The Edmonton Oilers closed out a 6-1-1 preseason with a 3-2 win at Vancouver, icing a team without their best two players and their top defensive pairing, yet still managing to win comfortably, building a 3-0 lead that lasted until the final minutes.
“Not as steady as we would have wanted it, but any time you win it’s good,” said Brendan Perlini, who scored again for Edmonton. “Pre-season, regular season, playoffs… A win is a win. It gives everyone confidence. Hopefully it can continue to the regular season.”
Let’s face it: In a season where anything the Oilers accomplish in regular season means next to nothing — where the playoffs are everything for an Oilers club coming off flops in the past two post-seasons — Edmonton polished off a near perfect pre-season with a win over a Canucks lineup that was pretty close to what they’ll have in their season opener Wednesday at Edmonton.
So, what did we learn in the last audition, where Edmonton got goals from Kailer Yamamoto, Perlini and a bomb from Evan Bouchard? Well, a few things…
•••
Head coach Dave Tippett went with all six of his fourth-line hopefuls, icing a line of Ryan McLeod between Tyler Benson and Colton Sceviour, and another unit of Devin Shore with wingers Perlini and Kyle Turris.
While Perlini scored a goal, it was the pass from Sceviour that really stood out. He drew the checkers to him, then threw a puck back into the high slot to a wide open Perlini, who buried his sixth goal in six pre-season games.
It was the kind of pass Leon Draisaitl would have been proud of.
“He was yelling,” Sceviour laughed. “I figured this out: A guy that hot, you get it on his stick any way you can. It worked out.”
The Oilers are light on right wing, with Josh Archibald (myocarditis) out long term, and Zack Kassian in concussion protocol. That should open the door for Sceviour to get a contract. He’s been on a PTO at camp, but has earned a spot on Edmonton’s fourth line.
“I’m happy with how I performed, however this all works out,” the 32-year-old said. “My offensive numbers … they’re never going to jump out at you. The Oilers don’t need me to chip in much offensively. They can score. But if you’re playing in the bottom six and getting scored on, you’re not going to get a lot of ice time.”
•••
The other guy who simply played his way on to the opening day roster is Perlini. How do you cut a guy who scores six goals in six pre-season games?
“I had a good one in Chicago a couple of years ago,” he recalled. “I’m just trying to take advantage of the opportunity.”
Perlini is a fourth-line left winger all day long on this team, behind Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Warren Foegele. But you’ve got to admit, he did outscore every one of those guys in the pre-season, potting his sixth in six pre-season games off a lovely pass from Colton Sceviour in the second period.
Not bad, for a former first-round pick of Arizona who rolled through Chicago and Detroit, and then ended up in the Swiss league last season.
“Sometimes you have to take a step back to take a step forward,” he said. “I went over there, learned a lot. It was a different experience. You realize how great life was in Canada or the U.S. I am also coming back with a lot of humility and gratitude to be here again.”
•••
Around the lineup: Stuart Skinner played the final 40 minutes between the pipes and looked very much like a goalie who could come up from Bakersfield and back up capably, if need be. He let in two goals on 17 shots, but looked more like an NHL goalie than ever before … Bouchard scored on a slapper from the point. He just has one of those heavy shots, like Sheldon Souray. The puck jumps off his stick, harder than most NHL defencemen. “He looks like a (genuine) player now,” said head coach Dave Tippett. “He’s now a player you can play in all situations. He’s still got some growing to do, but he’s a good player now. He’s played six of the seven pre-season games and been solid all the way through. That’s a real positive for us.” … Yamamoto scored his first goal of the pre-season, a lovely roof job off a shorthanded pass from Derek Ryan … Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci enjoyed their best preseason outing. With no Darnell Nurse and Tyson Barrie, the Keith-Ceci pairing played 25 minutes and were on for a goal for and one against. They killed nearly five minutes in penalties. “They’ll be a real solid pair for us,” said Tippett.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
