Connor McDavid takes rivalry with Flames up a notch by calling out one of their players!

It may not be the regular season, but things are already heating up between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. 

On Monday night, superstar Connor McDavid collided with rival goalie Jacob Markstrom during the third period after being tripped up by defenseman Chris Tanev as he drove the net.

While no one was injured on the play, McDavid sounded off on Tanev’s move after the contest, which is set to take the rivalry up a notch this season. 

“Obviously they have the right to defend their net and defend me trying to get in there, but when the stick comes into the feet there like Tanev’s did, it’s a dangerous play for me and for the goalie,” McDavid said, per TSN. “I don’t want to go flying in there, the goalie doesn’t want me flying in there, and the guy that’s left safe is the defenseman that is sloppy with his stick.”

McDavid also complained on the ice as there was no penalty on the play. However, the Oilers did receive a power play after the Flames lost their challenge for goaltender interference on the ensuing goal as McDavid was judged to have been tripped into Markstrom.

The Oilers have been putting up an impressive record this preseason, and improved to 5-0-1 with the win over Calgary on Monday. But it didn’t seem to lighten McDavid’s mood. 

We bet the rivalry will be heating up when the Oilers and Flames will meet for the first time in the regular season on Oct. 16. It will mark Calgary’s first game of the year. 

“They got this one tonight, but hopefully we win when it starts to matter,” added Flames’ Matthew Tkachuk while McDavid sounded off in the other dressing room.