Aarif Deen
What started as a fast-paced matchup between two of the most skilled teams in the league ended with one of the superstars getting ejected.
Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct in the second period after colliding with Connor Ingram while trying to make a play on a pass from Brock Nelson.
Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse was the last man to beat before the goaltender. He tracked with MacKinnon the entire way, making contact with Colorado’s center just as he was trying to cut away from the crease. Whether or not MacKinnon would’ve made contact with Ingram had it not been for the Nurse contact is hard to say.
But the contact wouldn’t have been nearly as bad.
Ingram left the game after the collision and did not return. He was one of four injured players in this game, which, along with MacKinnon’s ejection, meant that both teams were playing with shortened benches for the final period.
The Oilers ended up winning 4-3 in regulation. The Avs had some great moments, but they also didn’t defend quite as well as they had during their five-game winning streak. Head coach Bednar said as much.
But he still vehemently disagreed with the call.
10 Takeaways
1. While ripping the officiating for the call, Bednar was asked if he got an explanation from any of the referees after the fact. He initially said no, before adding, “not a good one.”
Here’s what Bednar had to say about the call in its entirety.
“[MacKinnon] makes the play on the puck, and I got his toes cutting up ice probably through the top of the paint, and Ingram’s on the goal line. There’s no chance that he hits the goalie if Nurse doesn’t run into him. He’s not hitting the goalie,” he said. “I don’t care if he’s injured, not injured, if it’s a severe crash, not a severe crash. It’s not a penalty.
“If you put guys in your own goalie, it’s not a penalty.”
2. Cale Makar and Mackenzie Blackwood both spoke postgame, and I’m sure they had thoughts about the play. I wasn’t in those scrums, but I did get Nazem Kadri’s opinion on the matter.
“I think Nate makes an effort. He’s diving across the top of the crease to try to get out of the way, like that’s a part of the rule for the player to at least make some sort of attempt. There was clear contact. I have no idea how that was a five-minute,” Kadri said. “It was a great game up until that. I think it was a good battle out there. Players were playing hard and, you know, it’s unfortunate that’s how it’s gotta end.”
Like his coach, Kadri also commented on how the team didn’t play a full 60 minutes. How they were inconsistent, especially in the second period.
Basically, the Avalanche weren’t completely pinning this loss on the officiating and I don’t want it to come off as such.
3. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a five-minute major for goalie interference. We’ve often asked this question after games and we find ourselves asking it yet again. What in the world is goalie interference?
4. Later on in his presser, Bednar said, “I really don’t give a crap if the goalies hurt. That’s on their D.”
He was obviously talking about the injury as it pertained to a penalty being called. I would hope that isn’t taken out of context.
5. I really liked the way Bednar responded when asked about Blackwood’s performance. The first three Oilers goals were scored by players who were wide open in front of the net. On the first two, there were no Avs defensemen in sight. The fourth goal was just pure excellence from two of the best superstars in the game.
Here’s what Bednar had to say about his starting goalie.
“We need a save in the first half of the game. They had three or four quality scoring chances, and three of them ended up in the net,” he said. “I’m not blaming him for any of those goals, but if we’re going to win against a team that’s really good, especially when our team’s not playing well, you need some big saves. It’s why we got back in the game. He makes a couple big saves in the third period, penalty kill, big saves, and then we go and score.
“If we had that in the first half of the game, then I think we’re probably playing with the lead.”
5. Zakhar Bardakov had one of his best games of the season and Bednar agreed. His play stuck out positively before Colorado’s forwards went from 12 to 10 with the MacKinnon ejection and an upper-body injury to Ross Colton.
Bardakov ended up with 9:36 of ice time. Bednar admitted that he was trying to get him out there as much as possible.
6. Valeri Nichushkin has found that next level in his game over the past week. I’m not sure if the random trade rumors around the deadline got to him, or if he felt relief after that. But he was struggling to produce for weeks, even before the Olympic break. Now he’s being rewarded for looking like the power forward we’ve seen for more than a half decade.
Nichushkin’s goal in the third period was his second in three games. He also has two shootout goals on two attempts in that stretch. It couldn’t come at a better time for Bednar and company.
7. That shot from Colton that made it 1-0 early was well placed, and much deserved for a player who was mired in a scoring drought. It had been nine games since Colton last scored. He wanted that one badly and let us know, through his celebration, how much it meant to him.
8. It’s unfortunate he couldn’t finish the game. It doesn’t sound like it’s a serious injury.
“He took a shot from a player during the game, and he kind of tightened up, so he’s got an upper-body injury. Hopefully, he loosens up for tomorrow and can play in Seattle,” Bednar said of Colton.
9. Ty Emberson and Colton Dach left the game in the second period for Edmonton with undisclosed injuries. Colorado’s Colton also sustained his ailment in that frame. Then, when MacKinnon was ejected and Ingram was hurt on the same sequence, it meant that five players were missing to start the third period.
10. If you’re wondering why Trent Frederic went after Nic Roy, this is why. Hockey players have long memories. I genuinely had no idea why that fight was happening when it did.