"Running our goalie": Oilers, Flames on opposite ends of Lucic ejection for charging Smith
Milan Lucic might have just injected the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs edition of the Battle of Alberta with its first true bit of bad blood.Ā
Lucic, midway through the third period of a lopsided Game 3 loss, bowled over Mike Smith as the Edmonton Oilers goaltender left his crease to play the puck, crumpling the netminder and sending his helmet flying before a fracas broke out that saw six other players flagged for roughing minors. Ā
“I don’t really know what happened, to be honest,” Smith detailed postgame. “I was out playing the puck and then all of a sudden I am getting buried into the boards. There aren’t that many goalies in the league and when you are getting run through the end wall and you are not expecting it, it is not an ideal situation.Ā
“It is what it is. It is the playoffs and they are trying to rattle you. But the refs handled it and you move on.”
Lucic was assessed a five-minute major for charging and was escorted out of the contest via a game misconduct on the play.
š³#StanleyCup | #BattleofAlberta pic.twitter.com/wP9UJkvSgR
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 23, 2022
In total, Smith made 32 saves to help backstop the Oilers to the Game 3 win, and took a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-7 series.Ā Edmonton is 18-3 when taking a 2-1 series lead in a best-of-7, including 9-3 when starting on the road.Ā
Lucic’s charge came with the Oilers in full control of the Calgary Flames in the pivotal contest, leading 4-0 with just under a dozen minutes to go in a game Edmonton dominated from first puck drop.Ā
“It was a play out of frustration, running our goalie,” Oilers forward Evander Kane said. “Smitty is a great puck-handler and he comes out of the net a lot. The refs made the right call.”
Others, in red, might’ve seen it a little different.
For example, Flames coach Darryl Sutter.Ā
“They called it charging, correct?” Sutter questioned postgame. “Could you imagine ifĀ LoochĀ did charge, what would have happened there? He actually tried to slow it down a little bit, I think.Ā
“It is what it is. It was the score and who it was. That’s what they called.”
The hit forced Smith from the game momentarily.Ā
He missed a total of 4:15 after undergoing concussion protocols before returning to the contest to a standing ovation. His shutout bid was erased shortly thereafter by Oliver Kylington.
mike smith returning to the game to help secure the oilers win š¤ pic.twitter.com/h1Zfhnf1az
— zach laing (@zjlaing) May 23, 2022
“It’s not an ideal situation to leave a game in the third period with 11 minutes left,” said the netminder, who made 32 saves to earn his second straight win. “I get the reason for it, but I think the the player should have some say in that. It is what it is. I just tried to get back in there as soon as I could.
“I don’t even think my head hit anything, my helmet just flew off. It’s still attached.”
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