as a prospect.
SUNRISE, FL - JUNE 26: First overall pick Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers poses for a portrait during the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center on June 26, 2015 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
McDavid was a few months past his ninth birthday the last time the Oilers reached this stage of the postseason, got plucked first overall at the NHL draft nine years later and helped the Oilers get to a second-round date with Anaheim in 2017 that started with a pair of road wins but eventually ended in a seventh-game disappointment.
He signed an eight-year, $100 million extension that summer, and optimism was high that the team would grow around its precocious star the way the Wayne Gretzky-led teams had in the early 1980s.
Even Edmonton Journal columnist Terry Jones was all-in on the positive vibe.
"It's a good thing the Ducks won this one," he wrote on May 10, 2017, "because chances are it's going to be a while before teams are going to be beating the Edmonton Oilers in a playoff series.
"Orange Crush Era is just beginning."
Or, well…not so much.
Though he and running mate Leon Draisaitl have combined for five scoring titles, three MVPs and four Ted Lindsay Awards, the team has been more pedestrian than prolific when it comes to challenging the four banners Gretzky and Mark Messier hung before their partnership ended in 1988.
WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 24: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers shakes hands with Blake Wheeler #26 of the Winnipeg Jets following a 4-0 series sweep by the Jets in Game Four of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on Ma
In fact, before the current run, the Oilers won far more games in those 2016-17 playoffs (7) than they had in two appearances since (1) while never coming close to a second-round berth.
And if you think that didn't concern the NHL's powers that be, think again.
Though he's hardly the league's only marquee player, it was certainly a disappointment to see its most productive athlete annually relegated to irrelevance during championship season.
Imagine Michael Jordan in Sacramento. Or Patrick Mahomes in Jacksonville.
Doesn't move the needle much, does it?
But now, thanks certainly to a sturdier supporting cast than he'd had in past years—including free-agent pickups Evander Kane and Zach Hyman, among others—McDavid can draw mainstream attention to the exploits he'd largely been performing in the shadows.
Here's a tip: The kid's pretty good.
He produced a preposterous 105 points in 56 games in 2020-21—a per-game average (1.875) bested by exactly six players in 50 years—before leveling up to a career-high 123 while playing all but two of 82 games this season. And believe it or not, it's been even better since crunch time began.
EDMONTON, AB - APRIL 6: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers and Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers Alumni pose for a photo following the Farewell To Rexall Place ceremony following the game against the Vancouver Canucks on April 6, 2016 at Rexall
His 26 points in 12 games are at least 10 more than anyone not sharing his locker room this spring and compute to 2.17 per game, which is fifth-highest in history for players with double-digit games in a single playoff run. The only players to post higher marks are Mario Lemieux and Gretzky.
It's the stuff of legendary comparisons.
And the more eye-popping his feats, the more valid those comparisons become.
At 6'1", 193 pounds, McDavid is a smidge taller and heavier than Gretzky in his prime, and he's added a physicality to his game—though clearly a few notches below enforcer—that No. 99 never had.
He's also a three-time winner of the Fastest Skater competition during All-Star Weekend festivities, which wasn't around during Gretzky's best years but wasn't his greatest strength anyway compared to a uniquely spectacular instinct that allowed him to see plays develop and get to the right spots.
The game has changed to the point where there's no real shot McDavid approaches his predecessor's statistics—in fact, Gretzky's 92 goals and 215 points in separate seasons still seem otherworldly about 40 years later—but it's reasonable to suggest no player in the NHL (and maybe pro sports as a whole) has created a bigger chasm between he and his peer group over the last two seasons.
Despite differences in their skills, styles and eras, the gap between the two superstars and everyone else on the ice with them mandates their names in the same sentences with increasing regularity. McDavid has a long way to go before his accolades and team success approach Gretzky's, but his remarkable play in the first two rounds suggests the gap won't stay so wide much longer.
Sit back and enjoy the show, hockey fans.
