Sports

Game Recap 65.0: Edmonton Oilers vs Winnipeg Jets (2/29/2020) – Oilers Nation

Published

5 years ago

March 1, 2020

Mike Smith, we speak your name. Final Score: 3-2 Oilers

I know we’re not officially in must-win territory yet, but as far as my gut feeling goes, beating the Jets tonight was about as close as it gets. As I wrote in this morning’s GDB, we’re getting to a spot in the season where the Oilers can’t allow losing streaks to keep rolling on, and I was hoping that they would do everything humanly possible to get themselves up for this game and back in the win column. And with the Jets missing as many important guys (more or less) as the Oilers are, tonight’s game was about as good of an opportunity for the boys to grab two points as they’re likely to get. Regardless of who Winnipeg had sitting out, they’re still a very hardworking hockey team and it was going to take a very strong effort from the home side if they were going to end the losing streak. Against the Ducks and Golden Knights, the Oilers couldn’t manage to get on the board first (or at all in Vegas) so I was looking for them to get a quick start and hopefully sink something past Hellebuyck that could shake his confidence a little bit. Dare to dream?

Clearly, the boys were thinking the same thing as they found the back of the net early in the first period with a powerplay goal from Leon Draisaitl that gave them both a lead and a nice little dose of energy. It was the start they needed and it was a lot of fun to watch the people at Rogers Place freaking out about Drai hitting 100 points. That said, the Jets weren’t about to lay down and die, and they pushed back hard with a flurry of chances that could have easily tied the game up had Smith not been dialled in. Moving into the second period, Edmonton had a good chance of maintaining their lead provided that they kept the hammer down just as they did in the first, however, it was the Jets that played with a tonne of energy which made this middle 20 one of the most lopsided periods that we’ve seen in a while. Had it not been for a late powerplay chance that the good guys were able to convert for the second time then the Oilers would have gone into the intermission feeling pretty low on themselves for the way this segment went down.

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Heading into the third period with the game tied at two, it felt like it was still anyone’s game since both teams really pushed the pace for a period each. That said, if the Oilers came out with the same sluggishness as they did in the second period then they were setting themselves up for disaster and that simply could not happen. Even though they did perform at a slightly higher tempo, I still felt like they were trying to slow things down rather than attacking the way they did early on, and that resulted in being forced to lean on Mike Smith far too often. To be honest, it was the Jets that looked like they were going to be the ones to come out on top. Then, just as our stress levels were maxing out, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins takes a pass from Leon Draisaitl in the high slot and buries the game winner.

The wrap.

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Leon Draisaitl opened up the scoring (1-0) with a powerplay goal after Connor McDavid found him with a pass at the side of the net and he made no mistake of burying it for his 100th point of the season. Draisaitl added a second PP goal late in the second period to tie the game up (2-2) and save what was otherwise a horrible period for his team. How about another casual three point night for Draisaitl? Just ridiculous, this guy. M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins restored the Oilers lead (3-2) in the third period after Leon found him with some space in the high slot with enough time to rip a perfectly placed wrist shot past Hellebuyck on the blocker side that he had absolutely no chance of stopping. RNH’s heater continues with another three-point night. #KeepNugeForever
Mike Smith was between the pipes for his 34th start of the season and I was expecting him to deliver a strong performance after a not-so-great night in Anaheim on Tuesday. That’s not to say that he’s the sole reason for the loss or anything, but he certainly didn’t play at the standard we’ve seen from him over the last couple of months. To put it lightly, Smith was absolutely brilliant tonight and a huge reason that the Oilers were able to close this thing out. Had it not been for him, this game could have really gotten out of hand a few times but he made the saves needed to stick around and eventually close out the win. Absolutely fantastic game for the keeper as he finished his night with 39 saves and a .951 save%.
Will you ever get tired of watching Connor McDavid put up multi-point games? With tonight’s pair of assists, he now has eight points in four games since coming back from his injury.
This was a game where the Oilers needed their powerplay to come through with a goal or two, and they did exactly that with two huge goals that were absolutely crucial.
Not to be outdone, the PK killed off both chances they faced and kept the Jets from either extending their lead or tying the game.

