“Oh man, that is a brutal crosscheck from McDavid. He is sour that Conor Garland had him down.”
With those words Sportsnet commentator Ray Ferraro called the play that will be debated hotly in the next day, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers bashing Vancouver Canucks Conor Garland with a wicked crosscheck, followed by Tyler Myers of the Canucks crosschecking Evan Bouchard with at least as brutal a hack to the face in the following scrum.
“Garland should have had about three penalties, right?” Ferraro said of Garland’s full body hold on McDavid leading up to the crosscheck. “He’s got him pinned to the ice. They’re going to get separated and McDavid turns around and crosschecks him high… The Oilers are furious on their bench.”
Both McDavid and Myers received match penalties and were booted from the game in the dying seconds, which will lead to automatic league review.
“I don’t care who is your team, they’re both crosschecks to the head,” said Sportsnet’s Kevin Bieksa. “They’re both the same bad crosschecks to the head. They’re both suspensions. I don’t know how you argue there. But if there’s ever an argument to keep fighting in the NHL.”
Edmonton has its six best attackers on the ice, so no one is going to fight, Bieksa said. “So something is going to give. When it gets down to this something is going to give. And because there is no fighting, or you don’t want these guys to fight, this is what you’re going to get. You’re going to get a cross-check to the face… No fighting, more cross-checks to the face in my opinion.”
Sportsnet’s Kelly Hrudey predicted at least a two-game suspension for both McDavid and Myers.
Said Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch: “Connor gets frustrated and he gets his stick up. He’s frustrated because we’re down one goal and the best player in the league is getting held for 15 seconds. And the frustration that that’s allowed to happen, and his stick got up.”
Said Oilers asst. captain Leon Draisaitl, “It’s hockey. It’s intense. It’s just the way it goes sometimes… Little bit of fisticuffs. Nothing major.”
Allan “Loweide” Mitchell of The Athletic said, “Here’s the truth on that play. Garland = outstanding agitator, McDavid is effective with his stick and he made Garland pay. It’s fuel for both teams, 97 gets a game, has to pay for Garland’s dental work and the Oilers send a third-round pick to the Calgary Flames.”
And Mark Spector of Sportsnet: “To Garland’s credit, he barely went down after that McDavid crosscheck.
Many players would have milked it. Garland got right up. On the other hand, the fact he wasn’t injured in any way should affect Player Safety’s decision on the match penalty.”
And Edmonton Journal editor Dave Breakenridge: “No call on Garland for practically sitting on McDavid? Garbage. I’m not surprised McDavid lashed out.”
And Hockey Hall of Fame writer Terry Jones: “There’s almost certainly going to be suspensions to Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Canucks Tyler Myers for crosschecks to the face with two seconds to play. I rarely jump on zebras. But guys who should be suspended are the referees. Brutal job both directions.”
And Hall of Famer Jim Matheson: “Refs should have whistled Garland 10 seconds before 97 crosscheck to Garland head. They blew it. But hard to fathom McDavid escaping suspension. Same with Myers on Bouchard. One or two game suspension for both guys I would think.”
And David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period: Refs make the call on Garland, there’s no retaliatory pop from McDavid, who gets a match penalty (so does Myers)… There should’ve been an initial penalty on Garland, which likely avoids the dumb crosscheck to the face, which 97 should be penalized for (and Myers for his crosscheck, too).”
And Vancouver radio commentator Jeff Paterson: “I get that McDavid gets mauled most nights. But that’s not a get out of jail free card. And he got away with one in Minny the other night. The league can’t look away twice in one week.”
The call came after numerous non-calls and controversial calls in the game. The Cult of Hockey’s Kurt Leavins said, “Officials completely lost control of that game. Awful officiating performance. Those match penalties against both clubs at the end are on Wes McCauley. AHL level refereeing.”
And Oilers fan Lak Padem: “If McDavid gets suspended, then so should the refs for allowing this to happen. Lost control of the situation, terrible amateur reffing.”
To which Allan “Lowetide” Mitchell replied: “We both know that isn’t going to happen. Refs lose control of games all the time. Fans get riled up, league likes this kind of thing. That’s the NHL.”
Said Cult of Hockey contributor Ira Cooper: “Doesn’t seem like Josh Brown deterred anything…….”
Oilers blogger Rob Soria said, “Honestly, I’m fine with any outcome. If he gets suspended for a game or two, all good. Let him rest.”
And Oilers fan Jeremey Thompson: “Not enough praise for Draisaitl after the McPenalty. What a bud and teammate to sh*t chirp Garland all the way down the ice…”
And Oilers fan Tyson Munro: “McDavid’s crosscheck is prompted. Myers just straight up attacks Bouchard’s face with no prior engagement. Absurd.”
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