Connor Murphy turned a scrum with Brendan Gallagher into a moment, as the Oilers and Canucks play tonight in Edmonton.
The Oilers defenseman was imitating the Canucks winger after the two got tangled up in front of the benches. It's a funny reaction, and it's now spreading fast on social media.
Scrums happen every night in this league. Most of them are forgotten by the next whistle. This one stuck because Murphy didn't just shove and skate away. He decided to have some fun at Gallagher's expense, and the room noticed.
The game itself was still live as this was written, in the 2nd period with 2:02 left, so there's plenty of hockey left to play. Whatever the scoreboard says, the clip is the story of the night for a lot of fans.
Murphy has 25 penalty minutes in 17 games this season, so he's no stranger to the rough stuff. Gallagher has 6 PIM in 15 games, and he's been an agitator for most of his career.
Why this Canucks-Oilers scrum landed differently
The two teams arrived in very different places. Edmonton is 11-3-3 and has lost two straight, including a 4-5 loss to Anaheim on Thursday. Vancouver is 3-14-1 and has lost four in a row.
When a team is sitting at the bottom, every bit of emotion on the ice matters. Gallagher is a veteran with 926 NHL games behind him, and he's still showing up for scrums on a night when the standings offer little else.
Murphy, on the other hand, has the look of a player enjoying himself. It's a lighter moment for an Oilers group that wants to get back in the win column.
Will it carry over into the third period? That depends on how the next whistle goes. Both teams are back in action Monday, Vancouver hosting Philadelphia and Edmonton hosting the Rangers.
Quick hits
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: Nikita Kucherov won it in overtime on a 4-on-3 power play, lifting the Lightning past the Wild 4-3 in Minnesota. That's what a star does with a little extra space.
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COLORADO AVALANCHE: Gabriel Landeskog and Moritz Seider dropped the gloves tonight in a very long fight, according to Corey Masisak, as the Avalanche host the Red Wings.
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SAN JOSE SHARKS: Will Smith scored, but the Sharks gave up an early lead and lost 4-3 in Dallas. That's five straight defeats, and the questions are piling up.
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CAROLINA HURRICANES: A 9-2 rout of the Blackhawks at Lenovo Center tied the Hurricanes' record for goals in a game since relocation. Chicago's night was ugly from start to finish.
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OTTAWA SENATORS: Tim Stutzle moved into the top five for most assists in franchise history, the Senators announced tonight. He's still climbing.
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Was Connor Murphy right to mock Brendan Gallagher in the middle of a game?
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