Sports

Player grades: With blood in the water, Edmonton Oilers finally cage Sharks in overtime

Published

2 years ago

March 21, 2023

Edmonton Oilers Nick Bjugstad (72)celebrates his first period goal against the San Jose Sharks with teammates on Monday, March 20, 2023 in Edmonton. Greg Southam-Postmedia Photo by Greg Southam /Greg Southam

Sharks 4, Oilers 5 (OT)

For much of Monday night’s chaotic affair at Rogers Place, it appeared the Edmonton Oilers were destined to lose their third home game of the season to a bottom-three club. But when the dust settled on a wild game that featured 4 goals overturned by video review (3 against the SJS, 1 against EDM), several goal posts, some inexplicable missed calls and a number of circus saves by San Jose’s James Reimer, the Oilers emerged with a 5-4 win in overtime.

Unlikely scoring heroes emerged for the Oilers in the persons of Mattias Ekholm who scored a pair of game-tying goals and Darnell Nurse, who untied it in the dying seconds of the fourth frame. They along with 2-goal man Erik Karlsson of San Jose scored the game’s final 5 goals. Hard to imagine 3 defenders chosen as the game stars in a 9-goal, 83-shot game, but such was the unpredictable nature of this wild affair.

Edmonton dominated the flow of play, with shot attempts of 84-45, shots 51-32, high danger chances of 27-15 and expected goals of 5.7 to 2.7. The tilt of the ice was reflected in our own counts of Grade A shots (31-14 Edmonton) and the subset of 5-alarm chances (17-8). Fair to conclude that the better team won, even as it took 64 minutes and 45 seconds to prove it.

Far too much happening far too fast in this game for precision coverage (which can also be said about the Oilers defence). Grade comments will focus on our tally of contributions to Grade A Shots (GAS), which for the uninitiated usually show best on wingers — who have the most offensive opportunity with the least defensive responsibility — and worst of defencemen, with centres somewhere in the middle. Here is our running count from this game.

No grade but a special shout out to Oilers video coach Jeremy Coupal, who went 3-for-3 on challenging apparent Sharks goals that were ultimately overturned by razor thin technicalities.

Player grades

#2 Evan Bouchard, 7. Led Oilers’ d-men with 26:01 in ice time and showed well, even as he had a couple of wobbly moments which Ekholm cleaned up. Earned an assist on the 3-3 goal. Rang the post late in OT and then was robbed by Reimer on the rebound. GAS: +5/-0, outstanding for a d-man.

#5 Cody Ceci, 5. Made a bad mistake on San Jose’s third goal when he drifted to the left boards to help Nurse, allowing the eventual goal scorer (Karlsson) to race up the middle of the ice unmolested. Made a goal-saving play in the crease to hold the deficit to 4-3 in the third, raising his grade by a full point. GAS: +1/-3.

#10 Derek Ryan, 4. Played just 9:17 and had little impact on the game. Positive stats of 1 shot, 1 hit, 1 takeaway, and 2/3=67% on the dot. GAS: +0/-1.

#14 Mattias Ekholm, 8. Scored a pair of massive goals that each tied the score, 3-3 midway in the second, then 4-4 late in the third. Both times unexpectedly busted into the slot, delivering a precision backhand under Reimer’s glove in the first instance, then an absolute rocket of a slapshot to the top corner in the second. Also positively involved in the sequence leading to Yamamoto’s goal. Played 22:28 including a team-high 2:07 on the (perfec) penalty kill. 5 shots, 2 hits, 2 giveaways, 2 blocks. GAS: +4/-4, which factored in on 3 GF, 1 GA. Through 10 games in Edmonton, Ekholm has posted outstanding boxcars of 3-6-9, +15 (!) with the Oilers winning 8 of those games.

#18 Zach Hyman, 5. His usual solid grinding in the trenches, leading to some good chances but no goals. Appeared to score on a fortuitous deflection off his body inside the blue paint, but it was overturned for goaltender interference by Hyman himself. Docked 1 grade for a weak backcheck on the third Sharks goal. GAS: +4/-1.

#19 Devin Shore, 4. Played a game-low 5:59 with little to show for it. A couple of iffy decisions. GAS: +1/-0.

