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Lang grateful to be alive after surviving plane crash – TSN

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KINGSTON, Ont. – Rick Lang will never forget the past two weeks of his life. 

The head coach for Northern Ontario’s Team Brad Jacobs arrived at the Tim Hortons Brier in Kingston, Ont., on Saturday, less than a week after surviving a frightening plane crash while returning home from the Scotties Tournament of Hearts where he was the bench boss for Team Krista McCarville. 

“I think we’re very grateful to be alive,” the three-time Brier champion told reporters on Saturday. 

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Lang, Northern Ontario skip Krista McCarville, second Ashley Sippala, plus three other passengers and two crew members all survived the crash with minor injuries after their Bearskin Airlines flight went off the runway during takeoff on Monday in Dryden, Ont. 

The near-death experience was just one part of an unbelievable stretch of days for the 65-year-old.

During a stunning upset loss to Nunavut at the Scotties in Moose Jaw, Sask., the week prior, Lang’s daughter Sarah Potts gave birth to twin baby boys named Cohen and Leo, making Lang a grandfather for the first time. Potts is an elite-level curler herself, representing Northern Ontario four times at the Scotties. 

The babies were born at 31 weeks and five days, approximately two months premature. 

Lang says the babies stayed in hospital for a few days and were hooked up to incubators and ventilators but are now back home with their parents happy and healthy. 

“We all know about the Sandra Schmirler Foundation,” said Lang of the organization that raises money for life-saving equipment to help babies born prematurely. “We’ll be donating more money in the future to that for sure.”

Still, at the time Lang was anxious to get home as soon as possible due to the surprise nature of the birth. 

“I was so looking forward to getting home,” he said.

Getting home to Thunder Bay, Ont., was easier said than done, however. Northern Ontario lost to Ontario in the page playoff 3 vs. 4 game last Saturday as Lang and other members of the team were hoping to get a direct flight home out of Winnipeg or Toronto. With the Special Olympics taking place in Thunder Bay, flights out of those cities were booked solid meaning Lang and company needed to take a series of smaller aircrafts through multiple airports to get home. 

“We’ve flown Bearskin before and we wanted to really get home,” said Lang. 

The long travel day was going fine until takeoff at the Dryden Airport. Lang says the plane got about three quarters of the way down the runaway when it veered off to the right and hit a snowbank. The collision with the snowbank wasn’t too awful, recounts Lang, but once the propellers started to slash through the ice, that’s when things got very scary. 

“It got quite violent. They [shrapnel and debris] were coming into the cabin,” said Lang. “I sat in the very front seat because there was a lot of leg room. That was a mistake because there was a propeller here and they were both coming at me.

“My first thought before the violence was ‘sh*t we’re not getting home today.’ I know how bad the girls wanted to get home for all our kids and everything. I can’t describe my thoughts at the time. Things started exploding and I covered my head in my hands. I put my head down. The level of violence was significant.”

Lang suffered the worst injuries on board as pieces of wooden debris impaled his hand, including one shard that went right through. 

“I pulled it out because it was such a big piece of wood. It would hurt to leave it in there,” Lang said. 

Lang, who famously played third for popular skip Al Hackner during his playing days, was treated at hospital and was able to drive home to his family and meet his grandchildren for the first time the next day. 

The coach says he doesn’t know how long it will take to get over this experience but is just thankful he’s still alive. 

“I got together with Krista and Ashley just to compare notes to talk it through. We’re all just feeling the impacts of it. It will be a while before you get over that. I think I’m better everyday. Then I talk to you guys [media] and I’m not so good,” Lang joked. “It was frightening. Absolutely frightening. But, honest to God, so grateful that the girls didn’t get hurt and my injuries are minor. We’re all alive.”

It wouldn’t be surprising to anyone if Lang feared jumping on a plane going forward. But Lang has a job to do at the Brier. Lang, with his son Adam by his side for support, flew direct from Thunder Bay to Kingston for the opening day of the Canadian championship. 

Lang is hoping the intensity of the Brier will be a welcomed distraction. 

“I’m not going to be emotionally impacted here. We can pull this off,” said Lang. “Get on the ice. I’m a curler. I’m a competitor and I think once we start throwing rocks I’ll be thinking about that and be able to move on.” 

