Things are not going well for the Edmonton Oilers and their best players are feeling the pressure.
Down 4-2 midway through the third against the Canucks, both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl took unnecessary roughing penalties. Draisaitl was also handed a 10-minute misconduct.
Later in the period, head coach Jay Woodcroft was given an unsportsmanlike penalty and game misconduct after saying something to the officials.
The rough stuff started near the Canucks net, when McDavid and J.T. Miller traded shoves before Zach Hyman grabbed Miller and Philip Di Gissupee took McDavid down to the ice. Hyman and Miller received two minutes for roughing each after that sequence.
On the very next shift, after the puck had moved down to the Oilers end, McDavid took a roughing penalty when he shoved Pius Suter to the ice. That shove was followed by a scrum involving all the players on the ice, which is when Draisaitl collected his penalties.
Miller — after exiting the box — scored on the ensuing power play to extend the Canucks lead to 5-2.
Woodcroft’s ejection came with just over six minutes remaining in the third, after Dylan Holloway was hit hard in the slot trying to score on a power play. The Canucks scored on that power play to complete the 6-2 victory.
The Oilers entered the season as Stanley Cup favourites but have struggled out of the gate. With Monday’s loss, the Oilers dropped to 2-8-1 and remain 31st in the NHL standings, ahead of only the winless San Jose Sharks.
The Oilers will get a chance to get back on track against those Sharks on Thursday.
