TV panel perfectly predicted Oilers’ opening goal
Those who were watching the NHL on TNT panel ahead of the Edmonton Oilers game saw a predicted goal take place early in Wednesday’s game against the Washington Capitals.
The panel, and in particular Paul Bissonnette, broke down what to expect from the Oilers moments ahead of puck drop. Right before cutting to a commercial break, Bissonnette told fans to watch how often Leon Draisaitl takes one-timers from sharp angles when on the power play.
“I just wanted to show quickly; this is the area we’re talking about if you guys want to zoom in a little bit,” Bissonnette said quickly while showing the board he had written on. “So tonight, look how many times Draisaitl shoots the puck from right here and finds that open net.”
The pre-scout for the Oilers on Wednesday was *spot-on*
The guys were on the lookout for Leon in the low slot, and that's exactly where he was 🔮 pic.twitter.com/OKYlyXSfPQ
— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) March 15, 2024
As fate would have it, the Oilers were sent to the power play less than five minutes into the game, and Draisaitl scored on a one-timer from nearly the exact angle Bissonnette had told fans to watch for.
“I can’t take full credit for this,” Bissonnette said during the first intermission. [Anson Carter] mentioned it first on the broadcast, so we kind of tag-teamed it. We’re fortune tellers. We’re gonna open up our own shop. The new Miss Cleo over here.”
Scoring goals from sharp angles is nothing new for Draisaitl, but it was a great breakdown for fans who are either newer to hockey or perhaps don’t watch the Oilers very often. The fact that it happened just minutes into the game was a pretty funny moment for fans who had tuned into the TNT segment prior.
Draisaitl wound up finishing the night with four points in what was a blowout 7-2 victory over the Capitals. While his offensive totals are down slightly from seasons past, he is still on pace for 110 points. Assuming he gets there, it will mark the fifth time he has surpassed the 100-point mark in his career.