Tag: edmonton oilers

Sharks Fall 3-2 in OT to Oilers, Give Up another Lead in the Third

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Edmonton Oilers Connor Brown (28) scrambles for the puck against the San Jose Sharks Cody Ceci (4) in the second period at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Sat Dec 21, 2024 (Canadian Press via AP photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks were defeated by the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 in overtime Saturday. Zach Hyman, Mattias Ekholm and Leon Draisaitl scored for the Oilers. Calvin Pickard made 20 saves for the win. Luke Kunin and Jan Rutta scored for the Sharks. Yaroslav Askarov made 39 saves in the loss. Askarov’s 23 saves in the second period were the most saves in one period by a Sharks goaltender since the 2015-16 season.

After the game, Sharks Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky said, of the goaltender: “He was outstanding. He’s the reason we got a point. He was seeing the puck really well, quick. He made some really big saves.”

The Sharks took the lead twice in the first period, then held it until the last minute of overtime. Warsofsky talked about how the game got away from the Sharks: “We got slow, we got put on our heels, we didn’t defend quick enough. We didn’t skate to make them move the puck a little quicker.”

Luke Kunin opened the scoring 3:23 into the game. Alexander Wennberg chased the puck all the way down the ice into the Oilers’ corner, then passed it back to the trailing Kunin for the shot. Assists went to Wennberg and Timothy Liljegren.

Zach Hyman tied the game at 7:07. Connor McDavid carriws the puck around behind the net and then sent a pass across the slot to Hyman. Assists went to McDavid and Evan Bouchard.

Jan Rutta gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead at 8:21. Jake Walman carried the puck through the neutral zone and down as far as the faceoff circle before making a pass back to Rutta at the top of the slot. Rutta scored with a snap shot down up the middle. Assists went to Walman and Macklin Celebrini.

The Sharks were outshot 9-7 in the first period, and then 23-7 in the scoreless second period. In the first period there was a single penalty called, and that was against Edmonton. In the second period, the Sharks took the only penalty.

At 19:42 of the third period, with their goaltender pulled, the Oilers tied the game. Skating down from the point, Mattias Ekholm caught a pass from Corey Perry and shot through traffic. Assists went to Perry and McDavid.

Leon Draisaitl scored gane overtime winner 18 seconds into overtime. Daraisaitl carried the puck into the zone and then passed it across the ice to Bouchard. Bouchard gave it to McDavid, who passed it back to Draisaitl for the shot.

The Sharks next play on Monday in Vancouver against the Canucks at 6:00 PM PT.

Edmonton Bowls Second Period Turkey En Route To Post-Thanksgiving 4-3 Overtime Win Over Utah HC 

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Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent Hopkins (93) passes the puck against Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) in the second period at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Fri Nov 29, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–The Edmonton Oilers scored three unanswered goals in the Second Period on Friday as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl lead Edmonton to victory against Utah 4-3 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

The Utah Hockey Club returned home from a 2-2 road trip through Boston, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Montréal which featured an unscheduled pedestrian journey through Toronto where they had to abandon their bus which was stuck in traffic and walk the rest of the way to Scotiabank Arena for their matchup with the Maple Leafs. On Friday they hosted the Edmonton Oilers at Delta Center as the two teams marked Hockey Fights Cancer Night.

Utah forward Alexander Kerfoot got things going for the home team at 6:17 of the first with his fourth goal of the season, assisted on a well-timed pass near the crease by Kevin Stenlund. Forward Logan Cooley made it 2-0 near the end of the period, putting a rebound off of Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard into the back of the net for his fifth of the season, assisted by Juuso Välimäki and Robert Bortuzzo. Cooley now has points in each of his past four games, tying his career consecutive game scoring mark, and his 18 points through 23 games this season is the most by any player in the NHL 20-years-old or younger.

