Sports
Four big name Edmonton Oilers knocked for poor playoff performances
But four players are on the hockey hot seat in particular: Darnell Nurse, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Stuart Skinner and Kailer Yamamoto.
These are four big name Oilers, all part of the team’s Core-12, the seven forwards, four d-men and one goalie who form the heart of any NHL team.
The criticism is widespread but let’s focus on some of what I heard today on Oilers Now, as it’s by far the most popular and authoritative (given host Bob Stauffer’s knowledge as an NHL insider) radio show on the team.
Said Shannon: “The guy that really sticks out … is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is the one guy that you wonder what was going on? I was semi-joking with someone this morning, saying, ‘I really hope he’s hurt.’ Because that was so non-Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the way we saw him this regular season.”
Former Oilers winger Georges Laraque talked about Skinner’s iffy play, then moved on to Darnell Nurse, the Oil’s franchise d-man. “There’s also another player I hoped could be better. I was a bit disappointed in him because I know he’s a better d-man than that, and it’s Darnell Nurse.
“I hate calling out guys because I love the guys, I love the game, and I don’t want to criticize the guys. But, you know, he’s better than what we saw in the playoffs. I found he made too many mistakes… He’s paid to be the leader, the best defensive defenceman that could chip in once and awhile for the Oilers. And he wasn’t.”
Take away
1. The Oilers lost to Vegas because too many nights Edmonton’s goaltending was second best, because Vegas was a far superior team at even strength because Edmonton failed to mount a physical forecheck in Games Five and Six, and because Edmonton got some more iffy calls against it in crunch time (the Philip Broberg penalty in Game Five, the Mattias Ekholm non-call in Game Six and the bizarrely short Alex Pietrangelo suspension).
2. I’d also add that in Game Six, coach Jay Woodcroft made two major tactical mistakes, starting goalie Skinner over Jack Campbell (a move that I also mistakenly thought was the best course of action) and because Woodcroft matched up the weak-checking line of Leon Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins and Yamamato against the Vegas power trio of Jack Eichel, Jonathan Marchessault and Ivan Barbashev.
I don’t know why Woodcroft would put three players who have had struggles on defence against that the Vegas top line, but as soon as I saw the match-up, I feared the worst would come about. Why not go with the strong checking line of Derek Ryan, Ryan McLeod and Warren Foegele against the Eichel line, especially when you’re at home and have last line change?
3. When it comes to Nurse, we’ve already noted at The Cult of Hockey many times in our game grades just how inconsistent Nurse has been in the playoffs, alternating OK-to-good games with poor-to-atrocious ones. Too often he has tried to do too much and has been dragged far out of position, abandoning his guard at the front of the Oilers net. Perhaps he was just trying to do too much instead of letting the game come to him. But his over-active play may also be a feature of the Oilers man-to-man defensive system. If so, Vegas certainly made the most of it, pulling Nurse here, there and everywhere in several games.
Nurse’s iffy defensive play is seen in his high rate of major mistakes at even strength. He made 1.88 major mistakes on Grade A shots per game (15 mins ES), with only Evan Bouchard making a higher rate, 2.05.
By comparison, Brett Kulak was at just 0.51 per game.
Nurse does do the heavy lifting against the toughest opposing lines, so it’s expected he’s going to make mistakes, but that rate is too high if the Oilers have a hope to win the Stanley Cup.
Nurse is known for going over game tape in the summer. Perhaps he and his coaches will put their finger on the changes in tactics he and team need to make to limit Grade A shot and goal-causing mistakes.
4. Skinner is a rookie, and as Stauffer mentioned, he only ever started six games in a row in the regular season, but was asked to start 12 in a row in the playoffs. Perhaps the extra work and playoff pressure was a touch too much. He did seem tentative at times, not as sharp as he’d been during his best runs of the 2022-23 regular season. Of NHL goalies who played in at least four playoff games in 2023, Skinner’s .883 save percentage ranks 19th out of 21 goalies.
5. Yamamoto? This is the second playoff season in a row where Oilers fans have been left wanting much more from Yamo, and this despite the fact that he made a few huge plays in crunch time both playoff years.
After an injury-plagued season, Yamamoto finds himself in much the same position — with the fans at least — as Jesse Puljujarvi heading into this season. There are a huge number who doubt whether he will ever be a consistent difference-maker in the playoffs. When it comes to goals plus-minus, only Nugent-Hopkins had a worse number than Yamo in these playoffs. Their poor even strength play was also reflected in their Grade A shots plus-minus, the worst numbers on the team for wingers.
6. As for Nugent-Hopkins, after his spectacular regular season expectations were high for the playoffs. But out of 141 NHL forwards who have played at least 75 minutes in the 2023 playoffs, RNH ranks just 121st in even strength point scoring, 0.75 per 60, the worst number of any qualifying Oilers forward.
Ouch!
This is his third mediocre playoff performance in a row. After playing well against the Chicago Blackhawks in 2020, Nuge’s two-way play has crashed. This is seen in his poor Grade A shots plus-minus in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 playoffs (see chart below).
