Hockey players are creatures of habit.

Look no further than their pre-game routines. Some do visualization exercises, others have to tape their stick in a certain way, but one routine that all share is a game of sewer ball.

While many have wondered over the years why hockey players kick around a soccer ball, look no further than the Edmonton Oilers’ 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. With the game tied up at 1 with less than three minutes left in the third period, the Oilers were cycling the puck in the offensive zone.

It found its way to defenceman Ryan Shea at the point, who tried to throw the puck back down low, only for it to head right to Connor McDavid. The Oilers captain was standing on the half-wall and brought up his knee, just like he would when trying to keep a soccer ball up. All of a sudden, the puck changed course, across the ice and right to Leon Draisaitl in his office, who swiftly gave the Oilers the lead.

That was ultimately the catalyst in the Oilers’ win, but it’s the work the team put in for the preceding 57 minutes that set them up for success — beyond a sloppy second period, Oilers head coach Mike Babcock said during his post-game press conference,........

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