May 3rd Stanley Cup Playoffs Morning Skate

WEDNESDAY RESULTS 

Tampa 4 Boston 1
San Jose 4 Vegas 0

JONES, SHARKS BLANK GOLDEN KNIGHTS TO EVEN SERIES

Martin Jones turned aside all 34 shots he faced and Logan Couture collected two assists as the Sharks won Game 4 on home ice to tie their series with the Golden Knights at two games apiece.

* Jones recorded his 22nd career playoff win, six of which have come via shutout (27.3%). Each of those wins and shutouts have come in a Sharks uniform (38 GP), placing Jones one back of tying Evgeni Nabokov (7 in 80 GP) for the most postseason shutouts in franchise history.

* Couture, who led the NHL and established single-postseason franchise records for assists and points during the Sharks’ run to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final (10-20—30), now leads the team with 4-5—9 in these playoffs. With 34-44—78 in his career, Couture ranks fourth in franchise history in both playoff assists and points.

* Marcus Sorensen (GWG) scored his fourth goal of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, trailing only Boston’s Jake DeBrusk (6) for the most among rookies. Only two rookies in franchise history have scored more goals in a postseason: Couture in 2011 (7) and Joonas Donskoi in 2016 (6).

PALAT SCORES TWO EARLY GOALS TO HELP LIGHTNING WIN GAME 3

Ondrej Palat scored twice in the opening 3:19 of the first period and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves as the Lightning won Game 3 in Boston to take a 2-1 series lead.

* Palat scored his 17th and 18th career playoff goals (all w/ TBL) to move into a tie with Brad Richards for sixth place on the franchise’s all-time list. In doing so, Palat became the 16th player in NHL history to score twice in the opening five minutes of a playoff game; only six players achieved the feat faster from the start of the contest.

* Victor Hedman collected his 34th and 35th career playoff assists – including a helper on Palat’s second straight game-winning goal – to move into a tie with Martin St. Louis for the most in franchise history.

ROOKIES RACKING UP THE GOALS

Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli scored to become the 23rd different rookie to net at least one goal in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs (56 GP), one more than during the entire 2017 postseason (87 GP). Only five postseasons in the last 30 years (since 1988) have featured more rookies with at least one goal: 1989 (26), 1990 (28), 1992 (28), 1993 (25) and 2006 (26).

* The NHL record for most rookies with a goal in one postseason stands at 38, set in 1981 when Minnesota North Stars forward Dino Ciccarelli led the pack with 14 goals and 21 points. Ciccarelli’s goal total still stands as the rookie record for a single postseason, though Penguins forward Jake Guentzel came within one of matching it last year when he tallied 13-8—21 to become the third rookie to record 21 points in a postseason (also Ville Leino: 7-14—21 in 2010 w/ PHI).

* Now a sophomore, Guentzel shares the League lead with 8-11—19 this postseason (9 GP). Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk paces all rookies with six goals and eight points in 10 games.

PASTRNAK CONTINUES SCORCHING START TO THE POSTSEASON

Bruins forward David Pastrnak (0-1—1) boosted his totals to 5-14—19 in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs (10 GP) and is tied with Penguins forward Jake Guentzel (8-11—19 in 9 GP) for the League lead in points.

* Pastrnak and Guentzel are the first players to record at least 19 points through 10 or fewer team games since Doug Gilmour had 19 points in 10 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* Only six different players have recorded more points through a team’s first 10 games of a postseason – including two Bruins: Wayne Gretzky (5x), Mark Messier (2x), Mike Bossy, Rick Middleton, Barry Pederson and Darryl Sittler.

* Only four players recorded more than 19 points during the entire 2017 postseason: Guentzel (13-8—21) and his Pittsburgh teammates Evgeni Malkin (10-18—28), Sidney Crosby (8-19—27) and Phil Kessel (8-15—23).

(NHL Media) 

What Did You Miss Wednesday?

The CFL draft goes at 6 o'clock Regina time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as it currently stands holding the #5 pick.  The Montreal Alouettes had the first pick, but they traded it on Wednesday to Hamilton.  The deal sees:

To Hamilton: 1st overall (1st round) pick in 2018, 31st overall (4th round) pick in 2018, 44th overall (6th round) pick in 2018, 2nd round pick in 2019.
To Montreal: OL Ryan Bomben, WR Jamal Robinson, 2nd overall pick (1st round) in 2018, 34th overall pick (4th round) in 2018, 56th overall (7th round) pick in 2018, rights to an undisclosed negotiation list player (the Ti-Cats say that player is not Johnny Manziel. 

There were two other deals as well. 

To BC: Winnipeg’s 7^th and 16^th overall selections
To Winnipeg: BC’s 12^th overall in 2018 and its ‘original’ first overall selection in 2019

 

To Edmonton: Hamilton's 10th and 20th overall selections 

To Hamilton:  Edmonton's 6th and 37th overall selections

 

At a pre-draft news conference at Mosaic Stadium, Riders HC and GM Chris Jones said that the team will look first at their depth along the offensive and defensive lines, but the goal is to take the best available players.