It's one of those you'll brag to your grandkids about.
Oilers' Connor McDavid Compared to Gretzky, Lemieux as Playoff Dominance Continues
May 25, 2022
EDMONTON, AB - MAY 24: Edmonton Oilers Center Connor McDavid (97) celebrates a goal in the first period during the Edmonton Oilers versus the Calgary Flames in the Stanley Cup playoffs round 2, game 4 on May 24, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Connor McDavid will eventually need a Stanley Cup title to join the list of the all-time greats, and he took one step closer to accomplishing that feat with more brilliance Tuesday.
He led the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-3 victory over the Calgary Flames in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series with two more assists. Edmonton now leads the series 3-1 and is one win away from reaching the Western Conference Final for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
Social media didn't hold back the praise of the 25-year-old star:
We want to see Colorado against veterans like Smith or Keith (with all respect to them). Connor McDavid is really on Gretzky/Lemieux level.
I'm a Hab Fan , but watching Connor McDavid doing his magic , made me a fan , you can't help but not cheer for him, it's simple remarkable, he is phenomenal , I wish only great things for him and the Oilers 😊
Connor mcdavid is actually unreal. Just watching him play is just different
— Jared that philly sports fan (@phillyjared313) May 25, 2022
It wasn't a one-man effort, though, as Evander Kane and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each scored two goals in the win. Nugent-Hopkins' second one with less than five minutes remaining was crucial and broke the 3-3 tie while saving the Oilers from collapse.
They seemed to be in full control with three goals in the first period, but Calgary came storming back behind three straight goals from Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund and Rasmus Andersson. Lindholm and Backlund cut the deficit to 3-2 with goals within 40 seconds of each other in the second period, and Andersson's goal was a short-handed one in the third.
Yet Edmonton's star power proved to be too much at the end with Nugent-Hopkins breaking the tie and McDavid assisting on Kane's second goal as insurance. McDavid has now scored two or more points in seven straight games and 10 of Edmonton's 11 postseason contests.
He will look to close out the Flames in Thursday's Game 5.
CALGARY, AB - MAY 18: Evander Kane #91 of the Edmonton Oilers in action against the Calgary Flames during Game One of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome on May 18, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
The Edmonton Oilers once again relied on their explosive offense to propel them to a win over the Calgary Flames, and this time it was Evander Kane who led the way.
Kane recorded a natural hat trick in the the Oilers' four-goal second period as the Oilers went on to win 4-1 to take a 2-1 series lead. It was the 30-year-old's second hat trick of the 2022 playoffs.
In addition to Kane's scoring eruption, Edmonton star centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were excellent distributors. Draisaitl had four assists, while McDavid had three. The Oilers displayed a special offensive chemistry that led to a dominant win Sunday.
Fans online enjoyed the show the Oilers put on with Kane leading the way as they cruised to victory.
This Connor McDavid - Evander Kane connection is so damn insane
Kane now has 10 goals and three assists in the 2022 postseason. Edmonton was hoping it would pay off when it signed Kane to a one-year deal in January, and so far he has delivered.
The Oilers did a great job with their offensive pressure Sunday, sending 41 shots at the net. Not to be overshadowed, Edmonton goaltender Mike Smith was a brick wall in the net and made 32 saves.
If the Oilers can continue their high-octane offensive performance, it will be difficult for the Flames to keep up. With Kane, McDavid and Draisaitl clicking on all cylinders, Edmonton looks like a well-oiled machine heading into Tuesday's Game 4.
Connor McDavid's Historic, 'Phenomenal' Effort Praised in Oilers' Game 2 Win
May 21, 2022
CALGARY, AB - MAY 18: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers in action against the Calgary Flames during Game One of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome on May 18, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
Connor McDavid turned in another out-of-this-world performance Friday night to help the Edmonton Oilers even their second-round playoff series against the Calgary Flames at 1-1.
