In an Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, Connor McDavid took a nasty cross-check to the face on Sunday night and Carson Soucy is likely to receive a suspension because of it. Meanwhile, Leon Draisaitl was asked about the lack of finishing by the Oilers on several shots in Game 3 and he seemed to take a bit of a shot at Vancouver Canucks’ goaltender Arturs Silovs. Was he really dissing Silovs or himself? Finally, the Oilers have a serious decision to make ahead of Game 4. Who gets the start, Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard?
Soucy Cross-Check on McDavid Likely Leading to Suspension
Carson Soucy is looking at a suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety (NHL DoPS) for his cross-check to Connor McDavid. And, despite arguments from some that McDavid escalated the situation by slashing Soucy, it doesn’t change the fact that the cross-check was not a hockey play and it was beyond the scope of a battle, crossing the line between heated and dangerous.
Most insiders aren’t sure which way the NHL DoPS will go, but many believe that at least one game is in order for Soucy and that not suspending him sends an incredibly poor message.
Soucy pushed McDavid, prompting a retaliatory slash. In response, Soucy cross-checked McDavid, compounded by Zadorov’s cross-check from behind. The forceful collision bent McDavid awkwardly, narrowly avoiding serious injury. One has to wonder what end result would benefit the Oilers more — the Canucks losing Soucy for a game or the Oilers finally getting motivated in a way that would see them respond to the Canucks physically. As it stands, they’ve been dominated in the series in the hits department.
Was Draisaitl Dissing Arturs Silovs?
Following the Edmonton Oilers’ narrow 4-3 defeat to the Vancouver Canucks in Game 3, Leon Draisaitl’s post-game analysis sparked debate. Draisaitl hit a couple of posts and the Oilers hit four in total throughout the game. When questioned about Arturs Silovs’ goaltending and the Oilers’ offensive efforts, Draisaitl bluntly remarked, “Well, posts is not good goaltending.”
The relationship between shooters and goaltenders becomes an intriguing discussion point. Craig Simpson argued during the telecast that former Oilers’ goalie Grant Fuhr once remarked something along the lines of, “Of course, he hit the post. That’s all I gave him to shoot at.” This perspective argues that Silovs should be given credit for limiting what Edmonton had for options.
If nothing else, Silovs should get credit for stopping 42 shots to secure a crucial victory for the Canucks. The Oilers’ failure to convert numerous scoring opportunities is a concerning sign, even if it’s good that Edmonton was generating chances.
Does Skinner or Pickard Start Game 4?
The question in Edmonton now is who should start Game 4? Stuart Skinner may not be at fault for most of the goals against in Game 3, but it doesn’t change the fact his save percentage is atrocious (.793 in the series). Pickard getting the net in the third period might have been as much about pulling Skinner to send a message as it was about getting Pickard his first taste of playoff action in the event the Oilers run with him in Game 4.
Pickard might not have the experience the Oilers would like, but he’s deserving of a look based on his numbers during the regular season. Skinner, meanwhile, is in a situation now where it’s ‘Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.’ He stumbled last season in the playoffs and he’s stumbling again. The Oilers made the mistake of going back to him repeatedly and it cost them against the Vegas Golden Knights. Game 4 is the time to go with Pickard. If it works, it evens the series. If it doesn’t, the Oilers aren’t out of it and still have a long shot of winning three in a row.