The ice tilted in Edmonton’s favor in the second period as forward Vasily Podkolzin cut the lead in half midway through the frame, assisted by Leon Draisaitl and Troy Stecher. At 12:59, Olli Määttä committed a holding penalty against Corey Perry which set the stage for Leon Draisaitl to tie things up with his 17th of the season on the ensuing power play, assisted by Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard. Moments later, Utah’s Robert Bortuzzo went to the sin bin for tripping against Jeff Skinner which set the table for Oilers center Connor McDavid to give Edmonton a 3-2 lead with his 12th of the season on the power play, assisted by Evan Bouchard and Corey Perry.

Early in the third period, Utah winger Lawson Crouse evened the score with his fourth goal of the season, assisted by Nick Bjugstad and Olli Määttä. The two squads continued to exchange chances without yielding to one another, and then with 3:25 remaining in regulation Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev was whistled for interference against Leon Draisaitl. With the game on the line, Karel Vejmelka stood tall during the penalty kill to send the game into overtime.

Just over a minute into the overtime period, Utah lost the puck in their offensive zone and Edmonton’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins raced the full length of the ice to swat the puck past Vejmelka for the game-winner, giving the Oilers a 4-3 victory. All seven goals in the game were scored into the same net.

After the game, Lawson Crouse was asked about playing against the Western Conference Champs. “We feel pretty good about our game, I feel like we dominated early on. Obviously they have an elite powerplay with the personnel that they have, but we did a good job, we battled back, we stuck through it through overtime. It was just an unlucky bounce and they capitalized, and we have a quick turnaround to get ready for another good hockey game tomorrow.” With regard to his third period goal, Crouse commented, “It felt good. Obviously, it’s been a long time, so it feels really good. It would’ve been much better if the team got the win, but you gotta move on quickly here, we got another big game tomorrow and we want to walk away with those two points.”

Utah Hockey Club head coach André Tourigny, commenting on his team’s play, “I think [the Oilers’] powerplay was really tough to contain, and they wore us down, basically, and they scored their goals. Disappointing, because I thought we were disciplined.” With regard to Crouse breaking out of his goal drought, “That was a big positive point of the game, seeing him and [Maccelli] play against McDavid all night long, so at 5-on-5, they shut them down and he got the big goal to get us a point, so there’s a lot of positives there.”

The one-game homestand is followed by a one-game road trip on Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights before returning to Salt Lake City for yet another one-game homestand on Monday against the Dallas Stars at 7:00pm MST.

Sharks Lose 4-2 to Blackhawks, Penalty Kill Falters

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San Jose Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek (41) puts the stop on a Chicago Blackhawks shot at the United Center on Thu Oct 17, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks fell 4-2 to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Blackhawks’ home opener Thursday. Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson scored for Chicago. Petr Mrazek made 20 saves for the win. Tyler Toffoli and Fabian Zeterlund scored for San Jose and Vitek Vanecek made 23 saves in the loss.

In one of their more lopsided losses of the young season, the Sharks had a very slow start. In the first two periods, they were outshot 23-11 and took seven penalties, two of those overlapping. It is unsurprising, then, that the Sharks’ perfect penalty kill was broken as they gave up two powerplay goals.

After the game, Sharks forward Mikael Granlund talked about that start: “We were playing too slow with the puck, skating-wise. It’s tough to play when you’re just chasing the game, we were chasing the game the whole period. So we gotta be better at that and that cost us the game tonight.”

Sharks Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky said: “We didn’t do anything well. Got off to a slow start, hasn’t been us. Couldn’t defend in our own end, couldn’t close quick enough, couldn’t get the forecheck going. Didn’t do anything well.”

The Blackhawks’ first goal came from Taylor Hall at 4:20 of the first period. Hall caught a long pass from TJ Brodie and entered the Sharks’ zone with speed before scoring with a wrist shot.

Tyler Bertuzzi made it 2-0 at the end of the period, on the power play. Teuvo Teravainen sent the puck to the net frpm the wing and Bertuzzi tipped in from the slot. Assists went to Teravainen and Connor Bedard.