#21 Klim Kostin, 4. He too played little, just 7:57. 3 hits but 2 giveaways. GAS: +1/-0.

#25 Darnell Nurse, 7. Some chaos on his watch, but plenty of good moments as well, most notably the game-winning goal scored on a breakaway with just 15 seconds remaining in OT. Nice sprint from a big defenceman with 29 shifts and nearly 25 minutes on his game log. GAS: +5/-4.

#26 Mattias Janmark, 5. Earned an assist on Bjugstad’s 1-1 goal, but among those burned on San Jose’s fourth. Played just 8:47, though his 1:28 on the PK led all forwards. GAS: +3/-1.

#27 Brett Kulak, 4. Played in an all-lefty D pair with Broberg and had some chaotic moments behind the blueline, notably on the 2-2 when he stepped up to try to do his young partner’s’s job only to leave his own area uncovered. Bam! Breakaway. Goal. GAS: +0/-2.

#29 Leon Draisaitl, 8. All over the ice, with the Oilers dominating possession (shot attempts 28-9 at 5v5). Set up both of Ekholm’s goals. Did everything but score himself, firing 7 shots on goal and an eighth that rang iron. Was twice robbed by Reimer on a late powerplay, firing a pair of one-timers from his favourite spot that were foiled by a flailing glove save that just deflected the puck over the crossbar, and then seconds later by a diving stop by Reimer that defied belief. Great stretch pass to send McDavid in alone. Dominated the faceoff dot with 20/29=69%. GAS: +14/-1, and no, that is not a typo.

#36 Jack Campbell, 4. Allowed 4+ goals for his sixth straight start, but unlike the others, managed to pull out the win. It would have been 7 goals but he was saved thrice by video review. All 3 were ugly goals — down too early on a shot over his shoulder, a going-wide shot that bounced off the inside of his blocker arm and into the net, and an ineffectual dive on a 2-on-1 where the shot slid under him and into the middle of the net. At least 1 iffy goal that did count, a fat rebound punted into the slot for the 1-0. His defence was little help on the 2 breakaways, but Campbell thwarted neither. Finally settled down late in the game and contributed some nice stops, including a dandy off Tomas Hertl in OT. 32 shots, 28 saves, .875 save percentage.

#37 Warren Foegele, 6. A mostly solid game, highlighted by a great pass to Bjugstad for the 1-1. Played 13:27, the most on the bottom 6, including over a minute on each special team. GAS: +4/-1.

#56 Kailer Yamamoto, 8. His best game in quite some time, he was buzzing around all night. Scored the 2-1 by converting a chance from the slot, seconds after creating the chaos with a dangerous tip on net. Set up the game winner with a heads-up stretch pass to Nurse in OT. Respectively his 10th goal and 10th assist of the season, in the process becoming the 10th Oilers forward with double-digit goals. Played 20:05, with 3 shots, 2 hits, and boxcars of 1-1-2, +3. GAS: +9/-0.

#72 Nick Bjugstad, 6. Another effective game at 3C, playing 12:34 in all situations including a shift in overtime. Scored the 1-1 by going to the net and converting Foegele’s sharp pass. Unable to cut out a key pass on the 4-3. Led the Oilers with 4 hits. GAS: +4/-1.

#86 Philip Broberg, 5. Back in the line-up for a second straight game, on a 6-man D crew this game. Played 13:27, delivering a relatively conservative game, even as he was involved in a goal each way. Made a strong play in the neutral zone and an effective ring-around pass to Janmark to kick-start the 1-1. But he (and Kulak, Kane and Hyman) got beaten for a breakaway on the 2-2. The only Oiler to not generate a shot, nor even an attempt for that matter. GAS: +1/-2.

#91 Evander Kane, 2. Surely his poorest game as an Oiler. Kane was a day late and a dollar short all night. Directly involved in 3 Sharks goal with poor coverage or none at all in the case of a particularly lame backcheck on the first Karlsson goal. Led the squad with 3 giveaways. Took the only 2 Oilers penalties of the game and got away with a third. He did draw a penalty and produce a dangerous thrust on net in the third, barely enough to avoid the dreaded “1” grade. Natural Stat Trick had him on the ice for 2 scoring chances for, 11 against, this on a night the Oilers went 48-18 in that count with Kane on the bench. Our own counts are similarly damning — GAS: +1/-6, especially poor for a winger.

