Evan Rawal
In the Turning Point, we’ll take a look at one moment in the previous Colorado Avalanche game that changed the momentum of the game.
When two good teams meet, the margin for error is thin. A tightly contested game went to overtime, where both teams had good looks to end it at even strength, but it was a controversial play that sent the Oilers to the powerplay in the extra period…
Georgiev Does His Part
As he did most of the evening, Georgiev stood his ground. After an extended period of the Oilers trying to find the perfect breakout, they get one and spring McDavid. He gets away from Eller and MacKinnon in the neutral zone and tries to beat Georgiev with a quick, low shot. The Bulgarian goaltender is quick to drop and make the save, and when McDavid picks up his own rebound, he looks to hit Draisaitl on the backdoor. Toews sticks with his man, breaks up the pass, and now it’s time for the Avalanche to reload.
Byram Gets a Look
MacKinnon makes a nice play to escape Draisaitl in the neutral zone, but on his way in, loses the puck trying to cut to the net. But the Avalanche get some good fortune, as Ekholm falls down behind his own net, giving the home team a chance to capitalize. Nichushkin hits Byram in front, but that extra half-second it takes to get the shot off is enough for Ekholm to get his stick in. On the replay, it wasn’t clear if he deflected the puck, but he put pressure on Byram either way, and it doesn’t result in a shot on goal.
The Controversy
Byram makes a great play to lift Draisaitl’s stick and get the puck back, but when he goes to send it back to Rantanen for a regroup, Draisaitl makes an equally great play, knocking it out of mid-air and turning play the other way.
This is where it gets controversial.
Byram has a step on McDavid, and the best player in the world gives him a little tap. Byram wasn’t happy about that, and stops moving his feet for a split-second. That’s all McDavid needed to catch up to him. From here, there’s a lot of contact on both sides. McDavid pushes himself past and Byram’s stick extends once he’s beat. Fair or not, refs are more likely than not to call something like this against the best player in the world when he’s got a step. After the penalty call, you can see Byram wasn’t happy. He points to where he felt McDavid slingshot himself by. He could easily have a case there, but the “hesitation” by Byram in the neutral zone, as Bednar called it, allowed McDavid to get neck-and-neck with him.
Byram played hard all game. Really hard. He and Evander Kane went at it most of the night. In the third period, he had a huge shot block that stung him a bit. Mistakes happen, and you move on from them. Against any other player in the world, letting up for just a split-second probably doesn’t change anything. McDavid is just someone who can take advantage of that more than anyone.