June 12, 2024
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BREAKING NEWS: Edmonton Oilers ace 27-year-old talented star hacked once every 5 seconds he controlled puck in Game 2

trisportsnewsAdmin09 mins

In Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers, top attacker Connor McDavid was hacked once per five seconds when in control of the puck at even strength.

A Florida defender hacked or slashed McDavid 19 times during the 100 seconds he had the puck at even strength, according to a Cult of Hockey video analysis of his performance.

McDavid only had five hacks or slashes in his 70 seconds of puck possession—one every 14 seconds—during the power play, when he has more space and time to roam around the rink.

The majority of the hacks were small-scale, intended only to throw off McDavid’s timing and rhythm rather than cause him to stumble or even lose the puck. That type of lightning strike that was more forceful would almost definitely result in a penalty call. Rather, the fouling resembled a continuous downpour, an uncomfortable and relentless soaking.

The Benefit of Florida.

Florida plays NHL championship defense that is cutting edge, modern, and innovative. I’m proud of them.

You’ll hear NHL pundits claim that the Oilers are being wore down by their style of play. that they function as a defense mechanism. that the Oilers’ offensive is being suppressed by them. that the Oil’s will to fight is being broken by them. that they are removing the star players from Edmonton from the competition.

There is no doubt about it: Florida plays strictly within the NHL’s current set of regulations.

How am I aware of this?

Even when McDavid broke in late in the game, desperate for a goal, alone on Sergei Bobrovosky, not once was a slashing or hooking penalty called on a Florida player for their hacks or slashes on McDavid. Instead, Florida forward Matthew Tkachuk hacking McDavid three times, coming straight up under his knee and thigh with his stick just as McDavid was about to shoot.

Who among us isn’t going to file a complaint about this kind of treatment? McDavid in person.

When asked about Florida, all he could say was how intense and defensive they were.

They’re a fantastic squad, McDavid remarked. “They play excellent defense.

In a somewhat perplexing manner, a reporter questioned him regarding the legality of Tkachuk’s stick-work on the late break-in.

Reporter: “What were you feeling at that point, when you had that semi-breakaway with Tkachuk’s stick all over you?”

“Just playing hockey,” said McDavid. Reaching out for the internet. What, exactly, am I feeling?

Reporter: “Is he not?

“Oh, what do I feel physically?” asked McDavid.

Reporter: “What’s going on, or is he stopping you?

“No, I’m trying to protect the puck,” said McDavid. He’s attempting to move the puck.

Tkachuk’s description of McDavid as trying to play the puck is quite forgiving. Throughout the entire action, Tkachuk’s stick never touched the puck, but it did hit McD and then cannon McDavid’s body and legs on the

Maybe the problem right now isn’t that the cutting threshold is so low. It’s just that it fluctuates so much.

After more than 50 years as an Edmonton Oilers fan and having witnessed my fair share of talented players, all I can do is wish for an NHL where such heinous stabbing would never be tolerated and elite attackers would be given the freedom to thrive.

But I’m hoping for more straightforward, even-handed refereeing in this series, where if Bouchard gets penalized for slashing, then Tkachuk gets called for hammering away at McDavid during a crucial breakaway.

This is the hit that resulted in Warren Foegele’s game-ending penalty. It would seem to be as much of a trip as anything. On which player, though? Isn’t it remarkable that Eetu Luostarinen managed to get back up after receiving such a severe blow.

 

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