Sports
Connor McDavid surpasses 150-point plateau as Edmonton Oilers roll to seventh straight win
With the win Edmonton gained a point on Vegas — in first place in both the Pacific Division and Western Conference — who lost in the shootout at Dallas. The Oil now stand just 2 points back with 2 games to play for each team and hold the tie-breaker as well.
The Oilers outshot the Sharks 35-23. Their true dominance shone through in the Cult of Hockey‘s count of Grade A shots, which they led by 15-4, with an 8-2 advantage in the subset of 5 alarm chances (preliminary running count). As has become our recent custom, we will record individual contributions to Grade A shots, both for and against, at the end of each player’s comment.
Player grades
#2 Evan Bouchard, 8. The young blueliner has been coming on gangbusters since being paired with Ekholm on Mar 01, with with impressive boxcars of 19 GP, 3-14-17, +11 in that span. 2 of the points, both secondary assists, and 4 of the pluses came in an impressive showing in the Shark Tank that saw Edmonton dominate shot and goal share on Bouchard’s watch. Goals notwithstanding, I was most impressed on a play Bouch appeared set to unleash a risky cross-ice pass through the neutral zone, but thought better of it and fed a short, safe pass up the wall to a speeding McDavid. Good decision! GAS: +2/-0
#14 Mattias Ekholm, 9. The Oilers have been a different club since his arrivial on Mar 01. Ekholm took it to a new level on Saturday, becoming just the second Oiler since 1987 to log +6 in a single game (Sam Gagner was the other, in his famous 8-point game). Ekholm didn’t light up the scoreboard the way Gagner did, but the Oilers were in control of the game for seemingly every second of his 19:07 of ice time. He held mammoth leads in on-ice shot attempts (30-16), shots on net (+18/-8) and especially high danger chances (+16/-3!). His lone assist was a beautiful delayed backhand pass that found Hyman alone in front. Involved in a couple of nice give-and-go plays with McDavid that led to dangerous shots but not goals. But hey, +6. Now leads the 2022-23 Oilers with +25, this despite playing just 19 games with the club. To put that in perspective, runners-up Nurse (+23) and McDavid (+22) have both played all 80 games. I’ve never seen the like. GAS: +3/-0.
#21 Klim Kostin, 6. The only Oiler without a shot on goal or even an attempt, Kostin nonetheless had a strong game with 5 hits, some adept passing, and an excellent defensive stop that thwarted a very dangerous chance. Skated with purpose all afternoon. GAS +0/-0.
#25 Darnell Nurse, 7. Another rock solid outing despite the absence of his usual partner, Cody Ceci, back in Edmonton attending the birth of his first child. Nurse was the only Oiler, D or F, to hit the 20-minute mark, despite not having a regular partner all day long. He played at least a minute with all 6 other d-men, including 5, 4, and 3 minutes respectively with Broberg, Desharnais, and Demers, usually at the other end of the rotation. Also led the squad with 2:58 on the PK, recording a +1 on that unit. Put out a few fires, didn’t start any. Crunched Erik Karlsson with an open-ice hit, and made a terrific diving block of a lethal pass. GAS: +1/-0.
#27 Brett Kulak, 5. Similar to Janmark in shot distribution (a poor +11/-25 in attempts, but a middling +7/-8 in shots on net). Played a team high 18:32 at even strength. 4 hits, 3 blocks. GAS” +1/-2.
#29 Leon Draisaitl, 6. Struggled at times, marked by an uncharacteristic 3/12=25% on the dot. But created plenty offensively, setting up linemate Kane for 4 Grade A shots, and making a splendid behind-the-back pass to Broberg for the young Swede’s first goal of the season. GAS: +6/-0.
#37 Warren Foegele, 7. Strong game playing with Ryan and various guest stars on the 2-man fourth unit. Made chicken salad out of chicken feathers when he found a bouncing puck in the slot and managed to pop it over to McDavid for the game winner, coincidentally his 150th point. Around the puck all night. GAS: +1/-1.
#56 Kailer Yamamoto, 5. Quiet game, okay defensively but created little. 1 shot, 1 hit. 2 takeaways. GAS: +0/-0.
#72 Nick Bjugstad, 5. Also mostly quiet, although that is more in keeping with his job description. His 23 shifts led the forwards and tied Nurse and Kulak for the team lead. Took the rarely-seen minor penalty, “2 minutes for being taller than his opponent”. GAS: +2/-1.
#74 Stuart Skinner, 7. Kept things tidy on those rare occasions play broke down in front of him. Not much chance on the bang-bang play that beat him. Now has 27 wins this season, 1 shy of Grant Fuhr’s franchise record for a rookie. 23 shots, 22 saves, .957 save percentage.
#86 Philip Broberg, 6. Scored his first goal of the season by going hard to the net to take Draisaitl’s pass, then finding his own rebound behind Reimer and tapping it home. A couple of iffy moments with the puck, nothing costly. GAS: +1/-0.
#93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 8. Another first-rate performance with 1-2-3, +4, raising his careers highs to 37-66-103 on the season. Finished off Hyman’s pass at the side of the net for the 1-0; made a splendid cross-crease pass to Ryan for the shorty; and threaded a gorgeous through pass at the blueline to McDavid for the late cherry-on-top. Excellent on the PK as usual, leading all forwards with 2:28 (of 4:00 total). GAS: +3/-0.
#97 Connor McDavid, 9. On fire in the first period, driving the net time and again and creating all sorts of chaos in the San Jose zone. Helped set up RNH’s ice-breaker with a greta drive to the net-front. Scored the 2-1 himself by finishing off Foegele’s pass after first stealing the puck himself to create the chance. That was his 150th point of the season, joining Wayne Gretzky (9 times!), Mario Lemieux (4), Steve Yzerman, Phil Esposito, and Bernie Nicholls (once each) as the only NHLers to ever breathe such rarefied air. That stood up as the game-winner, his league leading (tied) 11th of the season. Converted a late breakaway for his 64th goal of the season, the most of any Oiler since Jari Kurri potted 68 back in 1985-86. Now 7 ahead of David Pastrnak in the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy, and appears set to be the first NHLer to win the “triple crown” (goals, assists, and points) since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96. 10 shot attempts, 6 on goal, and 4 takeaways. GAS: +6/-1.
Sports
PWHL MVP Spooner set to miss start of season for Toronto Sceptres due to knee injury
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Sports
Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere
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:
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Sports
Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez
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.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
-
News20 hours ago
‘I get goosebumps’: Canadians across the country mark Remembrance Day
-
News20 hours ago
Surrey police transition deal still in works, less than three weeks before handover
-
News19 hours ago
From transmission to symptoms, what to know about avian flu after B.C. case
-
News19 hours ago
Bitcoin has topped $87,000 for a new record high. What to know about crypto’s post-election rally
-
News19 hours ago
Wisconsin Supreme Court grapples with whether state’s 175-year-old abortion ban is valid
-
News20 hours ago
Twin port shutdowns risk more damage to Canadian economy: business groups
-
News8 hours ago
Canadanewsmedia news November 12, 2024: Union serves strike notice to Canada Post
-
News8 hours ago
As Toronto enters its Taylor Swift era, experts say crowd safety depends on planning