'You Can't Let What Happened at the Beginning of the Year Happen Now': Zach Hyman Didn't Mince Words About the Oilers Performance
The Edmonton Oilers forward scored two of the team's three goals against the Calgary Flames.
EDMONTON -- Zach Hyman is one of the hardest working players on the Edmonton Oilers roster. He doesn't possess the speed of Connor McDavid or the passing finesse of Leon Draisaitl.
But he busts his behind every time he steps on the ice - no matter the score.
With a pair of goals (36th and 37th of the year) last night he officially breaks his record for most goals in a season.
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Although his team dropped a 6-3 decision to their provincial rivals, Hyman has his focus on the long term - rather than the immediate. "It's an 82 game season. Would you like to play perfect every 10 games or every stretch? Sure. Are you going to? Probably not."
The Oilers have gone through a 4-5-1 run of games since returning from the All-Star break. Hyman has one thing on the mind, keeping perspective by looking at the end goal rather than dwell on the loss.
"We're getting closer to the playoffs and we're still fighting for a spot."
Everyone in the room is saying the right things before the start of the game - it's just not translating on the ice. Hyman told the press, "[we] say all the right things in the room. Everybody leaves saying 'we're going to be ready for the first period, we're going to be ready to start,' it's just a matter of doing it."
Hyman had a memorable response to a question on if the team came out with 'their game' at any point in the contest. "No. I didn't feel like we played our best at any point, did you?"
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Moving forward, this can't be a habit for this Oilers team - and Hyman is more than aware of that.
"This is what happens during a long season. But at the same time, you have to nip it. You can't let what happened at the beginning of the year happen now."
With how well the Oilers have played as recently as just before the All-Star break - it's tough to consider if they might fall to the depths of the opening stretch of the season.
In an 82 game season, anything is possible. Including an embarrassing loss to the Flames.
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