EDMONTON – On Saturday, as the Oilers were booed off the ice following a 6-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues, one fan showed his frustration with the team by taking his team’s jersey off his back, and chucking it over the boards.
Given the fact that many hockey players feel the jersey is like a flag, not meant to be dropped on the ground, the move didn’t go unnoticed. Head coach Dallas Eakins said Monday that while he can understand the booing, the sweater being thrown on the ice was “about as bad as it gets.”
“That’s a bunch of bull crap to me,” he said, before quoting the creed that’s on the wall of the Oilers’ dressing room.
“The one thing that stands out in big, bold letters is ‘I am never out of the fight.’ And whoever threw that jersey on the ice, they’re out. They’ve given up. They’re a quitter, and we don’t want that here.”
READ MORE: It’s tough being an Oilers fan these days, just ask Dallas Eakins
And even though Saturday’s game was the Oilers’ sixth loss in a row, and third time being shut out in the last five games, Eakins stressed that the team isn’t throwing in the towel.
“We would be severely dumped on if we just totally started to mail it in and just giving nothing. We’re not going to do that here.”
Watch above: Eakins’ full two-minute rant (Credit: Oilers TV)
Late Monday afternoon, Dallas came out with somewhat of a softer stance on Twitter:
With files from Quinn Ohler, Global News
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