#93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 8. Outstanding all-around game, firing 7 shots on net, passing effectively, and working his tail off. Both of his assists came from won battles, the first on the edge of the San Jose crease, the second deep in the defensive zone late in overtime. Was one of several Oilers to ding the iron. Was also tackled by Reimer, a “good penalty” to save a goal had the refs even realized it was a penalty at all. 2 takeaways and a solid 6/9=67% on the dot. GAS: +9/-1.

#97 Connor McDavid, 8. His magic hands deserted him from time to time, but he nonetheless created scoring opportunities all night long. Couldn’t score himself, but earned primary assists on Yamamoto’s goal and Ekholm’s second. 11 shot attempts off his own stick, 6 on net and another on a third period breakaway that found the post. 9/13=69% on the dot. Played a monstrous 28:06 and was still flying at the end of it. GAS: +13/-1, and that’s not a typo either.

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Flames re-sign defenceman Ilya Solovyov, centre Cole Schwindt

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2 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Anne Joseph

CALGARY – The Calgary Flames have re-signed defenceman Ilya Solovyov and centre Cole Schwindt, the NHL club announced Wednesday.

Solovyov signed a two-year deal which is a two-way contract in year one and a one-way deal in year two and carries an average annual value of US$775,000 at the NHL level.

Schwindt signed a one-year, two-way contract with an average annual value of $800,000 at the NHL level.

The 24-year-old Solovyov, from Mogilev, Belarus, made his NHL debut last season and had three assists in 10 games for the Flames. He also had five goals and 10 assists in 51 games with the American Hockey League’s Calgary Wranglers and added one goal in six Calder Cup playoff games.

Schwindt, from Kitchener, Ont., made his Flames debut last season and appeared in four games with the club.

The 23-year-old also had 14 goals and 22 assists in 66 regular-season games with the Wranglers and added a team-leading four goals, including one game-winning goal, in the playoffs.

Schwindt was selected by Florida in the third round, 81st overall, at the 2019 NHL draft. He came to Calgary in July 2022 along with forward Jonathan Huberdeau and defenceman MacKenzie Weegar in the trade that sent star forward Matthew Tkachuk to the Panthers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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Oman holds on to edge Nepal with one ball to spare in cricket thriller

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2 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Anne Joseph

KING CITY, Ont. – Oman scored 10 runs in the final over to edge Nepal by one wicket with just one ball remaining in ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 play Wednesday.

Kaleemullah, the No. 11 batsman who goes by one name, hit a four with the penultimate ball as Oman finished at 223 for nine. Nepal had scored 220 for nine in its 50 overs.

Kaleemullah and No. 9 batsman Shakeel Ahmed each scored five in the final over off Sompal Kami. They finished with six and 17 runs, respectively.

Opener Latinder Singh led Oman with 41 runs.

Nepal’s Gulsan Jha was named man of the match after scoring 53 runs and recording a career-best five-wicket haul. The 18-year-old slammed five sixes and three-fours in his 35-ball knock, scoring 23 runs in the 46th over alone when he hit six, six, four, two, four and one off Aqib Ilyas.

Captain Rohit Paudel led Nepal with 60 runs.

The 19th-ranked Canadians, who opened the triangular series Monday with a 103-run win over No. 17 Nepal, face No. 16 Oman on Friday, Nepal on Sunday and Oman again on Sept. 26. All the games are at the Maple Leaf Cricket Ground.

The eight World League 2 teams each play 36 one-day internationals spread across nine triangular series through December 2026. The top four sides will go through to a World Cup qualifier that will decide the last four berths in the expanded 14-team Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Canada (5-4) stands second in the World League 2 table. The 14th-ranked Dutch top the table at 6-2.

Oman (2-2 with one no-result) stands sixth, ahead of Nepal (1-5).

Canada won all four matches in its opening tri-series in February-March, sweeping No. 11 Scotland and the 20th-ranked host Emirates. But the Canadians lost four in a row to the 18th-ranked U.S. and host Netherlands in August.