Lang says they should know more about the cause of the crash in 10 days or so. For now, Lang is just focusing on winning a fourth Brier Tankard and his first as a coach. 

“I’ve been looking forward to the Brier ever since they won provincials,” said Lang. 

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‘Something I promised’: Maple Leafs’ Mark Giordano dedicates comeback goal to dad – Sportsnet.ca

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'Something I promised': Maple Leafs' Mark Giordano dedicates comeback goal to dad – Sportsnet.ca

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Cult of Hockey Player Grades: Strong 4-1 Edmonton Oilers win over L.A in possible 1st round preview – Edmonton Journal

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The Edmonton Oilers won a big divisional battle on Thursday, a 4-1 victory over the Kings creating a 5-point spread between Edmonton and L.A. in the Pacific. Vegas slides into 3rd place but is 4 back of the Oil.

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Edmonton won both ends of the specialty teams battle (PP ½, PK 2/2) and the goaltending showdown (Skinner over Talbot).

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L.A. had 33 shots on net…but they are volume shooters. Overall, a sound defensive performance by the home club.

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Here is the tale of the tape…

Edmonton Oilers Player Grades

STUART SKINNER. 8. Steady 1st from Skinner but without a lot of serious work. But he had to be very sharp early in the 2nd as the Kings pressed with 7 unanswered shots, making solid saves off Moore (2-on-1) and Lewis. Stuffed Kempe a few shifts later. With the game still 1-0 Skinner stoned Kempe and then Kopitar in tight. Those were tide-turning saves as just shifts later his mates scored the 2-0. Precious little chance on the 3-1, it was a bang-bang play after a turnover. Big glove save off a Roy point shot. Then helped close it out late in the 3rd with big stops on Dubois and a 1-timer off Kempe’s stick. Stopped 32 of 33. Named the game’s 2nd Star. Looked to be in playoff form.

CONNOR McDAVID. 9. Hit the 120-point mark for the 3rd consecutive season with the 1-0 in the first, knocking down a Mattias Ekholm point shot then back-handing it home for a 4v4 goal. Levelled a hard check on Lizotte late in the 1st frame. No call from the Zebras when he was dropped while cutting hard across the slot. Wins the faceoff after a bad icing by L.A. and ends up with the secondary assist on the 2-0. Earned the primary assist on Bouchard’s 3-0 goal with a pass from behind the goal line. A rare turnover in his zone with possession and the net empty at the other end but eventually cleared the zone on that series. Fought relentlessly through the Kings withering trap. Ended up +3. Named 1st Star.

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RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS. 6. Fine defensive performance. An excellent clear on the 1st Period PK. Blocked shot and then a steal and clear on the same 3rd Period PK. Hard battle and clear of his own zone in the 3rd. Superb back-check forced an L.A. off-side.

ZACH HYMAN. 6. Good backhand chance from a 3-way passing play with Bouchard and McDavid. Could not convert a sneaky inside pass from Ekholm late in the 1st. Called for a 3rd Period Interference infraction. But then drew a slashing call leading to the 3-0. 5 shots.

DARNELL NURSE. 7. A tower of strength. High Dangers 6-2 5v5 on Darnell Nurse’s stingy watch. Delivered 7 hits to lead the squad. His elite-level speed was a definite edge over a team like the Kings with average boots by comparison. Both sides of this 1st pairing (tonight) were excellent.

CODY CECI. 7. His best effort in a long time. Ceci got a shot on net off a lovely Draisaitl pass in the 1st. The two teamed up in a similar fashion early in the 2nd. Showed particularly good patience deep in his own end and the net empty, found a lane, and drained a 193-foot shot right up the gut for the 4-1. High Dangers 5v5 5-2.

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LEON DRAISAITL. 8. Smart stick to end an L.A. sortie early in the 1st. Erased a pending Oilers PP with the tiniest slash on an L.A. player but it was ‘right’ in front of the referee. Just missed potting a bounce off the back boards on a shot-pass by Bouchard. Thumped Roy with hard hit mid-way through the 1st. A terrific pass to Ceci for a chance. Found Ceci again in the 2nd for a point-bank chance. Dangerous shot through a screen. A hard, power move behind the net leads to a pass throw at Henrique in front for the 2-0. Won the faceoff on the 3-0 and ultimately earned the secondary assist. Hard backcheck on Kempe. A spectacular backhand pass set up Henrique in the high slot. Had a rough night in the faceoff circle until it really mattered. Then, won 3 D-zine faceoffs with the Kings net empty, earning a primary assist on the 4-1 with his 3rd win. 3 assists, +3. 3rd Star.

