“Still feels amazing.”
That was Edmonton Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto commenting on his first NHL goal about 15 hours after he scored it Thursday night against the Boston Bruins.
Yamamoto, who turned 20 on Sept. 29, had good chances to score in his previous 13 NHL games, but finally lit the lamp in the Oilers home opener. He took a long pass from Adam Larsson at the Bruins blue line, streaked to the net and beat Jaroslav Halak glove side.
“It was an unbelievable pass by Larse,” Yamamoto said. “I just tried to spin off him and get it. My reaction was a little bit funny. I looked a little bit surprised.”
While it might have been a “pinch me” moment for Yamamoto, his teammates got a boost from seeing him hit the score sheet.
“I’m very happy for him. He’s been playing really good hockey,” defenceman Oscar Klefbom said. “It brings back a lot of memories from when I scored my first goal in Rexall.”
“It’s amazing what that youth can do for a team. Everyone is pulling for these guys to get their first goal,” head coach Todd McLellan said.
“When those young guys get their first and you see them react or don’t react or they’re stunned or whatever it might be, there’s some satisfaction there for the group.”
Yamamoto said the Oilers are mounting the puck for him. It’s a night he won’t forget, made even more special by a couple of fans in the stands at Rogers Place.
“Right after the game, I went and saw my parents. They actually came down for the game so it was really cool.”
The Oilers held an optional practice Friday morning. McLellan said defenceman Matthew Benning will not play Saturday against Nashville. He and Ty Rattie were both hurt against the Bruins.
Rattie and Drake Caggiula, who missed Thursday’s game, will be re-evaluated on Saturday.
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