Canada which debuted in the T20 World Cup this summer in the U.S. and West Indies, is looking to get back to the showcase 50-over Cricket World Cup for the first time since 2011 after failing to qualify for the last three editions. The Canadian men also played in the 1979, 2003 and 2007 tournaments, exiting after the group stage in all four tournament appearances.

The Canadian men regained their one-day international status for the first time in almost a decade by finishing in the top four of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff in April 2023 in Bermuda.

—

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024

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Vancouver Canucks will miss Demko, Joshua, others to start training camp

Published

2 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Anne Joseph

PENTICTON, B.C. – Rick Tocchet has already warned his Vancouver Canucks players — the looming NHL season won’t be easy.

The team made strides last year, the head coach said Wednesday ahead of training camp. The bar has been raised for this year’s campaign.

“To get to the next plateau, there are higher expectations and it’s going to be hard. We know that,” Tocchet said in Penticton, B.C., where the team will open its camp on Thursday.

“So that’s the next level. It starts day one (on Thursday). My thing is don’t waste a rep out there.”

The Canucks finished atop the Pacific Division with a 50-23-9 record last season, then ousted the Nashville Predators from the playoffs in a gritty, six-game first-round series. Vancouver then fell to the Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game second-round set.

Last fall, Jim Rutherford, the Canucks president of hockey operations, said everything would have to go right for the team to make a playoff push. That doesn’t change this season, he said, despite last year’s success.

“The challenges will be greater, certainly. But I believe the team that we started with last year, we have just as good a team to start the season this year and probably better,” he said.

“As long as the team builds off what they did last year, stick to what the coaches tell them, stick to the system, stick together in good times and bad times, this team has a chance to do pretty well.”

Some key players will be missing as Vancouver’s training camp begins, however.

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced Wednesday that star goalie Thatcher Demko will not be on the ice when the team begins it’s pre-season preparation.

Allvin did not disclose the reason for Demko’s absence, but said the 28-year-old American has been making progress.

“He’s been in working extremely hard and he seems to be in a great mindset,” the GM said.

Demko missed several weeks of the regular season and much of Vancouver’s playoff run last spring with a knee injury.

The six-foot-four, 192-pound goalie has a career 213-116-81 regular-season record with a .912 save percentage, a 2.79 goals-against average and eight shutouts across seven seasons with the Canucks.

Allvin also announced that veteran centre Teddy Blueger and defensive prospect Cole McWard will also miss the start of training camp after each had “minor lower-body surgery.”

Vancouver previously announced winger Dakota Joshua won’t be present for the start of camp as he recovers from surgery for testicular cancer.

Tocchet said he’ll have no problem filling the holes, and plans to switch his lines up a lot in Penticton.

“Nothing’s set in stone,” he said. “I think it’s important that you have different puzzles at different times.”

The coach added that he expects standout centre Elias Pettersson to begin on a line with Canucks newcomer Jake DeBrusk.

Vancouver inked DeBrusk, a former Boston Bruins forward, to a seven-year, US$38.5 million deal when the NHL’s free agent market opened on July 1.

The glare on Pettersson is expected to be bright once again as he enters the first year of a new eight-year, $92.8 million contract. The 25-year-old Swede struggled at times last season and put 89 points (34 goals, 55 assists) in 82 games.

Rutherford said he was impressed with how Pettersson looked when he returned to Vancouver ahead of camp.

“He seems to be a guy that’s more relaxed and more comfortable. And for obvious reasons,” said the president of hockey ops. “This is a guy that I believe has worked really hard this summer. He’s done everything he can to play as a top-line player. … The expectation for him is to be one of the top players on our team.”

A number of Canucks hit milestones last season, including Quinn Hughes, who led all NHL defencemen in scoring with 92 points and won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top blue liner.

Several players could once again have career-best years for Vancouver, Tocchet said, but they’ll need to be consistent and not allow frustration to creep in when things go wrong.

“You’ve just got to drive yourself every day when you have a great year,” the coach said. “You’ve got to keep creating that environment where they can achieve those goals, whatever they are. And the main goal is winning. That’s really what it comes down to.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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