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Kahun signing gives Oilers opportunity to maximize Draisaitl, McDavid

Published

4 years ago

November 2, 2020

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Oilers signed another offensive player in Domink Kahun on Monday, and you can see why.

It is easy to justify how adding Kahun to countryman Leon Draisaitl’s left wing frees up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to play alongside Connor McDavid, how Tyson Barrie will help your power play with Oscar Klefbom out, or how Jesse Puljujarvi will perhaps return a more polished player who is able to cash in 20 goals off the right side.

It is easy to forget, however, that the Oilers lost in four games in their qualifying-round series to the 12th-placed Chicago Blackhawks, a team that was dispensed of quickly in Round 1 by the Vegas Golden Knights. Edmonton finished second among all playoff teams, averaging 3.75 goals scored per game. So scoring wasn’t an issue for the Oilers.

The problem? The Oilers were dead last in having allowed four goals per game, and lost a series to a goalie (Corey Crawford) who registered a sub-.900 save percentage.

So having added Kahun, Puljujarvi, Barrie and Kyle Turris this off-season — none of whom are noted as defensive specialists — while returning the same goaltending tandem, we asked Oilers general manager Ken Holland how his team is better equipped to win a playoff game tied 2-2 after 40 minutes next season, than it was last season?

“That’s a fair question,” began Holland, noting that the team defended better last year than the season before. So they’re on the right track.

“Some of these players … if they’re put into a position where they have to defend, and they can’t, then somebody else is going to get an opportunity,” he said. “I think all players in the NHL can defend relatively well if they want to. If they’re determined enough. It’s easier to figure out how to defend than to figure out how to score.

“We’ve got to get a little more (five-on-five) offence,” he continued. “When it’s 1-1 in the third period, can we defend? That’s up to the players to dig in. I think we can teach some of these guys to defend. We need a little more five-on-five scoring other than our top players.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs have become the poster child for that good, offence-heavy regular-season team that can’t adjust to the abjectly different style of hockey played in the NHL playoffs. Is Edmonton becoming that team, adding only Barrie to their blue line and failing to improve on an iffy tandem in net?

As Holland said, that is a fair question. But Rome, as they say, wasn’t built in a day.

Holland’s primary concern is to maximize his two considerable assets in Draisaitl and McDavid, and the Kahun signing (one-year, $975,000) goes a long way towards that.

Last season, when Nugent-Hopkins solidified himself on a line with Draisaitl and Kailer Yamamoto, it left McDavid without a Top 6 winger. Kahun’s arrival puts Nugent-Hopkins on McDavid’s left flank from Day 1, and also makes right winger Zack Kassian a perfect fit for the trio.

I see Kahun, Tyler Ennis, and perhaps even players like Tyler Benson and Joakim Nygard platooning next to Draisaitl, with Puljujarvi a candidate to move up to the top six depending on his development. Holland has better offensive depth than we’ve seen here in years, which will ensure a playoff spot — even if we are still skeptical on Edmonton as a playoff contender.

“What we’re trying to do is get deeper,” he said. “I’m expecting a real compacted schedule, no matter how many games we play, and that means you get people injured. We do a lot of travelling and we want to have depth. Now the coaches have options.”

As for Kahun, he is that superstar in Europe still searching for the exact role that he can sink his teeth into over here. He had 206 points as a U-16 in Germany, and became very successful at dealing passes off the half-wall. Then he arrived in Chicago, where Patrick Kane held down that job on the power play. Then he went to Pittsburgh, where Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin owned that position.

“I think (that position) wasn’t available on any team I’ve played for in the NHL. I am used to that,” he said over the phone from Munich, where he is practising with his former DEL team. “I think I can make plays, and I have improved my skating. It’s pretty good too. I like to have the puck and make plays.”

He and Draisaitl go way back, with the Oilers centre pushing for his countryman’s acquisition since about 2018.

“We’re pretty close,” Kahun said of his buddy Draisaitl, with whom he shared a flat in Mannheim for three years. “We were 14 or 15 when we first met, and we lived together for three years and played all the junior national teams together. We didn’t always play on the same line, but sometimes the coach put us together when we need some goals, some offence. All the time when we come together it still seems to be clicking with each other. I hope it’s going (to) work out in Edmonton.”

The scouting report on Kahun is that he can get stuck out on the perimeter too often; that he prefers a tight turn once gaining the blue line, rather than taking the puck to the net. He will take on a support role next to Draisaitl, the reigning Hart and Art Ross Trophies winner. Kahun, 25, will quickly figure out what kind of left-winger Draisaitl requires, or the job will fall to the next man in line.

