Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Alex Pietrangelo, fresh off his one-game suspension, seemed to accuse the Edmonton Oilers of taking some cheap shots at him before his vicious slash on Leon Draisaitl in Game 4 of their secon-round series.
“It’s pretty obvious what’s going on. It’s premeditated stuff I’m pretty sure coming at me. But (the NHL’s Department of Player Safety) didn’t really seem to care in the meeting,” Pietrangelo said Saturday, one day after the Golden Knights took a 3-2 series lead without his services.
“I’ll get up and take it. I’m not going to lay on the ice, like what’s going on … I’ll get up and play the game the way it needs to be played. It’s pretty obvious what’s goping on. At the end of the day, we’ve got a job to do, they’ve got a job to do and we’ve got to close it out (Sunday).”
Pietrangelo, a three-time all-star, got his one-game ban after Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse also received a one-game suspension. Nurse received instigator and misconduct penalties for fighting Nic Hague after Pietrangelo’s slash. Because the instigator penalty occurred in the final minute, it carries an automatic one-game suspension, a decision upheld by the NHL.
Both Pietrangelo and Nurse can return on Sunday in Edmonton for Game 6.
“I’m not going to sit here and dwell on it. The league took care of it,” Pietrangelo said. “Move on. A little nerveracking watching the game last night but I’ll take it a day to get some extra rest and get ready for (Sunday).
“There’s a lot of shots both ways, let’s just say that.”
Pietrangelo said he’s fired up after how the series has unfolded.
“Absolutely, I’m sure the rest of the guys do, too. I’m sure the guys had a little extra motivation last night. We’re a tight group in there, we’ve got each others’ backs. Siting there last night watching the game, i was sweating. It’s just not fun to watch. You want to make sure you can get out there and contribute. I don’t want to be in that situation again.”
Watch Game 6 of the Oilers-Golden Knights series on Sunday at 10 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. MT on Sportsnet or SN NOW.
