Video replay the difference between Oilers and Avalanche in wild 14-goal game

Jun 1 2022, 2:58 am

On paper, this series had all the elements for a high-scoring series.

Game 1 delivered on that promise.

The Colorado Avalanche scored at least seven goals for the third time in 11 playoff games this year as they edged the Edmonton Oilers 8-6 in the first game of the Western Conference Final.

Aside from the goal-scoring barrage, the big story from this game is easily Cale Makar’s controversial 3-2 goal late in the first period.

Edmonton head coach Jay Woodcroft challenged the goal since it looked like Makar was offside.

He lost the controversial call, which put Edmonton shorthanded.

Nazem Kadri scored on the ensuing power play.

Makar told Sportsnet in a post-game interview that he wasn’t sure if the goal was offside.

“Yeah I have no idea, I haven’t looked at the replay.

“From what I was hearing from guys…I try to give them enough time to get out of the zone, and I try to push the puck forward.”

Darnell Nurse wasn’t biting when asked about the controversial call after the game.

“It ended up being a goal, thatā€™s all that matters,” Nurse told reporters.

The Oilers were down 7-3 late in the second period after a goal by Avs veteran Andrew Cogliano. However, goals from Connor McDavid, Derek Ryan, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins pulled the Oilers within one late in the third period.

Those goals weren’t enough for Edmonton to pull off another miraculous comeback in these playoffs. Gabriel Landeskog sealed the Avs victory with an empty netter.

Edmonton’s offensive stars continued to showcase their skills. McDavid led his team with three points, giving him the playoff lead in scoring with 29 points in 13 games.

Leon Draisaitl extended his assist streak to nine games, which ties an Oilers playoff franchise record.

Evander Kane also opened the scoring. He leads all skaters with 13 goals in 13 playoff games.

This was the highest-scoring playoff game in Colorado Avalanche history. Their previous record was 12 goals, when they beat the Dallas Stars 7-5 in Game 5 of the 1999 Western Conference Finals.

Colorado also scored a franchise-record eight goals in a playoff game for the third time in their history. The last time it happened was during an 8-2 win against the San Jose Sharks in Game 2 of the 2002 Western Conference Semifinals.

Edmonton was part of the highest-scoring playoff game in NHL history, when they lost to the Los Angeles Kings 10-8 during division semifinal action in 1982.

It’s no secret that the Oilers are sick of being involved in some of the highest-scoring playoff games of the 21st century.

“We obviously have to change something here, Draisaitl told reporters post-game. “We can’t be giving up that many goals and be expecting to win a Western Conference Finals game.Ā 

“We gotta make sure weā€™re ready to go right off the bat, and weā€™ll be better.”

Mike Smith had his third straight shaky Game 1 in these playoffs. He was pulled after allowing six goals on 23 shots. Mikko Koskinen stopped 20 of 21 shots in relief.

Colorado had goaltending issues of their own. Starting netminder Darcy Kuemper left the game midway through the second period with an upper-body injury.

He allowed three goals on 16 shots before Pavel Francouz entered the net. The Czech netminder then allowed another three goals on 21 shots.

Game 2 will take place on Thursday night at Ball Arena in Denver.

Trevor BeggsTrevor Beggs

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