McDavid apologizes to fans for not ending game sooner for Oilers
As thrilling as Game 1 between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars was for hockey fans, it was very stressful for Connor McDavid.
Knotted up at two apiece, McDavid appeared to have the game on his stick with roughly five minutes remaining in the first overtime frame. Jake Oettinger had other plans, however, as he reached out in desperation and was somehow able to rob the Oilers captain on what appeared to be a sure goal.
OETTINGER JUST ROBBED MCDAVID IN OVERTIME 🤯 pic.twitter.com/40GtbiBf3s
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 24, 2024
That save felt very deflating for Oilers fans at the time, but McDavid didn’t seem to let it bother him. Just 32 seconds into the second overtime frame, he was able to deflect home a great centering pass for Evan Bouchard to give the Oilers a 1-0 series lead.
CONNOR MCDAVID WINS IT IN DOUBLE OVERTIME! 👏
He pots the winner 32 seconds into the second overtime off a slick feed from Evan Bouchard! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/PRSD1ZwcMj
— NHL (@NHL) May 24, 2024
“Apologies to everyone for keeping them up a little bit longer,” McDavid said jokingly to the TNT panel postgame. “Should’ve gone in. Should’ve gone in, has to go in. He’s a good goalie, and he scrambles to make a good play, but it has to go in.”
Oettinger’s tremendous save wasn’t the only frustration on the night for the 27-year-old. Just seconds into overtime, he was given a four-minute minor for high-sticking Stars forward Matt Duchene. It was a strange play, as both referees missed it at the time, but got together at the following whistle and assessed him the penalty.
connor mcdavid gets his stick up on matt duchene off the opening draw in overtime but the penalty is only called after the referees and linesmen convene after the play. pic.twitter.com/ud12NiHMLN
— zach (@zjlaing) May 24, 2024
His teammates were able to kill it off, but he still wasn’t all too pleased with the entire ordeal afterward.
“My thing was I don’t know what I’m supposed to do there,” McDavid said. “I’m going forward, trying to play the puck. It feels like he’s holding my stick. I didn’t even really feel the high stick at all. I think maybe his face came down on my stick. I’m not sure what I was supposed to do. Maybe just unlucky, I guess, but certainly glad the boys killed it off.”
The Oilers wound up going five-for-five on the penalty kill tonight, continuing what has been a very key part of their success during their current playoff run.
“It was just another opportunity to get the job done,” Derek Ryan, a big part of the Oilers’ penalty killing group, said about the big overtime kill. “[Connor] mentioned to me in the locker room that it was the longest four minutes of his life, so it was definitely nice to see him get out of there. He’s a rock to our team. Everyone knows it, he does it all.”
With the win, the Oilers are guaranteed at least a split on the road in what figures to be their toughest matchup of the playoffs. Game 2 is set to take place on Saturday at 6 pm MT.
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