Oilers Overcome in Overtime
Oilers 4 – Panthers 3 (OT) (SCF 1-0 Edmonton) Edmonton hosted a terrific Game 1 beginning with the singer performing both Nation’s Anthems while in the middle of a seating section and after only a couple of stanzas of “Oh Canada”, the singer stopped and those fans in attendance finished singing the Canadian National Anthem all the way through.
Since the NHL’s expansions have created a 32-team league it is rare indeed when two teams meet each other in the Stanley Cup Finals in consecutive years and this is the first time in 40 seasons that there has been a rematch.
The Oilers have now scored first in their last nine games and with Edmonton Center Draisaitl scoring the game’s first goal just 66 seconds into the game, the Oilers with their fans were coming on loud and strong in the first period.
Too quickly the officials reviewed a coach’s challenge in the first period and botched the call as the NHL’s narrative is that an “inadvertent trip” caused the goaltender interference, so it was not penalized and the goal counted, then the unthinkable happened as Florida scored on the ensuing powerplay for the two-goal advantage.
Video highlights the Florida player caused the goaltender interference with reckless skating, the Edmonton defenseman was not the reason for the interference, imho as well as last night’s announcers who said as much before the official’s declared a “good goal”.
Although an “inadvertent high stick” is always a penalty, one has to wonder where the NHL draws the line (rhetorical) on what “inadvertent” penalty deserves two minutes or not.
Fortunately for the Oilers they scored the next three goals including the game winner with approximately a half a minute remaining in the first overtime session for the win and the 1-0 series lead.
GAME TWO 8pm Friday Night downtown Edmonton
Buffalo Winter 