If that's an inch on the other side for Bouch, it's in and we're up 3-2 having a different conversation in here. McDavid on the 10-second span where Bouchard hit the post and Compher scored soon after:
The series isn't over obviously, and we've got to go one at a time here." "Obviously not a great situation to be in down three. McDavid on Game 3 and the uphill battle the Oilers face down 3-0 in the series: Mikko Rantanen added an empty-netter to conclude a cruel blow for the Oilers late in Game 3, falling to a 3-0 series deficit. JT Compher was exiting the box for Colorado and pursued Bouchard and the loose puck, rubbing out the Oilers defender near the bench and firing a shot that beat Smith five-hole to elevate the Avalanche back into a lead that would stand the rest of regulation.
It's just how it happens to go sometimes, with a great opportunity at one end being countered mere seconds later at the other end.Įdmonton's vital third-period powerplay was expiring, and Evan Bouchard let go of a Bouch Bomb from the point that rattled the crossbar before being cleared to centre ice by Andrew Cogliano. Video: Gm3: McLeod speeds in and rips one in TURNING POINT Before the defenders could close down Clouder, the 22-year-old centre was already letting go of a wicked wrist shot that beat the right-hand catching netminder Francouz cleanly for his third of the post-season that tied the game 2-2 with over half a period to play. PLAY OF THE GAMEĪ loose puck in the Oilers zone was scooped up by Ryan McLeod, who accelerated through the neutral zone and hit top speed as he entered Colorado's zone. Pavel Francouz wasn't without his moment either, making a diving glove stop on McDavid after the Oilers were given an important powerplay in the final half of the third soon after McLeod had the Oilers level on the scoreboard. The Oilers netminder was back stacking the pads in the second frame, this time to deny Nichushkin when he adjusted on his back to a Colorado rebound and carouselled to get his glove to what would've been the Russian forward's third of the night if it weren't for a terrific desperation save. Nichushkin was the benefactor of two fortunate bounces on Saturday night, but the victim of another sprawling save from Smith. On the other side of the intermission, it was Nichushkin again who got lucky when a point shot hit McDavid and fell to his stick before the ensuing shot caught the leg of Evan Bouchard and redirected into the left side of Smith's net, making it s 2-1 game 4:37 into the middle stanza. The puck struck Nurse on its way through and snuck its way under the arm of Smith, who couldn't squeeze the gap shut in time before it found its way over the goal line to tie the game. It took a bit of misfortune for Smith to be beaten in the first period and Nichushkin to benefit from a puck sent towards net from the right sideboards that found its way through to tie the game with 3:48 left in the first period. Video: EDM Recap: McDavid nets a goal in Game 3 defeat VERY VALERI LUCKY The Oilers were a perfect 5-for-5 shorthanded on Saturday night, killing off all 13 minutes of power-play time for the Avalanche.
The 40-year-old stoned Gabriel Landeskog from the left circle and made a strong recovery save on the Colorado captain soon after with a two-pad stack when his stop behind the net rolled off his stick and into the danger area in front of goal. On an extended five-minute Colorado powerplay soon after McDavid's opening goal, Mike Smith made nine of them.Įvander Kane was handed a five-minute boarding major for sending Nazem Kadri into the corner boards 28 seconds on from Edmonton making it a 1-0 game, and Smith was the principal reason the Oilers were able to hold the line against the Avalanche attack. You know what they always say - your goaltender has to be your best penalty-killer and make the critical stops when shorthanded. McDavid wasted no time in Saturday night's contest to score his 30th point of this post-season for a grand total of 10 goals and 20 assists in 15 games, becoming the fifth-fastest player in NHL playoff history to reach the 30-point mark. The captain had it on his stick and dangled around Artturi Lehkonen, creating space for himself to quickly fire the opening goal five-hole on Pavel Francouz just 38 seconds into Game 3. First minute, first shot, first eruption.Īfter Darnell Nurse's pass narrowly avoided drawing a Too Many Men call out of the Avalance after striking Bowen Byram just in front of the Colorado bench, the puck trickled inside the blueline where Zach Hyman dug deep to win a battle against Nazem Kadri and kick it inside to Connor McDavid.