For a complete look at who picks where, click here

-- Saying he needs to focus on his mental, physical and spiritual health along with accepting his role in some current legal proceedings, Roy Finch says he will not be attending Stampeders training camp.  Finch got into trouble with the law in Oklahoma last month when he allegedly swung at an officer after police were called to an apartment complex because a car had been parked and running for over an hour.  

--Everett Silvertips goalie Carter Hart was named the winner of the "Four Broncos Memorial Trophy" as WHL MVP on Wednesday.  Hart beat out Moose Jaw's Jayden Halbegewachs for the honour.  Hart and the Tips meet Swift Current in Game 1 of the WHL final Friday. 

--The Sharks and Knights are even at 2. San Jose blanked Vegas 4-0 in Game 4 of their Western Conference matchup.  Tampa beat Boston 4-1 to take a 2-1 lead in that Eastern Conference series.

--The International Ice Hockey Federation has suspended several Swedish players and coaches for their actions after this year's gold medal game at the World Juniors.  

Forward and team captain Lias Andersson received a four-game suspension, while forwards Axel Jonsson and Jesper Boqvist, goaltender Olle Eriksson Ek and defenceman Rasmus Dahlin each received two-game suspensions for the first two games of the 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship in Vancouver and Victoria.
                                                                                       
The IIHF also suspended head coach Tomas Montén from working as head coach or assistant coach or in any other position as a team official for the first three games of the tournament, along with assistant coach Nizze Landén and assistant coach Henrik Stridh. 

After Sweden's loss to Canada in the gold medal final, four players took their silver medals off and kept them in their hands for the remaining ceremony, while Andersson took his off and tossed it into the stands. The coaches took off their medals and put them into their pockets for the rest of the ceremony.

 Taking off the silver medals presented to the members of the team shows not only the disrespect against the spectators and the organizers of the championship, but also the disrespect against their opponents and winners of the championship," said the IIHF in a statement. "This behavior has to be considered as highly unsportsmanlike and is a breach of conduct that brings the sport of ice hockey into disrepute.

-- Canadian James Paxton struck out 16, but his Seattle Mariners didn't get the win.  The BC native was removed after seven innings as the Oakland A's beat the Mariners 2-1.

May 2nd Stanley Cup Playoffs Morning Skate

TUESDAY RESULTS 

Washington 4 Pittsburgh 3
Winnipeg 7 Nashville 4

JETS RALLY FROM THREE-GOAL DEFICIT TO WIN GAME 3 THRILLER

Trailing 3-0 through 20 minutes, the Jets erupted for seven goals – including four in the second period led by a pair from Dustin Byfuglien (2-1—3) – en route to a Game 3 victory and a 2-1 lead in their Second Round series.

* The Jets rallied from a deficit of at least three goals to win a game in regulation (regular season or playoffs) for the fifth time in franchise history and first since the Thrashers did so on Nov. 27, 2009 at CAR (6-4 W). Winnipeg became just the fifth team in the last eight years to accomplish the feat in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* The Jets have won 13 consecutive games at Bell MTS Place dating to March 2 (regular season and playoffs), including a 4-0 mark in the postseason. Winnipeg is the only team in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs without a loss on home ice.

* Mark Scheifele (0-2—2) was one of five Jets players to collect multiple points on Tuesday and has posted at least two points in five consecutive games (7-4—11). He became the first player to record multiple points in five straight team games within a postseason since Sidney Crosby recorded an equal run in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs (w/ PIT).

LIGHTING THE LAMP

Game 3 between the Predators and Jets was the fourth contest of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs to feature at least 10 combined goals (54 GP). The last postseason to feature more such instances through the first 54 games was in 2010 (5x). Elias adds it also marked the seventh time this postseason that a team has recorded seven or more goals in a game – the most through 54 postseason games in the last 20 years (since 1998).

OVECHKIN SCORES LATE WINNER, CAPITALS REMAIN PERFECT ON THE ROAD

Washington overcame deficits of 2-1 and 3-2 before Alex Ovechkin (1-1—2) scored the go-ahead goal with 1:07 remaining in regulation to lift the Capitals to a 2-1 lead in their Second Round series.

* The Capitals improved to 4-0 on the road in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Washington and Vegas (3-0) are the only teams in the 2018 postseason without a road loss.

* Ovechkin (58:53) scored the second-latest regulation game-winning goal in franchise playoff history, behind only Joel Ward (59:58) in Game 1 of the 2015 Second Round at NYR (2-1 W). Ovechkin’s goal was the latest regulation game winner in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since San Jose’s Joe Thornton scored at 19:04 of the third period in Game 2 of the 2016 Second Round vs. NSH (3-2 W).

* Ovechkin extended his goal streak to four games (5-2—7) and is tied for first in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs with eight goals overall (8-5—13). He scored his seventh career game-winning goal in the postseason (all w/ WSH) to move into sole possession of first place on the franchise's all-time list.

* Nicklas Backstrom (0-3—3) collected his second career three-assist game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (also Game 3 of 2009 CQF at NYR). He is the franchise’s all-time leader in postseason assists with 58.