After falling 9-6 in the opening act of the Battle of Alberta and falling behind 1-0 in the series, McDavid put the team on his back in a 5-3 victory in Game 2.
The electric forward ended up with one goal and one assist for two points, putting him in elite company:
Oilers Connor McDavid is the fastest player in the past 30 years to reach the 20-point mark in the postseason pic.twitter.com/oF3OpLWQhG
McDavid nearly had three points, but a second-period goal by Leon Draisaitl that would have yielded him an assist was waved off when it was deemed that McDavid interfered with Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom.
Mere seconds later, McDavid made up for the call by scoring a slick goal of his own off a feed from Duncan Keith:
McDavid made Markstrom look silly on the goal, which resulted in a ton of reaction on social media.
Observers primarily marveled at McDavid's ability, put him head and shoulders above the rest and even openly wondered if there is a more elite league than the NHL for him to dominate as well:
Hart should just be handed to him every year. This oilers team might actually be dead last without McDavid. I really do think he will go down as the most dominate player ever.
The Oilers were down by scores of 2-0 and 3-1 in Game 2, and they appeared to be in dire straits after already dropping Game 1.
McDavid's goal to cut the deficit to 3-2 seemingly energized the Oilers, as it was the first of four consecutive goals they scored, including Zach Hyman's go-ahead shorthanded goal in the third period.
Edmonton is far from out of the woods since it is facing a stacked Flames team in the midst of goalie Mike Smith struggling in between the pipes, but McDavid gave the Oilers new life and a fighting chance to reach the Western Conference Finals.
Fans in Awe as Matthew Tkachuk, Flames Beat Connor McDavid, Oilers in Chaotic Game 1
May 19, 2022
CALGARY, AB - MAY 18: Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Calgary Flames chases the puck against Cody Ceci #5 of the Edmonton Oilers during the first period of Game One of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome on May 18, 2022 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
The fifth-highest scoring playoff game in NHL history went down in the Battle of Alberta on Wednesday, as the host Calgary Flames defeated the Edmonton Oilers 9-6 to kickstart their second-round postseason series.
Calgary winger Matthew Tkachuk potted a hat trick, and the Flames scored twice in the first 51 seconds and added a third at 6:05 to chase Oilers goalie Mike Smith.
The Flames held a 6-2 lead at 8:24 of the second period following a Tkachuk power-play goal, but Edmonton responded with four unanswered goals for a 6-6 tie less than two minutes into the third.
However, Rasmus Andersson responded shortly thereafter for the game-winner before Tkachuk scored twice to complete his hat trick.
Naturally, this game served as one of the more chaotic and entertaining hockey games in recent memory.
Oilers center Connor McDavid's four points (one goal, three assists) led all players. Flames center Blake Coleman and Oilers left wing Zach Hyman scored twice apiece. Calgary outshot Edmonton 48-28.
Game 2 will take place in Calgary on Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Oilers' Darnell Nurse Suspended for Headbutting Kings' Phillip Danault in Game 5
May 11, 2022
EDMONTON, AB - MAY 10: Edmonton Oilers Defenceman Darnell Nurse (25) in action in the second period during the Edmonton Oilers versus the Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup playoffs round 1, game 5 on May 10, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The NHL suspended Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse for one game Wednesday for headbutting Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault in Game 5 of their first-round series.
Nurse headbutted Danault late in the second period of the Kings' 5-4 victory.
The NHL called the act "unacceptable" in its video release Wednesday.
Nurse's absence will be a critical blow for an Oilers team facing a 3-2 deficit. He led all players with 26:23 of on-ice time in Game 4 and has been Edmonton's most consistent defensive force.
The Kings have scored four or more goals in all three of their wins in this series and will see a gaping hole on Nurse's side of the ice in Game 6.
Edmonton will need to ratchet up its own scoring Thursday night to avoid elimination.