This is a nasty trend with RNH and it’s something both he and his coaches have to work on. RNH is too good a player to fade so badly in the playoffs three seasons in a row. He found a way to start scoring at even strength in the 2022-23 regular season. His new challenge is to find a way to be an impact player in the 2024 playoffs.
7. Some people would include Evander Kane on the crap list of the 2023 playoffs, but his run of injuries this year explains part of his problems. First his wrist was sliced open by a skate, then he broke ribs, and now Stauffer reports that Kane played in the playoffs with a broken finger. For all that, Kane did well in his two-way play and was the biggest physical force on the team in the playoffs. He failed to score much, but he did put in a few key goals and no one threw more devastating body checks on the team. I give him a pass myself, though others are free to disagree.
8. Finally, to get back to Woodcroft’s line matching: he tends not to use any kind of checking line against a top attacking line of opposing teams, instead preferring to go power against power, with lines led by McDavid and Draisaitl facing off against the top lines of other teams. I can see the logic in this. It forces Edmonton’s top attacking players to step up on defence. At the same time, I think the Oil might be better served if now and then they used a designated checking line to thwart the top attacking trio of opposing teams. It would give the Oil one more tool in the toolkit come playoff time if Woodcroft gave this idea a run next season. It’s not like what is going on now is any good at holding onto leads. It isn’t. It’s time to experiment.
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VANCOUVER – As the Major League Soccer season ticks down, Vanni Sartini wants his Vancouver Whitecaps to make a declaration — the team is ready to compete.
“The time of hiding ourselves, I think it’s over,” the coach said after the ‘Caps earned a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
“We need to really say that we are here to try to be at the ball until the end and trying to shoot for the highest position. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to make it, but we have the quality to do it.”
With seven games left on their regular-season schedule, the ‘Caps (13-8-6) sit in fifth spot in the congested Western Conference, just two points out of fourth.
Saturday’s loss officially eliminated the last-place Earthquakes (5-21-2) from post-season action.
Vancouver has been on a hot streak since returning from the Leagues Cup break and is unbeaten (3-0-1) in its last four outings across all competitions. The team has not allowed a goal in those matches.
“It’s the fact that we play really well,” Sartini said of the clean sheets. “We have the ball a lot, we finish our attack most of the time in their box. So it’s really hard for the other team to attack us. And then when they attack us, in the rare times that they arrive in the final third, we’re very solid.”
Recent additions have bolstered the team’s ranks, including the club’s newest designated player, Stuart Armstrong. The 32-year-old Scottish midfielder scored his first MLS goal Saturday.
Three minutes after coming on as a substitute for Alessandro Schopf, Armstrong gave Vancouver a two-goal cushion in the 87th minute.
Midfielder Pedro Vite dished a short pass to ‘Caps captain Ryan Gauld, who tapped it toward Armstrong. The former Southampton FC player then blasted a shot into the top of the net for his first strike in a Whitecaps’ jersey.
He was mobbed by teammates in the corner of the field.
“I think everyone was happy. Also for the first goal, but also that it was an important three points,” said Armstrong, who signed with the ‘Caps on Sept. 3.
“It kind of felt a little bit like last week, when we had a lot of chances and we didn’t get the three points. So today, I think everyone was just relieved to have that two-goal cushion.”
Vancouver was the dominant team from the outset Saturday and did not relent, outshooting the visitors 19-5 and controlling 54.1 per cent of possession.
Fafa Picault also found the back of the net for Vancouver, while Gauld contributed a pair of assists.
Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped both shots he faced to collect his seventh clean sheet of the year, while Daniel made nine saves for the Quakes.
Gauld and Picault teamed up in the 22nd minute when Gauld curled a cross in and the Haitian striker headed it down toward the net, only to see Daniel catch a piece of the shot with his forearm and redirect it out of harm’s way.
The duo connected again in the 35th minute on a Vancouver corner. Gauld swung a ball in and Picault jumped up from the pack to send a glancing header in past Daniel for his ninth MLS goal of the season.
San Jose briefly appeared to level the score in the 68th minute when an unmarked Ousseni Bouda collected the ball, froze Takaoka and tapped a shot into the Vancouver net. An official quickly raised the offside flag and waved off the tally.
Daniel kept San Jose’s deficit to a single goal with a pair of solid stops in the 82nd minute.
First, the Brazilian ‘keeper dove sideways on his line to tip away a bomb from Alessandro Schopf. He was tested again on the ensuing corner and jumped up to send a header from Picault over the crossbar.
“I think we created a lot of chances again,” Gauld said.
“We probably should have put the game out of their reach sooner. But we’d be more worried if we weren’t creating the chances. Three clean sheets in a row in the league, I think it’s a big thing for us. And it gives us a good platform to go forward.”
NOTES
Vancouver played without leading scorer Brian White for a third consecutive game as the American striker works his way back from a concussion. … Gauld’s second assist marked his 15th goal contribution (six goals, nine assists) in his last 15 Whitecaps games across all competitions. … An announced crowd of 21,309 took in the game at B.C. Place.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps kick off a two-game road swing Wednesday against the Houston Dynamo. The Earthquakes host the Seattle Sounders the same night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Not good enough. That was Arne Slot’s verdict after his first defeat as Liverpool manager on Saturday.
