Danault calls out Oilers: 'I think they just have their B squad in trying to hurt us'
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With the two teams set to meet once again in the first round, tensions are high between the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers.
Things appeared to boil over Monday as Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse was ejected for cross-checking Kings forward Quinton Byfield in the back of the head while both players were on the ice.
The incident happened at the 14:36 mark of the second period when Nurse drove Byfield down to the ice following a scramble in front of the Oilers' net and proceeded to give him a cross-check to the back of the head.
Nurse received a five-minute penalty and was ejected from the contest with a game misconduct. Byfield missed the third period of the 5-0 win what the Kings called an upper-body injury.
The 15 penalty minutes to Nurse were among the total of 53 assessed to the Oilers on Monday, while the Kings picked up just 16.
During a second intermission interview, Kings forward Phillip Danault had some strong words for how he perceived the Oilers were handling the late-season game.
“I think they just have their B squad in trying to hurt us,” he said.
Veteran Oilers forward Corey Perry responded to Danault's comment after the game.
"What do you want us to do?" said Perry. "Did he not look at what's happened over the last couple weeks? Like, what do you want us to do? We're not out there to hurt anybody."
The injury-riddled Oilers were without many notable players on Monday, including Connor McDavid, who was rested as the team attempts to get healthy before the first-round series. Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and Jake Walman, who all also missed Monday's game, are expected to be ready for Game 1, while Trent Frederic and Evander Kane could return then as well.
Byfield, who netted a power-play goal in the first period, did not return to the game. The 22-year-old forward is having another strong year, recording 23 goals and 31 assists over 80 games.
Nurse, 30, has tallied five goals and 28 assists over 76 games with the Oilers in 2024-25.
Los Angeles has wrapped up second place in the Pacific Division, four points better than the third-place Oilers. The two sides will meet in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fourth straight year with the Kings having home ice advantage.
The Oilers have beaten the Kings in each playoff matchup over the previous three seasons.