MONTREAL (AP) Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid played his 100th NHL game on Sunday, and it was an eventful one.
McDavid was kept off the scoresheet, but he led all forwards with 20:43 of ice time and drew three penalties in the Oilers’ 1-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Leon Draisaitl’s shootout goal.
The 20-year-old McDavid also got booed at Bell Centre, starting in the first period when the sellout crowd of 21,288 got on him for what it felt was a dive when Shea Weber was called for what looked like a phantom trip in the neutral zone 8:40 into the game.
”I don’t mind it at all,” McDavid said of the booing. The talented forward was more upset with being thought of as a diver.
After the incident, Montreal’s Andrew Shaw threw him to the ice, but there was no call on the encounter.
”It wasn’t anything serious,” McDavid said. ”They might have already had a penalty coming up there. It’s tough to call two on a play like that.
”I drew some penalties, which was good. A guy was getting on me a bit but it was definitely not diving. All three of those chances, I’m trying to make a play at the net and stuff ended up happening, but it was definitely not diving or anything like that.”
McDavid, the first overall pick of the 2015 draft, has 108 career points and seems to be getting better with each game. He leads the NHL with 42 assists and 60 points.
”He’s electrifying,” teammate Milan Lucic said. ”For a lot of reasons – his speed, skill, his ability to finish and pass. I kind of compare him to Cristiano Ronaldo, of hockey. It’s been fun to play with him so far.”
Cam Talbot had 22 saves as Edmonton (29-18-8) salvaged the finale of a three-game trip that included only one regulation goal for the Oilers.
The Canadiens (30-16-8) dropped to 1-3-1 in their last five games. The Atlantic Division leaders were coming off a 3-2 loss to Washington on Saturday.
McDavid had a breakaway in overtime, but he was denied by Al Montoya. Talbot also turned away a big drive for Shea Weber at the other end.
Montoya finished with 32 saves.
”He was unreal,” Weber said. ”He played one of his best games of the year for us and that’s why we had a chance to win it.”
After coming close early on when Alexei Emelin hit a cross bar, the Canadiens generated little on attack until picking up the pace in the third period.
The Oilers had a 30-20 shot advantage in regulation time and outshot Montreal 32-22 overall.
NOTES: Both teams were playing a third game in four days.
UP NEXT
Oilers: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.
Canadiens: Visit the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.
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