Zach Hyman went down the tunnel on Monday night after being hit by Anaheim’s Jackson Lacombe, and no penalty was given for the hit.
Jason Gregor noticed what happened right away. Hyman couldn’t get back to the bench, and the fans at Rogers Place were not happy with the referees.
One moment. Huge issue.
Lacombe hit Hyman as he jumped into a play and delivered what appeared to be a strong reverse hit.
The impact was strong enough that it sent the Edmonton player to the locker room, leaving the broadcast audience waiting to see if he would come back.
Here’s the video clip from Gregor, without any editing.
Kris Knoblauch was already managing a shaky top six lineup before Hyman left the ice.
Edmonton entered Game 1 with big questions about Leon Draisaitl and Jason Dickinson, and it was clear both were not at their best.
Still, Dickinson’s two goals showed how crucial his presence was for the Oilers, especially since Hyman’s absence made the top six lineup weaker.
Hyman ended the regular season with 31 goals, 52 points, and a plus-13 rating while making a $5.5 million impact on the salary cap. He scored 10 goals while the team was on the power play, which shows how important he is alongside Connor McDavid.
Lacombe, who is 25 years old, is not very well-known. He recently completed an 82-game season and scored 58 points from the defense position, on a salary of $925,000. He has quietly become one of Anaheim’s most reliable defenders in all situations.
However, that doesn’t make the missed call, or the lack of one, any easier for fans in Edmonton. The Oilers supporters expected at least a minor penalty. The referees thought otherwise and allowed the game to continue. Oilers fans quickly took to social media to express their frustration.
Reverse checks are a tricky part of the rules. Sometimes they are called, and sometimes they aren’t. It usually comes down to whether the referee thinks the player had control of his position.
Hyman came back to play shortly after that incident, but he seemed a bit rattled. We hope he doesn’t have any concussion signs and is ready for the important Game 2.
Lacombe’s angle? That’s the debate Edmonton will be having on the talk shows tomorrow morning.
McDavid doesn’t have a ton of margin on this roster already. Stripping away Hyman in Game 1 would be the exact scenario Anaheim would take every time.
Hyman returned to the game not long after the sequence, but he looked shaken up in the moment.
Hopefully, he does not develop any concussion symptoms and will be available for the crucial Game 2.
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