Oilers star Connor McDavid returns against Hurricanes after scary first-period injury

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid left the ice with an injury Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes and remained in the locker room for the remainder of the first period.

He eventually rejoined the game for the second period. Just as the period was about to begin, McDavid skated out from the visitors’ tunnel and directly onto the ice to start the period for the Oilers.

McDavid, the captain of the Edmonton Oilers and a leading candidate for both the league’s MVP and scoring awards, was trailing the play on an Edmonton zone entry when he caught a stick up high from Brady Skjei and crumbled to the ice.

At the ensuing whistle, at 5:40 of the first period, Skjei was assessed a four-minute double minor for high-sticking, an automatic call if the infraction draws blood.

McDavid, with his hands covering his face, left the ice.

Though the injury happened early in the frame, McDavid had already racked up 2:19 of ice time. He also thought he’d scored a goal.

Just minutes into the game, McDavid raced up the right side of the ice around the Carolina defense and fired the puck between Frederik Andersen’s pads and into the cage. But almost immediately, the Carolina bench challenged the play for offside.

After a short review, former Hurricanes forward Warren Foegele was indeed a step offside, and the goal was taken off the board.

This story was originally published February 27, 2022 at 1:47 PM.