On March 29, the Edmonton Oilers took on the Calgary Flames in the “Battle of Alberta.” It was a crucial matchup, especially for the Flames, who had their playoff hopes riding on it. Yet, when all hell broke loose within the first 10 minutes of the very first period, it wasn’t because tensions boiled over on the ice. Instead, the chaos came from the stands behind the Oilers bench.

“Oh dear. Apparently a fan collapsed on the stairs of the Edmonton Oilers game,” wrote DobberProspects’ Austin Kelly. The incident caught everyone off guard, but no one wasted time springing into action. The people nearest to the ailing fan got to her aid before the paramedic at Rogers Place rushed over. Now, nearly a day after the incident, the Oilers have broken their silence.

In their post addressing “the medical emergency during last night’s,” game, the first thing the Edmonton Oilers did was acknowledge that community. “The Edmonton Oilers & OEGSE are grateful to the emergency services personnel, our OEGSE staff & the fans who assisted in attending to this emergency,” the NHL team wrote in their statement.

The Oilers post was also the first time the team officially acknowledged the incident. While several news outlets and fans discussed the unfortunate medical emergency, the Oilers didn’t officially speak about it. Of course, in their statement, the NHL team wished for the best outcome for the fans. They wrote: “Our thoughts & prayers are with the fan, their family & loved ones.”

“We wish them a speedy recovery,” added the Edmonton Oilers. However, even the official post didn’t shed light on what exactly happened. Bob Mackin of The Breaker News had said the fan “suffered a heart attack,” as per Edmonton Fire Dispatch radio chatter. At least, the official post indicates that the fan might be on the road to recovery. And while things looked worrisome in the stands that night, the Oilers weren’t having the best time on the ice either. That was until one man turned it around.

A rollercoaster night for the Edmonton Oilers

With the fan on the way to the hospital, the Battle of Alberta finally got underway, and both teams had a lot riding on it. With Connor McDavid still on the sidelines and Leon Draisaitl finally returning from injury, the Oilers wanted to get back to their winning ways. However, Calgary had a lot more at stake than just winning.

The St. Louis Blues have showcased exception form since the NHL resumed after the 4 Nations Face-Off. They’re on a nine-game win streak, while the Calgary Flames have lost steam in their chase to earn the last wildcard slot for the NHL playoffs. However, at one point, it looked like the Flames meant business, leading the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 late in the third period.

Yet, just when it looked like the Flames would finally gain some ground on the Blues, Leon Draisaitl stepped up. The returning Oiler scored the equalizer, forcing the game into overtime. However, the German hockey star was far from done with the Flames’ defense, as he also scored the winning goal in overtime. His heroics put the final exclamation on a night of drama at Rogers Place.

What’s more? Leon Draisaitl didn’t just win the game, he reached the 50-goal mark, making it the German star’s fourth 50-goal season. Talk about making a statement. Yet, the Flames are still holding on to hope. “You can’t get discouraged. I think that’s encouraging more than anything,” said Nazem Kadri who reached a goal-scoring milestone of his own, nothing his 700th NHL career goal against the Oilers. So, as the hockey community moves past the eventful night, everyone hopes the ailing fan will once again be back to cheer his team.