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Player grades: Despite short-staffed D-corps, Oilers dominate Ducks – Edmonton Journal

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Ducks 1, Oilers 6

Saturday’s matinée got off to an ominous start for Edmonton Oilers when durable defender Brett Kulak got beaned by a point shot on his very first shift and left the contest after just 49 seconds of action.

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Into the breach stepped Edmonton’s Big Three on the back end as each of Mattias Ekholm (25:59), Darnell Nurse (25:51) and Evan Bouchard (24:20) played in the 24-26 minute range. Vincent Desharnais added a career high 21:26, while Troy Stecher, filling in for Cody Ceci (illness), chipped in 18:04. The group played a major role in limiting Anaheim Ducks to just 22 shots and 1 goal as the Oilers rolled to a 6-1 win.

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In a skirmish between haves and have-nots, it was the third time this season that the Oilers beat the Ducks by at least 5 goals. Edmonton ultimately swept the season series with 4 regulation wins and a composite scoreline of 26-8 in a sequence of games that were far from compelling. In Saturday’s final example, Edmonton dominated all shots and scoring chance metrics and had the goals to prove it. Our own analysis at the Cult of Hockey had the Oil leading by a 19-11 count in Grade A Shots (running count).

Player grades

#2 Evan Bouchard, 7. Another polished game that saw him collect 2 assists, 1 each at even strength and the powerplay. Broke up numerous opposition sorties at or even before they reached the Oilers blueline, and got the puck moving in the right direction immediately thereafter. Played a controlled game and let the puck do the work, likely mindful of the extra workload in Kulak’s absence. Kept a clean sheet defensively. Did find a moment to unleash a screamer of a Bouch bomb that rang the post. Contributions to Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +2/-0; Special Teams 0.

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#10 Derek Ryan, 6. Played his part on a strong fourth line that had 70% of the shots and 100% of the goals (1-0) during his 12 minutes of even strength play. 2 shots, 2 hits, 1 takeaway. Had a great chance to score in the game’s final minute but couldn’t solve John Gibson. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0.

#13 Mattias Janmark, 6. The event summary suggests he didn’t do much: 0 shots, 0 hits, 0 blocks, 0 points, +1. What it didn’t capture was the work he did away from the puck, including a splendid screen on Ekholm’s goal and another on Bouchard’s blast that rang iron, or the passes he made to help set up 2 other Grade A shots. Really has his skating legs going this last while. GAS: ES +4/-0; ST 0.

#14 Mattias Ekholm, 9. An outstanding game starting with boxcars of 1-2-3, +5. Scored on a wicked clapper through Janmark’s screen. Earned a splendid assist as he sold a lead pass to Draisaitl by the side boards before slipping a gorgeous feed to Foegele break free right at the Anaheim blueline. Led the team with 25:59 in ice time and co-led the defence in shots (4), attempts (7) and hits (3). Shots were 18-8 EDM during his 23 minutes at even strength, and did I mention goals were 5-0. Now stands at a towering +40 on the season, second in the NHL. Has exploded for 4-16-20, +24 in his last 21 games. GAS: ES +4/-3; ST 0.

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#18 Zach Hyman, 7. Belatedly awarded an assist on McDavid’s solo rush, breaking a remarkable run that had seen him score EIGHTEEN CONSECUTIVE GOALS since his last helper. Took him just 19 games to do that, mind. Returned to his customary spot on the scoresheet when he ethically buried a terrific McDavid pass from 30 feet. GAS: ES +4/-1; ST 0.

#19 Adam Henrique, 6. Opened the scoring when he deposited his own rebound from close range. Those were his only 2 shots of the game, though he did chip in 2 hits, a block, and 2/2=100% in limited duty on the faceoff dot. Did take a late penalty. Now has 4 goals as an Oiler including 3 in the last 4 games. GAS: ES +2/-1; ST 0.

#25 Darnell Nurse, 6. Logged big minutes and played an active 2-way game. 7 shot attempts (4 on goal) at one end, 3 blocks at the other. A couple of giveaways but nothing costly. GAS: ES +3/-2; ST 0.

#27 Brett Kulak, incomplete. Knocked out of the game on his very first shift when he was beaned by a shot from a man he was once traded for, former Oiler William Lagesson. He was held out for precautionary reasons, though it sounds like he might be good to travel with the team for its upcoming 2-game roadie.

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#29 Leon Draisaitl, 7. Racked up a pair of assists to reach 60 on the season. Both were primaries, a slick drop pass to Henrique on the opening goal and a lovely give-and-go with McDavid on the powerplay. No luck with his own shots, drilling a low-angle shot off the post while his stick exploded on what appeared to be a sure powerplay goal set up by a sublime McDavid feed. Played a conscientious 200-foot game, with the Oilers outshooting the Ducks 10-4 and outscoring them 3-0 during Leon’s14½ minutes at 5v5. GAS: ES +3/-1; ST +2/-0.

