This Is Not What They Call A Backhanded Compliment
from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,
The Oilers had coughed up a late 3-1 lead to the Winnipeg Jets with some soft, careless play in their own zone — sound familiar? — before Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins saved the day.
Draisaitl saucered a long backhand pass across the Jets zone that landed on Nugent-Hopkins' blade, and he deposited the puck behind Eric Comrie for a late, 4-3 Oilers win.
What a pass by Draisaitl, eh coach?
“He threw a lot of backhands tonight — some to our team, some to the other team,” said coach Dave Tippett after the game. “The problem is, when that happens in the playoffs it usually goes against you. And that’s the problem I have with it.”
Tippett’s Oilers picked up right where they’d left off the previous playoff season. Soft, loose and with a lack of attention to detail, their skill had rescued them the way it does all season long — until the playoffs, when the cavalry annually disappears.
“We were red rotten,” spat Tippett.
We showed the video of Tippett’s quote to Draisaitl, who took the high road:
“I know how to play in the playoffs. That’s all I can say.”
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