Sports

Oilers need to be quicker of foot, of hand, and of head

Published

1 year ago

October 28, 2023

Edmonton Oilers were frequently outnumbered around the puck on Thursday. Photo by Shaughn Butts /Postmedia

No matter how one looked at it, Edmonton Oilers’ performance against New York Rangers was nowhere near good enough. I can vouch for that twice over, having attended the game in person on Thursday night, then reviewed the entire contest — all 3,600 agonizing seconds of it — on PVR Friday morning.

The live experience started well enough with the celebration of Oilers Hall of Famers Charlie Huddy and Doug Weight, but turned sour once the puck dropped. The home side was second best in virtually all aspects of the game as they fell 3-0 to the (excellent!) Rangers. A chorus of boos provided the musical accompaniment to the final buzzer.

With the richly-deserved defeat, the Oilers record dropped to 1-5-1 in the young season. Their .214 points percentage ranks them 31st in the 32-team league, ahead of only the execrable San Jose Sharks (0-7-1 = .063). Likewise, the Oil’s startling -13 goal differential is ahead of San Jose’s brutal -24 but worse than every other NHL club. Their high-powered offence ranks a lowly 26th with just 2.43 goals per game after leading the league comfortably a season ago at 3.96 G/GP. And their 4.29 goals against per game is currently dead last in the NHL, this after finishing middle of the pack at 3.12 in 2022-23.

Just 7 games into the new season the Oilers have already lost 4 games by 3 or more goals. Doing some quick math, that’s over half of their contests to date. Last season they suffered just 9 such defeats over the entire 82-game slate.

What’s going on?

It’s not entirely fair to judge the Oilers during the current absence of three-time Hart Trophy recipient Connor McDavid. We’ll pull our punches a little though not a lot given the locals were already 1-3-1 and skating in sand by the time the captain got sidelined. His absence has has been all too apparent the last two games, when the Oilers were outskilled 7-4 by Minnesota Wild, then outclassed 3-0 by NYR.

To my eye in the end zone high above the visitors’ net, Edmonton was not quick enough against NYR. The Rangers outskated the Oil, especially noticeable in transition where they generated a number of odd-man rushes and open looks. By our analysis at the Cult of Hockey, New York generated 9 Grade A shots and the game’s only 2 even-strength goals off the rush while the Oilers created 5 and 0 respectively. This has been an issue at both ends of the sheet all season, in which the Oilers have been outscored 13-4 off the rush, McDavid or no McDavid.

Doesn’t help of course that a few other Oilers are less than 100% physically. Mattias Ekholm and Ryan McLeod missed the entirety of training camp, and both have endured slow starts. Brett Kulak is another who has been off his game after missing the last few preseason contests. Connor Brown is playing his first games in a calendar year after ACL surgery, and has been struggling to come around in the early going.

It’s not merely foot speed where the Oil are lacking. Their hands have continually let them down in frittering away opportunities. On Thursday Mattias Janmark was unable to convert an early great chance from close range. Before the first period was over, a similar fate had befallen Dylan Holloway, Evander Kane and Brown (twice). It’s as if the bottom 6 forwards — Janmark, Holloway, Brown, Ryan McLeod, Derek Ryan and Adam Erne — collectively have what golfers call “the yips” around the net. All six of them have matching boxcars of 0-0-0; indeed, only Janmark has even been on the ice for an Edmonton goal. In their combined 40 GP, the sextet have 39 shots on goal, but no joy. Some of their best looks haven’t even resulted in official shots, nev

Another area where quickness seems to have deserted the scene is decision-making, even on the most fundamental level. On Tuesday in Minnesota, the Oilers matched a dubious NHL “record” with 3 (three) too-many-men-on-the-ice infractions in the same game. Another terrible change resulted directly in a Minny 3-on-1 jailbreak, while still another on the first line change of the third period was directly responsible for the goal that cancelled out a hard-won 3-2 lead and opened the floodgates for a 5-goal outburst by the Wild in the final frame.

If the Oilers addressed this in between games, it wasn’t readily apparent. No bench minors this time, but 3 bad line changes involving 5 different players led to a trio of Rangers’ scoring chances — in the second period alone!