#30 Calvin Pickard, 7. Strong bounceback game from a rare off-night in Ottawa, holding the Ducks at bay until a late, well-executed powerplay goal ruined his shutout bid. Cool under pressure the few times the visitors pressed, most notably a 27-second span late in the second when he turned aside 4 of the 11 Grade A shots he faced on the night. Has now started 6 of Edmonton’s last 14 games. 22 shots, 21 saves, .955 save percentage.

#37 Warren Foegele, 7. Notched his 17th of the season when he timed his rush perfectly to receive Ekholm’s feed right at the blueline, jumped in alone and powered a shot right through Gibson’s paddle and in. 2 shots, 2 hits, 1 block with Edmonton producing 72% of shot attempts during his 14 even-strength minutes.

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#39 Sam Carrick, 7. Returned to the line-up after a 2-game tour of the pressbox and delivered a strong game. Earned the primary assist on Ekholm’s blast. Nearly had a goal of his own with a nifty between-the-legs shot from the edge of the crease. His line with Janmark and Ryan controlled play, in part due to Carrick’s 10/14=71% on the faceoff dot. GAS: ES +4/-0; ST 0. 

#51 Troy Stecher, 5. Banged up early but gutted it out. Played 18 active minutes with 3 shots, 3 blocks and 3 hits. Leaked a little oil on the back end, however, being burned for 4 Grade A shots. GAS: ES +0/-4; ST 0.

#71 Ryan McLeod, 6. His speed and defensive acumen are a good fit for the veteran guile of wingers Kane and Perry. Good shot shares, even as he was himself held without a shot on goal. 10/16=63% in the faceoff circle. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0.

#73 Vincent Desharnais, 7. His best game in quite some time saw him named the third star. Finally ended a 17-game pointless drought with not 1 but 2 assists. Skated well and was solid defensively. Oilers enjoyed a 12-5 advantage in shots during his 19:11 at 5v5, which he shared with a range of D partners (Bouchard 6:07; Nurse 5:58; Ekholm 3:55; Stecher 2:24) after his would-be mate Kulak left early. A very encouraging performance. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST 0.

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#90 Corey Perry, 6. The lower the puck is in the offensive zone, the better for Perry, who opened his bag of tricks with a few different power moves around the net. Nothing that resulted in a goal, but some entertaining moments all the same. 3 shots on net. Took a penalty for an extended battle behind the play with Troy Terry where both men took liberties with the rules but only one was called. GAS: +2/-0; ST 0.

#91 Evander Kane, 5. Frustrated around the net with 0 official shots on goal, a rarity for the volume shooter. His best moment was the heavy hit he laid on Gustav Lindstrom in the immediate aftermath of his linemate McLeod being crunched by Frank Vatrano. An appropriate, tit-for-tat response within a couple of seconds. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0.

#93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 5. His struggles around the net front continued, as he missed the target with 3 of his 4 attempts including a couple of real good looks. A couple of rugged moments defensively, but he delivered a key stop that likely prevented a goal. Was wrongly tagged with a penalty on the play but in the rarest of rarities, it was overturned and he was released from the the sin bin. GAS: ES +1/-2; ST 0.

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#97 Connor McDavid, 8. A tough game physically for the captain, who survived a crash into the net at top speed, a blown tire at the blueline, and a disappearance down the tunnel that turned out to be a skate issue. Played a season-low 15:49 but made the most out of it with 2 goals and 1 assist. His first goal was highlight-reel material, a steal at the defensive blueline, a dash up ice, an outside move around Bo Groulx and then a nifty deke against the grain to his forehand for the finish. Added another on a splendid give-and-go with Draisaitl on the powerplay. Set up Hyman’s snipe with a terrific pass off the rush, and came close with a few other creations, notably the great feed to Draisaitl that was thwarted by an equipment fail. A couple of lax moments defensively, but nothing costly. 7 shots, 3 giveaways. Now has 125 points on the season, and for a time on Saturday afternoon held the league lead. GAS: ES +5/-2; ST +3/-0.

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Jays reliever Green and Canadian slugger O’Neill nominated for comeback player award

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NEW YORK – Toronto Blue Jays reliever Chad Green and Canadian slugger Tyler O’Neill of the Boston Red Sox were named finalists for the Major League Baseball Players’ Association’s American League comeback player award on Monday.

Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet was the other nominee.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. were named player of the year finalists.

The award winners, selected via player voting, will be named Saturday before Game 2 of the World Series.

Green, who missed most of the 2022 and ’23 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was a high-leverage option for the Blue Jays this past season and filled in at closer over the second half of the campaign.

The right-hander converted his first 16 save opportunities and finished the year with a 4-6 record, 17 saves and a 3.21 earned-run average over 53 appearances.

