EDMONTON — Back to .500 and feeling awfully good about themselves, the Edmonton Oilers discovered this week what the Vancouver Canucks learned a week ago: The Ottawa Senators are a tonic for whatever ails you.
After an 8-5 win Sunday with rookie Stuart Skinner making his first NHL start in goal, the Oilers inserted Mikko Koskinen back between the pipes, buckled down defensively, and executed a clinical 4-2 victory over the Senators — scoring the first four goals of Tuesday’s game. The Oilers travel to Calgary for a game on Friday, then two more at the Sens rink after that — four points that should not go to waste.
“We came home for this homestand and we had that (reaching .500) goal in mind,” said head coach Dave Tippett. “There were some things we were doing, even when we were losing, that we liked. Then we’d make a mistake or take a penalty at the wrong time.
“I don’t mind our game moving forward here. We’ve taken some steps from where we were, but there are more steps to take.”
On Groundhog Day, the Sens lost their ninth straight. Now they go home and home with the first-place Montreal Canadiens, and then they have two games vs. Edmonton, which outscored them 12-7 in this two-game set and gave up just 25 shots on goal Tuesday despite four Senators power plays.
“Right now, every break seems to go in,” Senators head coach D.J. Smith said. “Probably, I need more from some of the older guys. Probably, need more right now from some of the guys who have been in the league.”
Connor McDavid (two assists on Tuesday) now has six consecutive multi-point games. He and Leon Draisaitl (one goal) have 36 points between them in the past eight games.
Jesse Cashes
It was the great Finn Teemu Selanne who used to speak of the old ketchup bottle whenever he would be in a goal-scoring slump. Eventually, Selanne always said, the ketchup would flow again.
And so it was that with 27 shots on goal but not a single tuck on the season, the young Finn Jesse Puljujarvi entered Tuesday’s game with the distinction of being the only NHL forward with that many shots not to have scored. Well, let the ketchup flow.
“I have a couple of chances and they go in. That’s good,” said Puljujarvi, who scored on a solo rush and then tipped home an Evan Bouchard wrister while cruising through the slot.
“Sometimes good shifts, sometimes bad shifts. All the time I try to be better player, help those guys and be a better linemate. There are things that I and the team can do better. (I can) be strong and make some plays all the time. That kind of stuff.”
This will give the 22-year-old some confidence, and blow some wind into the sails of a fan base that has been waiting for something good to happen to Puljujarvi.
“I’ve been talking to him quite a bit,” Tippett said. “He says it doesn’t bother him, but it’s nice to see him get on the board. Anybody, if you feel like you’re not scoring, there’s that extra bit of pressure you’re putting on yourself. Good to see that smile on his face.”
Puljujarvi played 14:31 and had three shots on goal.
Bouchard Begins
It was a calm, professional debut for Bouchard, who got into his first game this season. He had an assist, four shots on goal, eight shots in total, played 16:56 and simply looked like an NHL defenceman.
“Felt good to get back playing here in Edmonton. It took a shift or two to get back used to it,” said the 21-year-old, who watched the first 10 games of the season. “The message was, ‘Go out, have fun and work hard every day,’ it was a matter of time before I got to play a game. It’s the NHL. It’s always fun being here. Staying positive was a big part of it.”
What did his coach think?
“Really solid. Really solid,” Tippett repeated. “That’s a tough thing to jump into a game like that — every game the points are critical — and I think he got 17, 18 minutes. I was really pleased with his game. Smart, got an assist on a good shot from the point, and didn’t look out of place.
Bouchard’s game is subtle. It flows, and he doesn’t waste any energy.
“It’s a controlled game. Not quiet, but controlled,” Tippett said. “He doesn’t expend extra energy when he doesn’t have to.”
“He had a great start tonight,” Tippett said. “It’s all up from here.”
Murray Worry
The Sens acquired goalie Matt Murray from the Pittsburgh Penguins then promptly signed him to a four-year, $25 million deal in the off-season. That made him the third-highest paid player on the roster, and, alongside Thomas Chabot, the only other Senator signed through 2023-24.
He is clearly the goalie of record for this rebuild, but boy oh boy, things haven’t started well for Murray. In seven games he’s sporting a .842 saves percentage and a 4.82 goals-against average.
Murray watched the final two periods of Sunday’s game from the bench after being pulled, and backed up again tonight while the Sens went with Marcus Hogberg and his .849 saves percentage.
“I’ve never changed from when I got here,” Smith said. “We want this team to be set up so it can be good for 10 years. Slowly, we’re integrating more and more young guys, and (Murray’s) going to be the goalie when this team is the team that we know it can be. He’s going to be the guy holding them every day.”
Murray spent some extra time on the ice following Tuesday’s optional morning skate working with goalie coach Pierre Groulx. He’s grinding away in search of the game that took him to two Stanley Cups as a Penguin.
“Right now, this is a good work day for him,” observed Smith, who had “a good talk with him” Tuesday. “We’ve got to put him in a spot where we can play good in front of them. We think (Tuesday) was a good day to get some work, get some rest and be ready for the next one.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.