Kahun is confident that chemistry still exists. Presumably, so is Draisaitl.

But, chemistry on the expansive surfaces of European hockey does not always survive the trip overseas to the smaller, more physical arenas of the NHL.

“Totally agree,” allowed Holland. “I don’t know if they can make it work here or not, but I like that he has been in the NHL for two years. Why hasn’t he stayed in any one place? You don’t know. This is a new opportunity, and I am going to leave it up to the player and to (head coach) Dave Tippett to determine who’s on what line, who’s in what role.

“I don’t know if there is going to be chemistry between Leon and Dominik in the NHL, but I am expecting that Tipp is going to give them an opportunity.”

Source:- Sportsnet.ca

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Ravens win fifth straight game by beating Bucs 41-31

Published

5 hours ago

October 22, 2024

Anne Joseph

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Lamar Jackson threw for 281 yards and five touchdowns, helping the Baltimore Ravens overcome an early double-digit deficit and extend their National Football League winning streak to five games with a 41-31 victory Monday night over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who lost their top two receivers to injuries.

The two-time NFL MVP improved to 23-1 against NFC teams, the best mark by a quarterback against an opposing conference in NFL history. He’s 3-0 against the Bucs (4-3), who faded after taking a 10-0 lead with help from the 100th TD reception of Mike Evans’ career.

Evans departed with a hamstring injury after Baker Mayfield tried to connect with him in the end zone again, and late in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach, leading Bucs receiver Chris Godwin was carted off the field with a left ankle injury. ESPN declined to show replays of Godwin’s injury, which appeared to be severe.

Jackson completed 17 of 22 passes without an interception, including TD throws of nine and four yards to Mark Andrews. He also tossed scoring passes of 49 yards to Rashod Bateman, 18 yards to Justice Hill and 11 yards to Derrick Henry, who rushed for 169 yards on 15 carries. Bateman had four catches for 121 yards.

The Ravens (5-2) rebounded from a slow start on defence, with cornerback Marlon Humphrey turning the game around with a pair of second-quarter interceptions — one of them in the Baltimore end zone. Jackson led a four-play, 80-yard TD drive after the first pick, and the second interception set up Justin Tucker’s 28-yard field goal for a 17-10 halftime lead.

Elsewhere in the NFL:

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CARDINALS 17 CHARGERS 15

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray ran for a 44-yard touchdown and led the Cardinals on a drive that set up Chad Ryland’s 32-yard field goal as time expired, and Arizona rallied for a win over Los Angeles.

Cameron Dicker kicked his fifth field goal of the night — this one from 40 yards — to give the Chargers a 15-14 lead with 1:54 left. But the Cardinals (3-4) quickly moved into field goal range, aided by an unnecessary roughness call on Cam Hart that cost Los Angeles (3-3) 15 yards.

Arizona followed that with a bruising 33-yard run by James Conner, who finished with 101 yards on the ground. That eventually set up Ryland’s short field goal and a Cardinals celebration.

It was a frustrating night for the Chargers’ offence, which gained 395 yards but couldn’t find the end zone. Justin Herbert completed 27 of 39 passes for 349 yards.

Dicker booted field goals of 59, 50, 28, 47 and 40 yards, the first of which tied a franchise record for distance.

Murray ran for a spectacular touchdown early in the fourth quarter, rolling to his left before turning on the jets, beating safety Junior Colston to the sideline and then coasting into the end zone for a 14-9 lead.

It was Murray’s second long touchdown run in three weeks after he scored on a 50-yard sprint against San Francisco. It was also Murray’s 20th career game with a touchdown pass and run.

Murray completed 14 of 26 passes for 145 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

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Struggling Whitecaps, Timbers set to meet in MLS wild-card matchup

Published

5 hours ago

October 22, 2024

Anne Joseph

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps have been here before — literally and figuratively.

With the season hanging in the balance, the ‘Caps were dealt a blow last week when the club learned it wouldn’t be able to play a post-season wild-card game in its home stadium, B.C. Place, due to a scheduling conflict.

The Whitecaps ceded home field advantage to their regional rival, the Portland Timbers. The two clubs will battle for the final playoff spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference in Oregon on Wednesday.

The winner will face No. 1-seed Los Angeles FC in a best-of-three first-round series, starting Sunday.

An unforeseen hurdle like a change of venues is nothing new for the ‘Caps, said defender Ranko Veselinovic, who was part of the team that was forced to relocate first to Portland, then Utah during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It feels that always something happens for us, but it is what it is. So far, we’ve managed to always find solutions for those situations,” said the Serbian centre back. “But I hope this team can find it one more time, because we need it this time. And it will be a really nice feeling in those circumstances to go in, win and go face L.A. in the next round.”