O’Neill, a native of Burnaby, B.C., also endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons in ’22 and ’23.

After being traded to the Red Sox in the off-season, O’Neill set an MLB record by hitting a homer in his fifth straight Opening Day. He finished with 31 homers on the year and had an OPS of .847.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Panthers’ Reinhart named NHL first star after posting nine points over four games

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NEW YORK – Florida Panthers centre Sam Reinhart was named NHL first star of the week on Monday after leading all players with nine points over four games last week.

Reinhart had four goals, five assists and a plus-seven rating to help the Stanley Cup champions post a 3-0-1 record on the week and move into first place in the Atlantic Division.

New York Rangers left-winger Artemi Panarin took the second star and Minnesota Wild goaltenderFilip Gustavsson was the third star.

Panarin had eight points (4-4) over three games.

Gustavsson became the 15th goalie in NHL history to score a goal and had a 1.00 goals-against average and .962 save percentage over a pair of victories.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s season ended by ruptured Achilles tendon, team said he’ll have surgery

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CLEVELAND (AP) — Deshaun Watson won’t finish the season as Cleveland’s starting quarterback for the second straight year.

He’s injured again, and the Browns have new problems.

Watson ruptured his right Achilles tendon in the first half of Sunday’s loss to Cincinnati, collapsing as he began to run and leading some Browns fans to cheer while the divisive QB laid on the ground writhing in pain.

The team feared Watson’s year was over and tests done Monday confirmed the rupture. The Browns said Watson will have surgery and miss the rest of the season but “a full recovery is expected.”

Watson was injured on a noncontact play in the second quarter of Cleveland’s 21-14 loss to the Bengals and carted off the field in tears.

It’s the second significant injury in two seasons for Watson, who broke the glenoid (socket) bone in his throwing shoulder last year after just six starts.

The 29-year-old went down Sunday without being touched on a draw play late in the first half. His right leg buckled and Watson crumpled to the turf. TV replays showed his calf rippling, consistent with an Achilles injury.

He immediately put his hands on his helmet, clearly aware of the severity of an injury similar to the one Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers sustained last year.

As he was being assisted by the team’s medical staff and backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson grabbed a ball to begin warming up, there was some derisive cheers and boos from the stands in Huntington Bank Field.

Cleveland fans have been split over Watson, who has been accused of being sexually inappropriate with women.

The reaction didn’t sit well with several Watson’s teammates, including star end Myles Garrett, the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, who was appalled by the fans’ behavior.

“We should be ashamed of ourselves as Browns and as fans to boo anyone and their downfall. To be season-altering, career-altering injury,” Garrett said. “Man’s not perfect. He doesn’t need to be. None of us are expected to be perfect. Can’t judge him for what he does off the field or on the field because I can’t throw stones for my glass house.

“Ultimately everyone’s human and they’re disappointed just like we are, but we have to be better than that as people. There’s levels to this. At the end of the day, it’s just a game and you don’t boo anybody being injured and you don’t celebrate anyone’s downfall.”

Backup quarterback Jameis Winston also admonished the uncomfortable celebration.

“I am very upset with the reaction to a man that has had the world against him for the past four years, and he put his body and life on the line for this city every single day,” he said. “The way I was raised, I will never pull on a man when he’s down, but I will be the person to lift him up.

“I know you love this game. When I first got here, I knew these were some amazing fans, but Deshaun was treated badly and now he has to overcome another obstacle. So I’m going to support him, I’m going to lift him up and I’m going to be there for him.”

The injury is yet another twist in Watson’s tumultuous time with the Browns.

Cleveland traded three first-round draft picks and five overall to Houston in 2022 to get him, with owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam approving the team giving Watson a fully guaranteed, five-year $230 million contract.

With a solid roster, the Browns were desperate to find a QB who could help them compete against the top AFC teams.

The Browns had moved on from Baker Mayfield despite drafting him No. 1 overall in 2018 and making the playoffs two seasons later.

But Watson has not played up to expectations — fans have been pushing for him to be benched this season — and Cleveland’s move to get him has been labeled an abject failure with the team still on the hook to pay him $46 million in each of the next two seasons.

Watson’s arrival in Cleveland also came amid accusations by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions while he played for the Texans. Two grand juries declined to indict him and he has settled civil lawsuits in all but one of the cases.

Watson was suspended by the NFL for his first 11 games and fined $5 million for violating the league’s personal conduct policy before he took his first snap with the Browns. The long layoff — he sat out the 2021 season in a contract dispute — led to struggles once he got on the field, and Watson made just six starts last season before hurting his shoulder.

Cleveland signed veteran Joe Flacco, who went 4-1 as a starter and led the Browns to the playoffs.

Before Watson got hurt this year, he didn’t play much better. He was one of the league’s lowest-rated passers for a Cleveland team that hasn’t scored 20 points in a game and is back in search of a franchise QB.

___

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