"Maybe the play of the year": McDavid loving Mike Smith's game-winning breakaway pass
Mike Smith got the Oilers’ first point.Ā Then, he delivered their second.Ā
Smith’s pass to spring Connor McDavid in overtime to help the Edmonton Oilers beat the San Jose Sharks 2-1 on Tuesday launched the club into second place in the Pacific Division with 11 games remaining in the regular season.
“Our goalie makes maybe the play of the year there with that save [on Brent Burns] and having the presence of mind to throw it up there,” McDavid said postgame. “Smitty plays the puck unbelievably well. He was so good all night. For that to happen, it was pretty special to be a part of that play.
“It was one of the more special to be a part of.”
Hope you stayed up for that finish. š#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/oyRbha89RH
ā Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 6, 2022
Smith made a glove save on Brent Burns in the extra frame — his 31st of the game — snagging the puck out of mid-air before alertly dropping it to the ice and sending McDavid in alone on Sharks goaltender James Reimer with a one-handed swat up ice.Ā
McDavid did what he does, dekeing backhand before lifting a shot into the net to secure the much-needed win.Ā
“I saw him make that save, and I was just thankful he stopped it. Just out of the corner of my eye, I saw him move pretty quick, so I just tried to get there as quick as I could. He must be a curling fan because he had perfect weight on it.
“It was a great play.”
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Smith has been the point of a lot of water-cooler chatter this season through an injury-riddled campaign that has seen him limited to 21 starts. In those starts, the 40-year-old backstop is 10-9-2 with a 3.24 goals-against average and .901 save percentage.Ā
Since March 16, Smith has been 5-1-1 with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.Ā
“Smitty’s been here for a few years now, and he’s always asking when we’re going to connect for a breakaway,” McDavid said. “Couldn’t have picked a better time.
“He’s a guy that means a lot to our group, honestly. He’s battled all season long through different injuries and different things, and he’s taken a lot of heat. When he’s in the net, he gives us everything he’s got. Tonight he gave us everything we had and then some.”Ā
"He must be a curling fan because he had perfect weight on it."
McDavid on Smith's pass to set up tonight's game-winner. š„@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/bDHbJvCdZy
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 6, 2022
The Oilers lead the Los Angeles Kings by one point for second in the Pacific, with one fewer game played. Edmonton is also five points up on the Vegas Golden Knights for fourth place.
“It was ugly, I thought,” McDavid said. “They were fresh. I thought they played a real solid game. They clearly had legs. They were motivated. I thought our group just did a good job of hanging around and keeping it tight. Smitty held us in all night. It feels like we maybe stole two here, but it doesn’t matter how you get them this time of year.
“Now we’re just fighting for our lives trying to get in and playing good hockey and getting performances from different guys every night. Tonight was our goalie. He’s a player on our team too. They can stop pucks for us, and clearly make plays for us too.”
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