The Stanley Cup final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers hardly needs any more fuel added to the rivalry between the two teams, but the wife of the biggest star in the series certainly supplied some on Monday night.
Lauren Kyle McDavid, the wife of Oilers superstar Connor McDavid, took a thinly veiled shot at her husband’s Cup opponents in a post to her Instagram stories.
The post, which went online while Game 3 was still going on, featured a screenshot of an Internet search result for the Alberta Rat Control Program — an obvious reference to the tradition of Panthers fans throwing plastic versions of the pest onto the ice after home playoff wins.
The screenshot reads the “Alberta Rat Control Program, established in 1950, has been instrumental in keeping the province essentially rat-free.”
The screenshot also details how the program has been highly successful in keeping rodents out of the province for several decades.
While the Panthers have their own team history with the rodents, trade-deadline acquisition Brad Marchand also has earned a pest-like reputation over the course of his career and has often been to referred to as Rat — mainly by opposing fanbases.
However, the timing of Lauren’s post was questionable at best. The Oilers were blown out in Sunrise, Fla., in Game 3, giving the host Panthers a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 is set for Thursday night at 8 p.m. before the series shifts back up north to Edmonton for Game 5 on Saturday night.
McDavid and a few of her fellow Oilers WAGs also are yet to attend a game in the final this year, jetting off to Greece last week for some fun in the sun.
The women do have a good reason for the getaway: The bachelorette party for Celeste Desjardins, fiancee of Edmonton superstar Leon Draisaitl.
The ladies’ journey has been well-documented by Lauren on her Instagram Stories, sharing snaps on the plane and at their sunny destination.
McDavid did note the timing of the trip was a bit less than ideal, considering what their hubbies are up to at home.
“PSA – when the bachelorette falls on less than ideal timing but we will be back for the good stuff!!” Lauren wrote Wednesday night. “Go Oilers!!!”
Desjardins also shared a snap of Mikayla Nurse, wife of Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse, on her Instagram Stories, writing “We’re reaaaaady!”