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Logan Shaw tied the game up at one apiece after he was sprung in alone on a breakaway and ripped a wrist shot past Smith low to the blocker side.
Only 34 seconds after Winnipeg tied the game, Kyle Connor gave the Jets the lead after being the business end of a pretty little passing play that started with Blake Wheeler undressing Ethan Bear before feathering the puck over for a one-timer.
That second period was uuuuuuuuugly until the Oilers got on the powerplay in the final minute or so. Wow.
Actually, getting outshot 41-22 isn’t a great look at the best of times, and that’s why I’m going to give another shout out to Mike Smith for his wizardry.
I didn’t like Andreas Athanasiou’s game tonight and, clearly, neither did Dave Tippett as he bumped the new guy down to the third line near the start of the second period. He needs to be better, especially if he wants to keep that spot next to Connor McDavid on the first line. Frankly, I’d expect Kassian to get his slot back once Kailer Yamamoto comes back.
Speaking of Yamo, I was super bummed to hear that Kailer Yamamoto wouldn’t be playing tonight. Obviously, we want him to come back healthy but he’s the straw that stirs the drink on the second line.
If Jujhar Khaira didn’t have bad luck right now he would have none at all. Personally, I thought tonight was JJ’s best game in a while but he just could finish off any of the chances he had, which makes me think that now would be the perfect time to bring back the moustache.
Even though it was a pretty decent night on the out of town scoreboard, it’s still incredibly stressful to be in this position. Now, with that said, it’s much preferable than draft watching but it’s still hard on the ol’ ticker, ya know?

1ST PERIOD

TIME	TEAM	DETAILS	SCORE
06:27	Edmonton	PPG – Leon Draisaitl (38) ASST: Connor McDavid (57), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (33)	0-1

2ND PERIOD

TIME	TEAM	DETAILS	SCORE
13:23	Winnipeg	Logan Shaw (3) ASST: Nicholas Shore (3), Gabriel Bourque (4)	1-1
13:57	Winnipeg	Kyle Connor (33) ASST: Blake Wheeler (38), Anthony Bitetto (8)	2-1
19:47	Edmonton	PPG – Leon Draisaitl (39) ASST: Connor McDavid (58), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (34)	2-2

3RD PERIOD

TIME	TEAM	DETAILS	SCORE
14:44	Edmonton	Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (19) ASST: Leon Draisaitl (63), Adam Larsson (5)	2-3

29 292929 292929
29 2 9 2 9
29 2 9 2 9
29 2 9 2 9
29 2 9 2 9
29 2 9 2 9
29 2 9 2 9
29 292929 292929

— Adam (@OilersAdam) March 1, 2020

Drai’s 100th point! Chants of MVP broke out after. #yeg pic.twitter.com/sOZt8OUUZS

— Nahreman Issa (@NahremanIssaCTV) March 1, 2020

When you think about it, it’s super weird that a franchise called “The Jets” plays in a city without an airport.

— Arch (@Archaeologuy) March 1, 2020

Needs to bring back the moustache. It has magical scoring powers. pic.twitter.com/tCb2FQULFv

— Steven Fiddler (@sfiddler007) March 1, 2020

Have a nice drive back to Winnipeg, @NHLJets

— Ryan (@radam100) March 1, 2020

Draisaitl is so lazy that when Nuge scores, Leon makes Nuge come to him on the half boards!

— Jonathan Boyle (@jboyle31) March 1, 2020

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Mike Smith can be a bit of a roller coaster in net some nights, but boy do I enjoy his fire for winning. pic.twitter.com/tzgtarTUdL

— TheTowelBoy (@TheTowelBoy) March 1, 2020

“You guys were fucking phenomenal” – Leon Draisaitl to the Oilers fans in Rogers Place

— Hoser (@DRAISAlTL) March 1, 2020

Talk to me, Twitter. Tweet at @OilersnationHQ and @jsbmbaggedmilk for your chance to land in the Best of the Tweets.

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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.

___

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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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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