Evander Kane made a natural hat-trick in six minutes in the second period to raise Edmonton Oilers to a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Sunday night at Rodgers Place.
Edmonton led 2-1 in the series.
The Oilers beat the Flames 21-7 in the first period, but none of the teams hit the scoreboard.
“When our best players lead the way in defense and set the tone for what is expected for the full 200 feet on the rink, I think that makes us a better team,” said Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft.
The Oilers kept pushing for a second, and it only took them 52 seconds to break through. Zack Hyman defeated blocker Jacob Markstrom for his fourth series. Evander Kane scored two goals with a difference of 53 seconds, first passing a pass to Leon Drysight, then finished a pass to Connor McDavid.
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Read more: Edmonton Oilers come from behind to take match 2 in Calgary
In the middle of the second, Mike Smith stopped Johnny Gaudreau from tearing off, then made a glove loop on Matthew Tkachuk’s rebound. Kane would finish the hat-trick soon after, invading the front and defeating Markstrom with a backhand.
“He is a hockey player with really good habits. I didn’t know that about him, but there is a reason for him to succeed on the ice, “Woodcroft told Kane.
Milan Lucic caused a heated fight when he hit Mike Smith in the end boards while Smith was next to the net to play the puck. Lucic received a 5-minute major for billing and misconduct.
“I really don’t know what happened, to be honest. “I’m playing with the puck and I’m suddenly buried in the boards,” said Smith.
“When you run through the end wall and you don’t expect it, it’s not an ideal situation. These are the playoffs and they are trying to shake you. “
“It was obviously a game of frustration – managing our goalkeeper,” Kane added. “The referees made the right decision.”
Smith was ordered to leave the game according to the NHL concussion protocol. Smith returned after being replaced by Miko Koskinen in 4:15. Koskinen did not face a blow to the door.
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“It’s not an ideal situation to leave the game in the third period with 11 minutes left, but I understand the reason for that,” said Smith, referring to the NHL concussion protocol.
“I don’t believe in media complaints,” Woodcroft added.
Oliver Killington scored for the Flames with the remaining 4:51.
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Kane – who also had a hat-trick in the third game against Los Angeles – became the first Euler to have several hat-tricks in the same playoff season since Jari Curie had four in 1985.
“When your best players play the best hockey game of their careers in the playoffs, you have a really good chance of winning and both of them (McDavid and Drysight) have done it,” Smith said.
Draisaitl made four assists in the second to equal the NHL record for most points in the playoffs.
Dan Vladar replaced Markström in the Flams’ net for a third period.
The Oilers are trying to keep the momentum from Sunday night in game 4.
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“We learned a valuable lesson in the last series when we went up 2-1. “We probably played our worst game in Game 4,” Smith said. “We want to learn a lesson and not allow this to happen again and continue to do what we did in this game tonight.
Game 4 is on Tuesday at Rogers Place (Face-off Show at 630 CHED starts at 17:30, game starts at 19:30).
– With files from Brenden Escott, 630 CHED
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