A shock 1-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League ended Slot’s perfect record since succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Anfield at the end of last season.
“We had a lot of ball possession but only managed to create three (or) four quite good chances, so that is by far not enough if you have so much ball possession,” said the Dutchman, who suggested his team should not be losing to the likes of Forest.
“If you lose a home game it’s always a setback, especially if you face a team … we never know, maybe they will go all the way to fight for Champions League tickets, but normally this team is not ending up in the top 10, so if you lose a game against them that’s a big disappointment.”
Slot won his first three games in charge, including a memorable 3-0 victory against Manchester United before the international break.
But that run came to an end after Callum Hudson-Odoi struck in the 72nd with a curling effort from the edge of the box and beyond goalkeeper Alisson.
Liverpool’s defeat leaves Manchester City as the only team with a 100% record in the league after a 2-1 win against Brentford kept the defending champion at the top of the table.
United won at Southampton 3-0 to end its two-game losing streak.
Unstoppable Haaland
Erling Haaland moved to 99 goals for City after scoring twice against Brentford.
The Norwegian’s double came after Yoane Wissa fired Brentford ahead with just 22 seconds on the clock.
Haaland scored his 98th and 99th goals in his 103rd City appearance in all competitions. And he was the width of the post away from his third consecutive hat trick after trebles against Ipswich and West Ham.
“He’s been really, really good. Yeah, I would say he’s the best (he’s been), but it’s only four fixtures (this season),” City manager Pep Guardiola said.
Haaland, who has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, has nine goals in four league games. He has topped the league scoring charts in each of his two seasons at City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for $63 million.
Haaland’s first goal after 19 minutes evened the game following Wissa’s opener, which stunned the Etihad Stadium crowd. Haaland turned and swept a shot past goalkeeper Mark Flekken after a slight deflection off Ethan Pinnock.
He was then too strong for Pinnock when shaking off the defender and running through for his second in the 32nd.
He was inches away in the 81st; the shot came back off the post after beating the keeper.
Rashford snaps run
Marcus Rashford snapped a 12-game barren run in front of goal as United beat Southampton.
Rashford doubled United’s lead at Saint Mary’s after Matthijs de Ligt’s scored his first for the club. Substitute Alejandro Garnacho scored a third in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
The win came after back-to-back defeats for United.
Rashford hadn’t scored since March in United’s win over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals. He curled in a shot from the edge of the area to put Erik ten Hag’s team 2-0 up at Southampton in the 41st minute.
Ten Hag said it could be a turning point for the forward.
“For every striker, they want to be on the scoring list. Once the first is in, more is coming. Like a ketchup bottle, once it’s going, it’s coming more,” he said.
De Ligt, who joined United from Bayern Munich in the offseason, headed in from Bruno Fernandes’ cross in the 35th.
It could have been a different story if Cameron Archer converted a penalty for Southampton in the 33rd. Instead, his effort was saved by goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Newly promoted Southampton was reduced to 10 men when Jack Stephens was sent off in the 79th for a high challenge on Garnacho.
Villa comeback
After three straight defeats to start the league, Everton looked set for its first win when leading Aston Villa 2-0.
Goals from Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put Sean Dyche’s team in control until Ollie Watkins struck twice to even the game.
Jhon Duran completed Villa’s comeback and sealed a 3-2 win in the 76th to leave Everton rooted to the bottom of the table and the only top flight team without a point.
Late drama
Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a stoppage time penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw for Crystal Palace against Leicester.
Leicester led 2-0 at Selhurst Park after goals from Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi.
But Mateta sparked Palace’s response with a goal in the 47th, a minute after Mavididi doubled Leicester’s advantage.
Conor Coady fouled Ismaili Sarr in the box right near fulltime and Mateta was cool enough to convert.
West Ham left it even later to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw at Fulham.
Danny Ings struck in the fifth minute of added time after Raul Jimenez’s goal looked like earning Fulham the win.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, the manager of the month for August, was frustrated as his team was held to 0-0 at home by Ipswich.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer:
Sports
Cavaliers and free agent forward Isaac Okoro agree to 3-year, $38 million deal, AP source says
CLEVELAND (AP) — Restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro has agreed to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.
Okoro’s new deal is worth $38 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed or announced by the team.
ESPN.com first reported the agreement, citing Okoro’s representation.
The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Okoro is Cleveland’s best perimeter defender, often drawing the assignment of guarding the opponent’s top scorer. Okoro also has worked to improve his offensive game.
The 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 69 games — 42 starts — last season for the Cavs, who beat Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to eventual champion Boston.
Okoro shot a career-best 39% on 3-pointers, forcing teams to come out and guard him.
His agreement caps an extraordinarily busy summer for the Cavs that began with coach J.B. Bickerstaff being fired and replaced by Kenny Atkinson. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension in July, ending months of speculation that he wanted out of Cleveland.
Also, power forward Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 deal and center Jarrett Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension.
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AP NBA:
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