Oilers Criticized For Breaking The Code After Zadorov's Hit on Stuart Skinner
The Edmonton Oilers had a dominant 4-0 win over the Boston Bruins, but if there was one stain on an otherwise perfect game, it was the lack of response after Zadorov's hit on Stuart Skinner.
Late in the first period, Nikita Zadorov ran over Stuart Skinner on a drive to the net - making zero attempt to avoid contact with the goalie.
Evan Bouchard and Brett Kulak stood around in disbelief, gesturing towards the referees in the immediate aftermath. Throughout the rest of the game, there was barely any payback for the hard contact on Skinner.
In every level of hockey, it's an undisputed rule that the team protects their goaltender from any and all contact. The Oilers broke this piece of the hockey code, and it's the one blemish on an otherwise perfect win.
When Stuart Skinner returned to start the second period, Zadorov did come over to apologize to the Oilers goalie which could have eased some tensions.
Edmonton Oilers Dominate Boston Bruins, But Toughness Question Rises Again
The Oilers bagged a 4-0 win and owned the Bruins through the first 50 minutes of the game, and then were able to withstand a final push. The Oilers got their offensive chances while suppressing the Bruins to almost nothing.
However, hockey always seems to change come playoff time when physicality plays more of a role. The Edmonton Oilers are currently last in the NHL in hits by far.
Hits are an imperfect stat that aren't and indication of success, but seeing a gap so large could be a little concerning.
The Oilers are now a veteran playoff team, so they know they'll have to increase the physical play in the spring.
When Evander Kane returns he'll surely help with the team's physicality, but Zadorov running over Stuart Skinner shows that it can't just be one player - the whole team needs to adopt a mentality that they can't be pushed around.