Vancouver (13-13-8) heads into the post-season winless in its last seven MLS games and with losses in four straight after dropping a 2-1 road decision to Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

The skid followed a run that saw the club go 4-1-3 across all competitions between late August and late September.

There’s just one way to return to that level, said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini.

“The work is the only way to do it. Try to put the work in and try to put the team in a way that they’re going to regain the form and the way that they were in the past,” he said.

Despite the final score, Sartini has seen positives in the way his team played in its two most recent losses.

“I think already we turned the corner,” he said. “And we start from there to build and build and build.”

Facing challenges together can help a team build, whether it’s a winless skid or an unexpected hurdle, said Vancouver’s captain Ryan Gauld.

“When you’re going through adversity, that’s when people start to raise their voice a little bit. You get good when the problems arise, you get a lot of people coming together to make sure we get out of it,” said the Scottish attacking midfielder.

“And we’ve had a tough time the last few games, but everyone’s aware of the fact that we’re a much better team than we’ve shown, and we need to find a way to get back to doing what we’re good at.”

The ‘Caps face a familiar foe in the Timbers (12-11-11).

The two sides have already met three times this season, with each coming out of the series with a win, a loss and a draw.

Portland has also struggled in recent weeks and are winless in their last five MLS outings (0-1-4).

The Timbers boast one of the league’s top offensive units, though, with threats such as Evander. The Brazilian midfielder notched 15 goals and 19 assists during the regular season.

To earn a win on Wednesday, the Whitecaps must be solid defensively, Gauld said.

“They must be one of the best attacks in the league. They have a lot of good players, and they can hurt you if you switch off,” he said. “So just being concentrated from the first whistle, and just being hard to beat, being stuffy. Just being on it for the full 90 minutes.”

A victory in the wild-card match would guarantee Vancouver at least one home playoff game, a factor that Sartini said would be a big reward for his group.

The entire team relished the experience of playing post-season soccer in front of more than 30,000 fans last year, the coach said, and the desire to repeat the feat is high as the club heads to Portland.

“Everyone is happy to be in the playoffs. So we don’t have to be moody to be in the playoff. And we go in there, we’re play one of our rivals. So it’s gonna be a nice game to show up and to play our best game possible.”

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (13-13-8) AT PORTLAND TIMBERS (12-11-11)

Wednesday, Providence Park

HISTORY BOOKS: This will mark the seventh all-time post-season meeting between the Timbers and ‘Caps, dating back to 1975. The last time the two clubs squared off in a playoff game was during the Western Conference semifinal in 2015. Portland won the two-game aggregate series and went on to hoist the MLS Cup.

ROAD WARRIORS: The ‘Caps boasted a 7-6-4 record on the road during regular-season play — better than the 6-7-4 showing they posted at B.C. Place.

POST-SEASON PARTY: Wednesday will mark the first time the Timbers have hosted a post-season game since 2021.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.

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No rugby, field hockey, badminton, triathlon or cricket at leaner 2026 Commonwealth Games

Published

5 hours ago

October 22, 2024

Anne Joseph

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Scotland conceived rugby sevens in the 1880s yet it will not feature in the scaled-back 2026 Commonwealth Games hosted by Glasgow.

Other sports that have also been dropped include field hockey, triathlon, badminton, Twenty20 cricket, squash, and diving.

The Games will have a 10-sport program in four venues. Athletics and swimming are compulsory while there will also be track cycling, gymnastics, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and 3×3 basketball.

There will also be integrated para events in six of those sports: Athletics, swimming, track cycling, weightlifting, bowls and basketball.

The Games will take place from July 23-Aug. 2 after Glasgow stepped in when the Australian state of Victoria withdrew last year because of rising costs.

It was not easy to decide which sports to include, Commonwealth Games Scotland chairman Ian Reid told the BBC on Tuesday.

“I think everybody recognises that these events need to be more affordable, lighter and we would have loved to have all of our sports and all of our athletes competing but unfortunately it’s just not deliverable or affordable for this time frame,” Reid said.

Athletes and support staff will be housed in hotels. Around 3,000 athletes are expected to compete from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories representing a combined total of 2.5 billion people, a third of the world’s entire population.

More than 500,000 tickets made available for spectators.

The Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Katie Sadleir said: “The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow, an exciting first step in our journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact. In doing so, increasing the scope of countries capable of hosting.”

Glasgow hosted the event in 2014 at a cost of more than 540 million pounds.

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