"There's frustration that's allowed to happen": HC Kris Knoblauch makes feelings known about Connor McDavid's vicious cross check

In the final seconds of the Edmonton Oilers' 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, tensions boiled over in a dramatic ending that saw Connor McDavid and Tyler Myers handed match penalties.

With the Oilers trailing by a goal, McDavid found himself tangled up with Canucks winger Conor Garland. Visibly frustrated, McDavid delivered a vicious cross-check to the side of Garland's head as he got back to his feet.

The incident sparked a scrum, and in another altercation, Myers cross-checked Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard in the face. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch was candid in his assessment of the late-game drama.

"There's a rivalry, and Connor gets frustrated. Connor gets his stick up, and he's frustrated because we're down one goal, and the best player in the league is getting held for 15 seconds," Kris Knoblauch said."There's frustration that's allowed to happen, and his stick got up."

McDavid's teammate Leon Draisaitl took a more measured approach, simply saying:

"It's hockey. It happens. It's intense. It's just the way it goes sometimes. Obviously couldn't get one, and then a little bit of fisticuffs. nothing major."

Both McDavid and Myers will face automatic hearings for their game penalties.

Myers and Bouchard were handed minor penalties for slashing, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins picked up two minors for roughing. The others — Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Mattias Ekholm, Derek Forbort, J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson and Garland — each received minor penalties for roughing.

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Kris Knoblauch reflects on Oilers' loss to Canucks

The Canucks jumped out to an early lead, with defenseman Quinn Hughes scoring a power-play goal to give his team a 1-0 advantage in the first period.

Danton Heinen also found the back of the net from a rebound for Vancouver, extending its lead to 2-0. Hughes then netted another power-play goal, firing a wrist shot over the blocker from the top of the left circle to make it 3-0.

"2 penalties and 2 power play goals, that was a big part of it and then, giving up those two is the difference in the game. We were able to get 1 power play goal and they met two and we lose by 1. And usually special teams is the difference of hockey." Kris Knoblauch said.

"I thought we had a pretty good push to, down 3 and, you know, make it 3-2 after the secon period. Yeah, we just couldn't generate enough to get that 3rd one," Kris Knoblauch added.

Leon Draisaitl scored two goals (one in power play) in the second period to bring his team to the 3-2 final score.