Thursday’s game between the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils was highly anticipated for one reason: the return of Taylor Hall to the city in which his NHL career began.
And fittingly, the Oilers and their fans happily cheered Hall when a video tribute was played at Rogers Place.
Hall was traded to the Devils in the offseason for defenceman Adam Larsson. The Calgary native was selected first overall in the 2010 NHL draft.
The Edmonton fans came prepared with their own material:
Hall said he’s been “feeling the love” from the city in an interview after the first period:
But the Edmonton love-in didn’t last long. In the dying minutes of the second period, Hall struck against his former team, gathering up a juicy rebound and throwing it towards the net. The puck deflected off Steven Santini and past Cam Talbot for Santini’s first career goal, Hall’s first assist against his former team.
And early in the third period, Hall completed the transition from hero to heel after he elbowed Zack Kassian off the faceoff to draw a penalty and the ire of his former teammate.
The Oilers, however, got the last laugh as Leon Draisaitl scored the winner in overtime.
Check out Sportsnet’s Mark Spector’s column on the tilt, one in which Hall got that old, familiar feeling losing in Edmonton.
