Jake Virtanen Gets Boarded and Pulls Groin [Video]

 

Darnell Nurse pushed Jake Virtanen head first into the boards, but it was his other head that took the brunt of the injury during the Canucks - Oilers game Saturday.

It was a weird series of events in the Oilers zone during the third period. Virtanen was collecting a dump along the half-wall when Nurse came in hard, let up, then changed his mind and pushed Virtanen into the boards as he was collecting the puck. Nurse knew he screwed up, even stopped playing and checked on Virtanen, while waiting for the penalty. Yet, the whistle never blew and Nurse jumped back into the game.

Virtanen could be heard screaming on the replay and grabbing his groin, because when Nurse pushed him he, somehow, turned a head first boarding into a full split.   

Bo Horvat potted the first goal of the night when he scored during a second period power play that many on the Oilers thought should have been blown dead. Koskinen stopped a blast from J.T. Miller but couldn't corral the rebound, and several players dove for the loose puck. With bodies littered across the crease, Horvat poked the loose puck over the goal line from the side of the net. Yelling could be heard from the Oilers about it being "no good", but there was no call for review and they didn't challenge.

Leon Draisaitl managed to tie it up later in the period, but that would the Oilers only tally on the night. In the third period the Oilers pulled Koskinen with 1:45 left to play and called a 30-second timeout. Tried as they might, but ultimately nothing happened.

Tyler Myers came up clutch with just 10:00 left to play in the third when he sent a slapper past Koskinen and sealed the win.

A long break was required mid-period when Zack MacEwen crushed defenceman William Lagesson with a massive hit along the end boards. The force knocked the glass loose and the matinace crew required several minutes to make the repairs.