Happy Birthday, Mr. Smyth: Oilers Fall 3-1

A loss is rarely met with celebration in the NHL, but for Oilers forward Ryan Smyth, today is the exception. Ryan Smyth who turned 37 today and had 599 career points with the Edmonton Oilers going into tonight’s game, a fact his son brought up this morning at the breakfast table when he asked his father to give himself a little birthday present – a goal.

Even though the Oilers fell short of a win, losing 3-1 to the Minnesota Wild after Matt Cullen netted 2 goals and an assist, Smyth scored the Oilers lone tally and his 600th career point as an Oiler.

Smyth’s son also requested his father kept himself out of the sin bin on his birthday. Though Smyth managed to honor this request, his young teammate Taylor Hall could not.

Hall hit Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck with what appeared to be knee or thigh on knee contact late in the 3rd, injuring Clutterbuck and earning himself 5 minutes for kneeing and a 10 misconduct. Clutterbuck was unable to make it off the ice on his own accord, being helped off the ice to a stretcher waiting for him in the zamboni bay. Hall may face a suspension if the hit is deemed to be intentional knee-on-knee and may not be available when the Oilers take on the Phoenix Coyotes this Saturday at 12:30 pm PST.