adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

Sports

Larsson scores first goal in almost a year as Oilers beat Panthers – Sportsnet.ca

Published

 on


SUNRISE, Fla. — Adam Larsson scored his first goal since last February, Leon Draisaitl added an insurance goal seconds into the third period and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Florida Panthers 4-1 Saturday night.

Darnell Nurse and Kailer Yamamoto had empty-net goals in the final two minutes for the Oilers, who have won three of their last four games.

It was the sixth loss in the last seven games for the Panthers, who are 2-6-1 since the All-Star break. Florida had entered the break on a six-game win streak.

Edmonton goalie Mikko Koskinen made 33 saves, while back-up netminder Sam Montembeault stopped 25 of 27 shots for Florida.

Larsson’s first goal since Feb. 19, 2019 put the Oilers ahead 1-0 at the 15:14 mark of the first period on a one-timer from just inside the blue line.

“I thought we played solid hockey all night tonight,” he said. “That’s a good sign for us.”

Larsson praised the solid outing by Koskinen.

“He’s been outstanding the whole year and now we have two really, really good goaltenders,” Larsson said.

His goal was assisted by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who has points in 12 of his last 14 games. Nugent-Hopkins has been pesky against the Panthers with 13 points in his last 14 games against them.

Edmonton coach Dave Tippett called the victory a confidence-builder.

“We played really solid positionally,” he said. “We just kind of banged it around and found a way to get a win.”

Home of the Oilers

Stream all 82 Oilers games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more.

Draisaitl’s insurance tally, into a wide open right side against an out-of-position Montembeault, came just 13 seconds into the third period. It was the 33rd goal this season for Draisaitl, who has eight points in his last four games.

Draisaitl, who entered the game leading the NHL with 90 points, became the first player to have 10 game-winning goals since Jari Kurri tallied the same number in 1986-87.

The Panthers cut the deficit to 2-1 at 8:45 of the third period when Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 21st goal.

Huberdeau said a quick change is needed as the team heads to California and the start of a five-game road trip.

“There’s no emotion, and that starts with us. We (all) have to pick it up … especially when we’re going on a long road trip,” he said. “I don’t think we’re working hard enough.”

With his assist on Huberdeau’s goal, captain Aleksander Barkov moved into second place in assists (250) in Panthers history.

Barkov said the sense of urgency has to start out west.

“Before the All-Star break, we had fun and played for each other. We battled for each other and worked hard,” he said. “Now it feels like we’re not first to the pucks. All the little things we need to get better at.”

Edmonton came close to scoring midway through the first period, but Alex Chiasson’s breakaway shot glanced off Montembeault’s stick blade.

Florida coach Joel Quenneville said the team should not be looking for excuses..

“(Our play is) just not good enough. At the start of the game, we didn’t dictate the tempo or the pace,” Quenneville said. “They get the lead and they control the game, and we’re chasing it the whole game.”

Florida got a scare five minutes into the second period when Barkov left the game after receiving a blindside hit from Edmonton’s Matt Benning against the boards. Barkov returned to the bench a few minutes later.

Things got a little chippy after the Barkov incident. After Noel Acciari mixed it up with Benning, the Panthers’ Josh Brown and Larsson dropped the gloves at centre ice. Both received five-minute majors.

NOTES: Edmonton RW Zack Kassian began his seven-game suspension for kicking Tampa Bay defenceman Erik Cernak on Thursday. … Oilers C and former Panther Riley Sheehan played in his 500th NHL game. … The Panthers commemorated Friday’s second anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shootings in Parkland with a pre-game ceremony.

UP NEXT

Oilers: Visit Carolina on Sunday.

Panthers: Visit San Jose on Monday.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Whitecaps, Timbers to face off in play-in match in Portland

Published

 on

 

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps will begin their post-season campaign with a play-in game against the Timbers in Portland on Wednesday.

The ‘Caps (13-13-8) ended the regular season with a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday and finished eighth in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference standings.

The eighth and ninth spots from each conference meet in a play-in game this week, with the winner going on to face the No. 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs.

Each eighth-place team was set to host the play-in game, but Vancouver announced Friday that its home stadium, B.C. Place, is not available, so the club will cede home-field advantage to Portland (12-11-11), the ninth-place team.

The ‘Caps and Timbers split their three-game series during regular-season play, with each side taking a win, a loss and a draw.

The first round of the MLS playoffs is set to begin next weekend.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Real Salt Lake beats visiting Whitecaps 2-1 to set single-season club record for points

Published

 on

 

SANDY, Utah (AP) — Diego Luna scored a tying goal in the 73rd minute and Real Salt Lake added another on an own goal for a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night to set a single-season club record for points.

Real Salt Lake (16-7-11) secured the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference and will face Minnesota in the first round of the Major League Soccer playoffs. RSL reached 59 points this season, topping the 2012 team with 57.

Vancouver (13-13-8) will play the Portland Timbers on Wednesday in a wild-card game for a chance to play top-seeded LAFC.