Nick Foligno made it 3-0 in the first minute of the second period, again on the power play. Bedard sent the puck across the ice to Teravainen, who sent it back to Foligno in front of the net for a redirect.

Tyler Toffoli got one back for the Sharks at 18:17 of the period. William Eklund carried the puck to the goal line before centering the puck for Toffoli. Assists went to Eklund and Mikael Granlund.

Jason Dickinson made it 4-1 at 2:19 of the third. Joey Anderson passed the puck behind the net to Dickinson, who swept it around the post and into the net before Vanacek could get across.

Fabian Zetterlund made it 4-2 at 2:52, deflected Mikael Granlund’s shot off of his lower body. Assists went to Granlund and Eklund.

The Sharks next play Friday at 5:00 PM PT in Winnipeg against the Jets.

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro: Hockey in Prague brings out over 16,000 fans; Keller named first captain in Utah history; plus more news

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Buffalo Sabres Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen left battles for the puck with New Jersey Devils Thomas Tatar second from right at the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal in Prague on Fri Oct 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro:

#1 It had to be special for the New Jersey Devils who faced off with Buffalo Sabres in Prague. New Jersey goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 shots in the 4-1 win Friday night at the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal. The game drew 16, 913 so the NHL is a hot commodity in Prague as well.

#2 Clayton Keller was named the first captain in Utah Hockey history Oliver Eckman Larsson was the Arizona Coyotes beginning Sep 13, 2018 and later was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on July 23, 2021. Keller was the alternate captain on the Coyotes for the last two seasons, he also led by example leading the Yotes in goals with 33 goals, assists with 43, and 76 points.

#3 While Edmonton Oilers Kris Knoblauch is still trying to decide whose going to work the blue lines with just six days left until the regular season starts. But there is no doubt that the Oilers will be starting Stuart Skinner in goal for this season. Stuart started in 57 games last season. Knoblauch said of Stuart, “You look at how well he’s handled adversity throughout the year. After a bad game, he’s always responded.

#4 Len, Austin Matthews comes into this season as the 26th named captain in Toronto Maple Leafs history. Matthews succeeds last season’s captain John Tavares. Tavares had been team captain for the Leafs since October 2019. Tavares will continue to bring a veteran presence. One of the big reasons for Matthews becoming the captain was given by team president Brenden Shanahan, “Over these past eight seasons, we’ve witnessed first-hand Auston’s trajectory and evolution as a player and a person,”

#5 The San Jose Sharks and NHL’s number one draft pick Macklin Celebrini is still nursing a nagging lower body injury. Celebrini was able to skate for the first time on Friday since his injury during Tuesday’s pre season game against Utah. Sharks head coach Ryan Warosfsky said “He skated on his own today, so I think we’re trending in the right direction. But again, it’s still very early in the process, and we’ll see how he is tomorrow and evaluate.”

Join Len Shapiro for the NHL podcasts Saturdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: WNBA’s Clark and Reese pack the house; Oilers can make Stanley Cup Finals history; plus more news

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The Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese (left), Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark (center), and the Los Angeles Sparks Cameron Brink (right) during the WNBA draft on Mon Apr 15, 2024. Reese and Clark have been big draws for the WNBA and Brink is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. (AP file photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie, this has been the year of the rookie in the WNBA and the league has never seen such coverage of their players starting with the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese who both have everyone even those who don’t follow the league that closely talking.

#2 The NHL Stanley Cup Finals could see it’s first team since the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs come back down 0-3 and win it with four straight win if the Edmonton Oilers can pull it off on Monday night in Florida in game 7 against the Florida Panthers. The task would not only be historic but it’s a tall order if the Oilers can pull it off on Panthers ice.

#3 Charlie, the FBI raid on Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao is just an added sad chapter to what is happening to Oakland as a city. Thao’s last interaction with the relocating Oakland A’s who leave after this season for Sacramento was when she and the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority wanted $92 million for the A’s to play their remaining three years before they move to Las Vegas and Thao and the Coliseum ran the A’s away with the high rent ticket. When it rains it pours for the A’s and City of Oakland situation.

#4 Their known as the lovable losers the Chicago Cubs who had some success are back on hard times dead last in the National League East eight games back, four games below .500, the Cubs have lost six of their last ten games and open a four game series in San Francisco on Monday night. How has the Cubs demise surprised you?

#5 Three time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer will make his 2024 debut for the Texas Rangers today against the Kansas City Royals. Scherzer hasn’t pitched in a game since game 3 of last year’s World Series. In the off season he had to have lower back surgery, in rehab he had thumb soreness which doctors determined it was nerve issues that extended into his right triceps.

Join Charlie O for Headline Sports podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Mary Lisa: Oilers close the gap, stave off elimination, forcing a game 7 Monday against Panthers

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Florida Panther goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) has an eye on the puck as the Panthers Brandon Montour (62) puts a check on the Oilers Mattias Janmark (13) in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals at Rogers Place in Edmonton (Canadian Press via AP photo)

On the Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Mary Lisa:

#1 There is very little doubt that the Edmonton Oilers not only didn’t want to be eliminated in four straight games but they wanted to get back into these finals with a vengeance and managed to do it coming back from 0-3 to tying the series 3-3.

#2 The Oilers down 3-2 in game six needed the win to stay alive and avoid elimination and tie the series up they pulled it off by scoring three unanswered goals to jump ahead of the Florida Panthers 3-0 at 18:20 of the third period.

#3 The Oilers getting scoring help with their first three goals from Warren Foegele (3), Adam Henrique (4), and Zach Hyman (16).

#4 The Panthers would have been shutout if it had not been for Aleksander Barkov’s third period goal at 1:28 but it wasn’t enough as the Oilers picked a four goal win over the Panthers 5-1 at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

#5 The Oilers force a game 7 as the Finals moves back to Florida. The Panthers will have to use every inch of the Amerant Bank Arena as their home ice advantage. The Oilers could be the first team since the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs to come back down 0-3 and to win four straight games. Can they do it? We’ll find out Monday night Jun 24 in game 7 at Sunrise FL.

Mary Lisa is an NHL analyst for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Len Shapiro: McDavid’s two goals lead Oilers in game 5 win; Edmonton closes the gap on Panthers by one game

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The Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid takes a shot at the net as the Florida Panthers Matthew Tkachuk tries reach out and stop the puck in third period action of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals in game 5 on Tue Jun 18, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Len:

#1 The Florida Panthers got into trouble from the start in game 5 surrendering two power play goals and a short handed goal and tried rallying later in the game but fell short to the Edmonton Oilers in a 5-3 loss. The Series is now 3-2 with the Panthers up by one game.

#2 The Panthers after taking the first three games of the series were stunned when they lost game 4 on Saturday in a 8-1 seven goal loss. Is it possible that game had an effect on the Panthers going into game 5?

#3 Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said after Tuesday night’s game that the club is not feeling deflated that they’re not pumping tires, and they just have to go out prepare for game 6 in Edmonton on Friday night.

#4 Len, do you feel this series has just had a new breath of life after the Oilers who were down 0-3 are now a game away from tying this series and there is no doubt both teams battling in game 6. For the Oilers they have home ice and will battle to stay in it. For the Panthers their angry they lost their last two games in a row.

#5 Len lastly Connor McDavid came through for the Oilers scoring twice with two assists and McDavid becomes the first player in NHL Stanley Cup Finals history to have four points in back to back games. He’s going to be crucial for the Oilers in game 6 Friday.

Len Shapiro is an NHL analyst at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Finals podcast with Titus Wilkinson: Oilers unload on Panthers in game 4 avoid elimination

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Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) looks on as the Edmonton Oilers Zach Hyman (18) celebrates a goal in the second period of game 4 in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday June 15, 2024 at Rogers Place in Edmonton

NHL Finals podcast with Titus Wilkinson:

#1 Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers was no longer someone that the Florida Panthers could hold back any longer. McDavid scored one of the eight goals for the Oilers with three assists and four points.

#2 The Panthers were able to defend McDavid which was key for the Panthers in the first three games after the 8-1 win on Saturday is it too early to say the Oilers have turned a corner?

#3 Panthers starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was just pelted with shots from the Oilers and five of those shots got through Bobrovsky, Bobrovsky got pulled for back up goaltender for Anthony Stolarz who gave up three goals in his own right.

#4 Titus, no matter what happens from here game 4 was a life or death situation for the Oilers and they owned the Panthers in this one scoring three goals in the first and second periods and adding two more in the third to avoid being eliminated.

#5 The Oilers still have a long way to go they need the type of offense they had in game 4 to keep this thing going against a team like the Panthers. The last team to come back down 0-3 and win four in a row in the Stanley Cup Finals were the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.

Titus Wilkinson is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast: Oilers backs against the wall it’s going to take a miracle now against Panthers

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Frustrations built up on the ice and the Florida Panthers Dimitry Kulikov (7) and the Edmonton Oilers Dylan Holloway (55) both rough up each other in game 3 on Sun Jun 13, 2024 at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Thu Jun 13, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the NHL Stanley Cup Finals:

#1 The Florida Panthers Aleksander Barkov assisted for a goal and scored a goa in game 3 on Thursday. Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky saved 33 shots and prevented the Oilers from getting back in the game when they cut it down by one goal. The Panthers with the 4-3 win now up 3-0 in the series.

#2 Barkov said of not letting your guard down against the Oilers for game 4, “We know it’s going to be the hardest game for sure. We don’t take anything for granted. Every single day is one day at a time. Whether it’s one period, one shift.”

#3 One of the things the Panthers have done successfully in these Finals is keeping Connor McDavid under wraps. The Oilers did get within one goal but the goaltending of Bobrovsky stopped the remaining shots by the Oilers towards the end of the game and prevented the Oilers from tying the game.

#3 The Oilers need to come back down from 0-3 and win their next next four straight games without any hic ups in order to win the Stanley Cup. At this point that would take a miracle. Only four teams in NHL history have come back down 0-3 to win a series three times in the playoffs and once in the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals.

#5 So it boils down to the tonight’s game 4 for the Oilers in Edmonton with home ice at Rogers Place it’s now or never but right now for the Oilers it’s going take a miracle to make a comeback.

Mary Lisa is an NHL analyst for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Len Shapiro: Oilers Draisaitl dodges suspension after hit on Panthers Barkov, will be in line up Thursday

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The Florida Panthers Aleksander Barkov kneels on the ice after taking a hit in the jaw from the Edmonton Oilers Leon Draisaitl in the third period of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals game 2 at Scotiabank Arena in Edmonton (AP News photo)

On the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Len:

#1 The Florida Panthers are making easy work of the Edmonton Oilers taking the first two games of these Finals. The Panthers shutout the Oilers in game one and won game two by three goals.

#2 Len, how lucky is Leon Draisaitl avoiding suspension for the hit he put on the Panthers Aleksander Barkov who had to leave game 2. Draisaitl didn’t even get a disciplinary hearing for the hit he put on Barkov.

#3 The Oilers are having all sorts of issue there is the injury of Darrell Nurse and a question as to whether he’ll be able to play in game 3 on Thursday.

#4 Draisaitl put an elbow on the jaw of Barkov who some say Draisaitl was finishing a check. The hit put Barkov on the ice. So Len how much of the hit was a it a matter of finishing the check or was Barkov a target being the best player on the Panthers?

#5 It’s game 3 between the Panthers who have a two game lead and the Oilers who will have to play desperate hockey Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena in Edmonton. How do you see game 3 coming up?

Len Shapiro is an NHL analyst and does the NHL podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com