ADAAM HENRIQUE. 7. “Go to the net, kids”. Henrique was rewarded for doing just that, on the ice with sparse seconds remaining in the 2nd after a bad Kings icing. A Draisaitl pass deflected off Henrique’s shoulder right at the top of the crease and in, sending dejected L.A. to the room with a 2-0 deficit after 2. Could not drain a hi-light reel pass from Draisaitl in front. 6 hits.

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WARREN FOEGELE. 5. Hard 2nd Period hit on Doughty. Worked hard on the fore check, responsible without the puck. Just did not have a lot of numbers to illustrate a good effort.

MATTIAS EKHOLM. 5. Earned the primary assist on the 1-0 with a point shot that McDavid converted. A fine pass up the middle for Hyman late in the 1st. A glaring giveaway behind his own goal line, leading to the 3-1. A rare night on the bad end of High Dangers 5v5 (4-6).

EVAN BOUCHARD. 8. He was excellent. Secondary assist on the 1-0. Sifted a hard pass off the back wall which Draisaitl nearly swept home for the 2-0. Excellent stick check of Kempe in front. A sweet pass up the middle to spring McDavid and Hyman on a break. Played a 2nd Period 2-on-1 expertly. Part of the sequence on the 2-0. Hammered home the 3-0, a one-timer high glove off a McDavid feed. It was his first since a goal versus L.A. back on February 26th. Involved in the 3-1 against but I had no problem with Bouchard’s decision to pinch in the neutral zone.

RYAN McLEOD. 5. Fine pass by Ryan McLeod led to a break between Kane and Perry. But his best work was without the puck. Very responsible. Sawed off in 5v5 CF. His speed in between Kane and Perry seems to work well.

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EVANDER KANE. 6. Set the tone for the game by thumping Drew Doughty with a heavy check in the first, whistled for a questionable trip on the play. Delivered another heavy hit on Englund when he returned. Crisp pass across to perry on a good chance on a 2-on-1. Kane finished up with 6 hits and a string North-South game.

COREY PERRY. 5. Career NHL game number 1,300. Good feed to McLeod in the 2nd who must missed. Tried to deke Talbot 5-hole on a 2-on-1 with Kane. 3rd Period blocked shot.

BRETT KULAK. 5. The far superior member of the Oilers 3rd pairing tonight. Bailed out his D-partner on a bad pinch as Kulak swept the puck away from the gaping Edmonton net. Sawed off on High Dangers 5v5.

VINCENT DESHARNAIS. 3. Struggled. Drew a 2nd Period slash. 2nd Period turnover with a soft pass behind his own net, a harbinger of bad things to come. Yet another giveaway led to point-blank shots by Kempe and Kopitar. Ill-timed pinch led directly to a Grade A chance against.

DEREK RYAN. 5. This line decidedly lost the shot-shares battle but all 3 were so solid defensively they still receiving passing grades. Good anticipation for an interception high in his own zone in the 2nd.

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MATTIAS JANMARK. 5. Hard play along the wall to earn a zone clear on the PK in the 1st. Clever deflection on a 3rd Period shorthanded chance. 4 hits. Coach trusted him out on the ice late to protect the lead.

CONNOR BROWN. 5. Nice zone clear on a 1st Period PK. Set up Janmark for a dangerous chance shorthanded.

Edmonton’s record now sits at 44-23-4, 92 points. They remain 2nd in the Pacific, opening up a 5-point gap between them and L.A., 4 points up on Vegas. And the Oilers have 2 games on hand on the Golden Knights, 1 on the Kings.

Prior to the game, Official Kyle Rehman was recognized for his 1,000th NHL game. We do not pull punches here when it comes to officiating. We also recognize meaningful accomplishments.

Find me on Threads @kleavins, on Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, Mastodon at KurtLeavins@mstdn.social, and X @KurtLeavins.

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