Luna settled a long cross from Braian Ojeda before taking four touches to slot home a shot inside the far post for his eighth goal of the season.

RSL went ahead in the 83rd when Vancouver goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer misplayed a lofted ball that rolled into the back of the net.

Vancouver midfielder Ryan Gauld opened the scoring in the 58th to become the first player in club history to produce multiple seasons with at least 10 goals and 10 assists.

AP MLS:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Juan Soto’s 3-run homer in 10th sends Yankees past Guardians 5-2 and into World Series for 41st time

Published

 on

 

CLEVELAND (AP) — Juan Soto’s arrival last winter was supposed to be that move that pushed the New York Yankees back to the top.

They’re one step away.

Soto hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning and the Yankees advanced to their 41st World Series — and first in 15 years — by beating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series on Saturday night.

Baseball’s biggest brand is going back to October’s main stage.

Soto, who was acquired in a seven-player trade from San Diego in December, pushed the Bronx Bombers into position with one big swing.

This was why he came, for this moment and for so many more.

“We’re right where we belong,” said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who pulled off the deal for Soto.

The Yankees will try to win their 28th title against either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 6 of the NL Championship Series is on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

In the third consecutive tight game in three nights at Progressive Field, Austin Wells walked with one out in the 10th and Alex Verdugo followed with a grounder to Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez, whose soft toss to the bag was dropped by rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio for an error.

Hunter Gaddis struck out Gleyber Torres and had Soto in a 1-2 count before New York’s stylish outfielder sent a shot over the wall in center. Soto danced down the first-base line and paused to celebrate with his teammates before circling the bases.

“I was just saying to myself, `You’re all over that guy. You’re all over that guy. He ain’t got anything,’” said Soto, who moved alongside his manager, Aaron Boone, as the only New York players to homer in an extra-inning, series-clinching win.

Luke Weaver got the final three outs with Lane Thomas flying out for the last one, which was caught by Soto.

“We get to play for a world championship,” Boone said. “That’s pretty sweet.”

The 25-year-old Soto is eligible for free agency this winter, and Yankees fans chanted “Re-sign Soto!” during the postgame festivities. He’s expected to get a contract upwards of $600 million, and his heroics in Game 5 may have raised his price.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and was named ALCS MVP as the Yankees took care of the Guardians in five games. It wasn’t easy.

New York won the first two at Yankee Stadium without much fanfare or any major drama. However, it was a different story in Cleveland as all three games at Progressive Field were nail-biters.

The Guardians rallied to win Game 3 on two, two-run homers in their last two at-bats, and the Yankees held on to win Game 4 after blowing a four-run lead.

“This was a rollercoaster and we were able to just keep punching back,” Stanton said. “We know there’s much more work to do and it’s only uphill from here and we got to get it done.”

Cleveland just didn’t have enough and a surprising season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt ended just short of a World Series. The franchise remains without a title since 1948, baseball’s current longest drought.

“There’s only one team that gets to win the last game of the year, and unfortunately it’s not going to be us,” Vogt said. “But we accomplished a lot as a group. We got better. We worked extremely hard. I couldn’t be more proud of this group. We just didn’t get quite as far as we wanted to.”

The Yankees are back in the World Series, back where their fans expect them to be every year.

The club’s 82-80, fourth-place finish in the AL East last season led to some “soul searching as an organization” during the winter, according to Boone, who has been widely criticized but is one of just three managers to take New York to playoffs in six of his first seven seasons.

While the team’s core stayed mostly intact, getting Soto in a blockbuster trade on Dec. 7 — New York sent five players to San Diego for the three-time All-Star — accelerated the team returning to title contender.

“That was a good day,” Boone said with a laugh before the game.

Stanton’s 446-foot rocket into the left-field bleachers tied it at 2 in the sixth and chased Tanner Bibee, who had struck out New York’s dangerous DH in his first two at-bats and held the Yankees scoreless for the first five innings.

It was Stanton’s fourth homer in this series — his third in three days — and his 16th in the postseason, moving him into fourth place on the club’s career list behind Bernie Williams (22), Derek Jeter (20) and Mickey Mantle (18).

Before the game, Boone was asked what makes Stanton so good.

“He can hit it harder than anyone, first of all,” Boone said. “So there’s the physical nature of what he does that’s different than just about everyone in the world.”

But Boone went on to compliment Stanton’s discipline at the plate, “his approach, his process, how he studies guys.”

“There’s something that he does when he gets familiarity with people on top of being very physically gifted,” Boone said.

The Guardians took a 2-0 lead in the fifth off Carlos Rodón on Steven Kwan’s RBI single with two outs. But Cleveland missed a big chance for more, leaving the bases loaded when Lane Thomas grounded out on the first pitch to him from Mark Leiter Jr.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: LHP Nestor Cortes (elbow strain) had another successful live batting practice session. The reliever remains on track to join the Yankees on their World Series roster. Boone said Cortes would throw again early next week. Cortes went 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA in 30 starts.

___

AP MLB:

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending