SI

Evander Kane Blasted for Classless Move After Losing Stanley Cup Final

Kane declined to take part in the handshake line.

Tim Capurso

Kane ended his night with a 10-minute misconduct.
Kane ended his night with a 10-minute misconduct. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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Not only did his Edmonton Oilers lose the Stanley Cup Final for a second consecutive year to the Florida Panthers, but left winger Evander Kane's night also didn't end the way he would have liked.

With under three minutes left to play in the game and the Oilers trailing 5-1, Kane hit Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk, with whom he had gone back and forth all series long, with his stick and was assessed a 10-minute misconduct.

So the likely frustrated Kane ended his night in the penalty box.

But that didn't excuse what happened next. After Florida's victory was official, the players from both teams formed up for the customary handshake line—with Kane noticeably absent, as pointed out by the TNT broadcast.

Kane was ripped by fans, who deemed it a classless move.

Perhaps either Kane or the Oilers will have an explanation for his absence, but either way, it's not a good look.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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