The Edmonton Oilers eventually managed to get the away win in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars on Thursday.
But it was a stressful evening, especially for Connor McDavid.
The Oilers’ captain and superstar had an assist in the Oilers’ 2-0 goal in the second period, but the Stars came back.
Tyler Seguin scored two unanswered goals, and the game went into Overtime. And just seconds into OT, many thought McDavid had decided the game – for the Stars.
Right after the faceoff and seconds into Overtime, McDavid was given a four-minute-minor for high-sticking Stars’ Matt Duchene.
The referees initially didn’t call McDavid, but after the next whistle, they got together and assessed him the penalty.
McDavid’s teammates were able to kill it off, and with five minutes remaining in the first OT frame, he had a fantastic chance to win it for the Oilers.
McDavid got the puck all alone in front of the Stars’ net, and he appeared to have got the best of Jake Oettinger.
But the Stars goalie reached out in desperation and was somehow able to rob McDavid of a certain game-winner.
But McDavid, after his horrific Overtime, including missing a golden chance and getting a double-minor penalty, got the last laugh.
32 seconds into second Overtime, he deflected a great pass from Evan Bouchard to give the Oilers a 1-0 series lead.
Postgame, McDavid hilariously issued an apology in a TNT interview.
”Apologies to everyone for keeping them up a little bit longer,” McDavid jokingly told the TNT panel. ”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.”
McDavid also addressed his four-minute minor penalty in OT.
”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.”