5 Takeways from Day 1 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs
May 3, 2022
TORONTO, ON - MAY 2: Mitch Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with teammate Auston Matthews #34 during the second period in Game One of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on May 2, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
Frederik Andersen jumped on to the scene as a young goalie in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Anaheim Ducks had lost trust in their No. 1 goalie, Jonas Hiller, and instead turned to their rookie netminder.
Fast-forward to 2022, with Andersen now with the Carolina Hurricanes but injured to begin the playoffs, many wondered whether this would be the moment for another rising rookie, 22-year-old Pyotr Kochetkov. Instead, the net went to veteran goalie Antti Raanta, and he delivered in his first-ever playoff start, backstopping Carolina to a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of their first-round series.
The Carolina goaltending situation was one of the biggest storylines to come from the first night of the2022 NHL playoffs. The Toronto Maple Leafs' decisive win over the Tampa Bay Lightning was another.
Here are five takeaways from the first night of postseason action.
TORONTO, ON - May 2 Prior to the start of the game, fans begin to gather. Sher (left-no last name) and Stephanie Scott (holding a photo of Auston Matthews) give a cheer in Maple Leaf Square.
The Toronto Maple Leafs took on the Tampa Bay Lightning in NHL hockey action at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. This is the first game of the first round of playoffs
May 2 2022 (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
New Year, New Narratives
It's been nearly 20 years since the Maple Leafs have won a playoff round, but a 5-0 thrashing of the reigning Stanley Cup champs twice over has the Leafs faithful eager for more. If they advance past the first round, you will likely be able to point to the five-minute power play they killed off Monday as a catalyst.
Early on, Kyle Clifford received a five-minute major and a game misconduct penalty for boarding Ross Colton, but Toronto actually generated more scoring chances than it surrendered during seven shorthanded minutes in the first period. David Kampf scored a shorthanded goal in the second period. The vaunted Tampa Bay power play went 0-for-5.
Matthews and Marner faced significant criticism last year when the Maple Leafs were eliminated in seven games by the Montreal Canadiens. Two key team leaders and two major components to the lineup, Matthews scored only a single goal and assisted on five, while Marner scored none, which was the same amount he scored in the 2019-20 postseason.
It's too early to see if the curse has been lifted, but there is such immense pressure on the Maple Leafs to get out of the first round, and yet Toronto thrived under it.
TORONTO, ON - May 2 In third period action, Morgan Rielly (44) of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Jan Rutta (44) of the Tampa Bay Lightning battle it out as part of a full on melee between teams.
The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-0 in NHL hockey action at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. This is the first game of the first round of playoffs
May 2 2022 (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Borderline Violence
Prior to the series starting, Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe gave us what could be the quote of the postseason:
"I expect it to be a very physical, borderline violent series in a lot of ways," he told reporters in Toronto. "And our guys will be ready for that."
A total of 122 penalty minutes were doled out in Game 1, so clearly the Leafs were, in fact, ready. A line brawl even broke out midway through the third period involving two longtime NHL tough guys in Corey Perry and Wayne Simmonds.
The ESPN2 cameras cut away for a commercial during the post-whistle scrum, but there were skirmishes in other games as well. A suspension could also be coming from the department of player safety for Clifford's hit from behind on Colton. It would be unfortunate for Toronto, who relies on Clifford, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, to bring energy on the fourth line, but the Leafs proved they could win without him on Monday.
This is the time of year when the levels of intensity and physicality go up a few notches. This is when you hear players say they need to "play between the whistles." The key is making sure the emotions don't boil over to the point that it becomes detrimental.
Speaking of which…
SAINT PAUL, MN - MAY 02: Minnesota Wild Defenceman Jared Spurgeon (46) attempts to bump St. Louis Blues Winger Pavel Buchnevich (89) off the puck during game 1 of the NHL playoffs between the St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild on April May 2nd, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Un-Gentlemanly Conduct
The Minnesota Wild clinched home-ice advantage against their Central Division rivals St. Louis, but it didn't help much. David Perron scored a hat trick for the Blues in a 4-0 win, and Ville Husso became the first St. Louis goalie to record a shutout in his playoff debut, but all of that was overshadowed by a late penalty for a crosscheck by Jared Spurgeon.