That middle period was the decisive one, as the Rangers scored all 3 of their goals in that frame. Controlling the puck and the play in the o-zone at my end of the barn, New York absolutely shredded Edmonton with their east-west passing game. Time and again cross-seam passes led to great chances, a couple of goal posts, and all 3 goals. The Oilers are learning a new defensive system (or so I’m told), but that process isn’t happening very fast either. It seemed like Stu Skinner was forced to go post-to-post a dozen times in that frame alone.

A few positives

Skinner had a strong game in defeat, delivering a number of fine saves even as he couldn’t quite stop them all, as his counterpart Jonathan Quick did with a considerably lighter workload. Stu’s outstanding save against a Rangers 2-on-1 in the last minute of the first to keep the game scoreless to the first intermission was, in its context, perhaps the biggest stop made by an Oilers goalie so far this season.

Kane was highly noticeable for the third game in a row, bringing a physical element that was otherwise in fairly short supply. After a dismal start to his season, Kane has been the proverbial bull in a china shop this last week, laying on the body, scrumming it up, and taking on all challengers. He’s had 4+ hits in each of the last 4 games; his 28 on the season equal the total of the next 2 Oilers combined (Holloway 15, Ekholm 13). Kane has his own issues handling the puck, exacerbated by the grisly skate cut to his wrist he endured last season, and remains prone to the odd silly penalty or defensive gaffe, but his robust play is trending up.

To my eye both Kulak and Brown had their best games to date on Thursday. Kulak’s game is built around his plus skating, which was on full display.

Brown meanwhile was all around the puck, and the net. In addition to the misses mentioned above, he had 2 outstanding shots on net that sparked some of Quick’s best work, and led both teams with 9 shot attempts. One of just 2 new Oilers (Erne is the other), he’s trying to fit in while shaking off a year’s worth of rust. While many are suggesting the org move him out before his substantial bonus vests for 2024-25, such discussion is premature in the sense he’s got a couple games before reaching the threshold, and progress is being made. Best guess here is that he’ll stick around, and that in time Oil fans and even critics will come to appreciate his puckhawking game.

History lesson

A run of poor play is especially noticeable at the start of a season when it is the only sample we have. 1-5-1 certainly qualifies as poor, but it doesn’t mean the squad will be 10-50-10 in March. They still have 75 games to play, and with 3 points in the back already need “just” 90 more to get to the 93 that typically marks the playoff cut line. That’s a .600 points percentage, challenging enough but far below the .665 the Oilers recorded over 82 a year ago, or the .634 of the prior season.

Of course that assumes a turnaround from the current trajectory, and we’re not seeing many signs of that just yet. But as of right now, the locals are just 4 points out of 8th place in the West. It’s way too soon to panic, even as it is not too soon to be a little aggravated with the state of affairs. The team itself is certainly aware, and team leaders Darnell Nurse and Zach Hyman acknowledged it with some direct, even blunt verbal in the aftermath of the Rangers’ game. Talk is cheap, of course, but recognition of the problem is the first of the 12 steps.

One doesn’t have to venture far into the past to find a much more extended run of play with even worse results. In 2021-22 the Oilers endured a 6-game losing slide, all in regulation, in which they were outscored 24-9; then after winning a couple of games collapsed right back into an 0-5-2 streak in which they scored just 16 goals while allowing 33. Make it 2-11-2 for a .200 points percentage over a seven-week period that included an injury bug on the blueline, a COVID outbreak that sidelined a series of players and caused multiple postponements, and a hockey club that couldn’t get it together.

So happened I attended the last game of that ghastly slide, a 6-0 shutout loss to the Presidents’ Trophy bound Florida Panthers that also ended with boos ringing in the rafters of Rogers. It was Jan 20 and the cause seemed to be hopeless.

Despite their early season cushion, the Oilers had by then fallen from first in the West to twelfth. They finally broke out of the fever with a big home win over Calgary (foreshadowing?), then returned to their winning ways on the regular. Indeed, Edmonton went 47-16-4 in the two large sections of that season to either side of that 15-game hole, ultimately finishing a comfortable fifth in the conference. They then proceeded to take out the Kings and Flames in the playoffs to make it all the way to the Conference Finals for the first time in 18 years.

2-11-2 is the equivalent of a pair of 1-5-1 runs with an extra loss thrown in. Far more serious than the current backslide, but even then it proved surmountable, even as the sked was nearing its halfway point by then.

This season? The Oilers have a proven group that has hit a few speed bumps right after the starting line. It’s exasperating, but it’s also far too soon to panic.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

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.

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AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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