With 1:34 left in the game, Spurgeon was tied up with Pavel Buchnevich. Frustrated by his inability to connect on the puck with Buchnevich upending him, he crosschecked the back of the Blues forward's legs, slamming his stick down with considerable force. It didn't really matter that the Wild was left shorthanded for the rest of the game—it was lost well before the penalty—but it was a dangerous play that is going to get reviewed by the department of player safety and could land him a suspension.
It was also uncharacteristic and unbecoming of a captain. Spurgeon was a Lady Byng finalist last season and is a perennial candidate for the sportsmanship award given to the most "gentlemanly" player combined with a high standard of playing ability.
A captain goes down with the ship. He doesn't put himself in a position to sit out games.
The Blues are 13-1-1 in their last 15 games against the Wild. Ouch.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 02: Antti Raanta #32 of the Carolina Hurricanes leads his team onto the ice against the Boston Bruins during Game One of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 02, 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Storm Surged
The Bruins have a relentless forecheck. Carolina did its best to stop it, but if you look at the underlying numbers, you'll see this was a pretty evenly matched game. Shot attempts at 5-on-5 were 56-48 in favor of Boston, scoring chances were 24-23 and high-danger chances were 11-11. But the power play woes resurfaced for the Bruins. Despite the fact that Boston generated chances on the first two power plays, the third didn't even yield a single shot attempt.
There was also some consternation in the Bruins net. Linus Ullmark made the start for Boston and at one point gave up a goal off his mask. Do the Bruins go with rookie goalie Jeremy Swayman in Game 2? Ullmark started because Swayman struggled down the stretch, going 4-6-0 with an .877 save percentage in the final 10 games.
It's possible he hit a wall and these last few days off have been beneficial for him. But there is no doubt a tandem that once looked strong is suddenly in doubt.
But the story today is Raanta.
"For me, it was obviously the first start in the playoffs in the NHL," Raanta said in his postgame press conference. "I was just trying to focus on the things that have (allowed me) to be successful. It was working nicely. But it's only one game, one win, and now it's just regrouping and getting ready for Wednesday."
EDMONTON, AB - MAY 2: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers stands for the singing of the national anthem prior to Game One of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings on May 2, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
One-Man Rush
Connor McDavid did very Connor McDavid-like things against the Los Angeles Kings. You can call it an odd-man rush because technically one is an odd number, but it was a 1-on-5 with McDavid as the lone man in an orange and blue jersey in the offensive zone.
With the Kings up 2-0 in the final minute of the first period, McDavid picked up the puck in the defensive zone and picked up some serious speed. He went 1-on-everyone and skated coast-to-coast, going down the boards and cutting through two defenders while another two failed to pick up his movement and another watched helplessly as he sniped one past Jonathan Quick from the edge of the right circle.
It was an absurd goal scored by one of the most elite players in the world. He just completely walked the Kings' entire five-man unit.
But when Leon Draisaitl scored around the 10-minute mark of the second period to tie the game at 3-3, it underscored the fact that McDavid and Draisaitl can put a team on their backs and win on their own. The Oilers don't have to be fantastic, but they don't completely roll over, this team will stay in games.
However, staying in games isn't good enough for McDavid, who is desperate for a championship. And that desperation may be needed after the Kings grabbed a late goal to take a 1-0 series lead.
Phillip Danault scored after an incredible sequence that saw Mike Smith turn the puck over off the back of the boards, then dive back to the crease to make a save before Danualt tipped Sean Durzi's point shot into the net.
"I was just trying to make something happen," Smith told reporters in his postgame press conference. "Obviously, just trying to do too much there. In a tight game like that, you can't afford to make mistakes like that. It ended up costing us the game."
Smith has lost his last 10 playoff games, including all six he has played for the Oilers.