* John Carlson (1-0—1) shares the League lead among defensemen with 2-8—10 in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The franchise record for most points in a postseason by a defenseman is 12, a mark set by Kevin Hatcher (5-7—12) and Scott Stevens (1-11—12) in 1988 and matched by Carlson (5-7—12) in 2016.

GUENTZEL, CROSBY CONTINUE TORRID PACE

Jake Guentzel (1-1—2) and Sidney Crosby (1-1—2) posted their fifth and sixth multi-point games, respectively, of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* Guentzel extended his point streak to seven games (7-8—15) and leads the NHL with 8-11—19 overall in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Only four U.S.-born players in NHL history have concluded a postseason leading the League outright in points: Cecil Dillon in 1933 (w/ NYR), Brian Leetch in 1994 (w/ NYR), Jamie Langenbrunner in 2003 (w/ NJD) and Dustin Brown in 2012 (w/ LAK).

* Crosby sits third in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 8-9—17 and boosted his career playoff totals to 65-116—181. He leapfrogged Ray Bourque (41-139—180) for sole possession of 13th place on the NHL’s all-time postseason points list and moved into a tie with Larry Robinson for 12th place on the League’s all-time playoff assists list.

* Guentzel and Crosby became the first pair of teammates to combine for at least 36 points through their team’s first nine games of a postseason since 1988, when Edmonton’s Mark Messier had 7-13—20 and teammates Wayne Gretzky (5-12—17) and Jari Kurri (8-9—17) each posted 17 points.

What Did You Miss Tuesday?

 

--From the lowest of lows to the highest of highs for Winnipeg and the Jets.  They trailed 3-0 after one period of play, but they tied it scoring three times in the first 5:30 of the 2nd.  They then went on to beat the Nashville Predators 7-4 to take a 2-1 lead in the series.  Dustin Byfuglien and Blake Wheeler each had two goals for the winners. 

--Alex Ovechkin scored with just over a minute to go in the 3rd to lift Washington to a 4-3 win over Pittsburgh. The Capitals lead the series 2-1.

--The Steinbach Pistons beat the Nipawin Hawks 6-2 in Game 3 of the ANAVET Cup.  The MJHL champs lead the series 2-1. 

--The leading scorer in the WHL playoffs has an NHL contract.  Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Brad Morrison signed a three-year entry level deal with the LA Kings. The 20-year-old Morrison, who had 37 points in the playoffs, had 75 points in the regular season

--The Cleveland Cavaliers beat Toronto 113-112 in overtime to kick off their NBA 2nd round Eastern Conference matchup. Toronto had a 14 point lead in the third quarter, but they let it get away as they went ice-cold from the floor in the 4th.

--The 2019 Major League Baseball season will kick off in Japan.

The league announced Tuesday the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics will play a two-game series at the Tokyo Dome from March 20-21. The A's will serve as the home team.

 MLB has increased its effort to hold regular season games outside of the United States and Canada. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are set for a series in Mexico later this week, while the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians played in Puerto Rico last month. The Mariners and Athletics played a two-game series in Japan in 2012, as well.

May 1st Stanley Cup Playoffs Morning Skate

MONDAY RESULTS 

Tampa Bay 4 Boston 2
Vegas 4 San Jose 3 (OT) (William Karlsson-OTW)

KARLSSON SEALS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VICTORY WITH OT GOAL

Despite surrendering the game-tying goal with 1:57 remaining in regulation, William Karlsson (1-1—2) scored 8:17 into overtime to lift the Golden Knights to victory and a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven series vs. the Sharks.

* Vegas is the second team in as many days to surrender a game-tying goal in the final two minutes of regulation and win, following Nashville’s effort in Game 2 of their series vs. Winnipeg on Sunday evening.

* Elias notes that the Golden Knights are the first team in the 2018 postseason to surrender a multi-goal lead in the third period and win. Six different teams accomplished the feat in 2017, highlighted by the Predators, who did so twice (Game 6, CF vs. ANA to advance to the Stanley Cup Final and Game 1, SR at STL).

* Reilly Smith (1-1—2) and Karlsson combined for a highlight-reel play on the Golden Knights’ third goal in a 4:46 span of the second period to extend their point streaks to six (1-8—9) and five (4-5—9) games, respectively. Smith and Karlsson are just the second set of teammates in NHL history to each post a point streak of at least five games in their team’s first Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance. Dave Lowry (5-5—10 in 7 GP) and Jason Woolley (2-5—7 in 5 GP) also did so for the Panthers during their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996.

* Smith matched Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel (6-7—13 in 6 GP) – whose active streak dates to April 15 – for the longest point streak of the playoffs. In 2017, Nashville’s Ryan Ellis (4-5—9) and Filip Forsberg (5-3—8) paced the postseason with respective seven-game stretches.

POINT’S IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE POWERS LIGHTNING IN GAME 2

Brayden Point (1-3—4) collected his first career four-point game in the playoffs as the Lightning edged out the Bruins in Game 2 to pull even in their Second Round series.

Point (22 years, 48 days), who established a career high with 32-34—66 in 82 GP this season, is just the third player – and the youngest in Lightning franchise history – to collect at least four points in a playoff game, joining Tyler Johnson (2-2—4 in Game 2 of the 2016 FR vs. DET) and Vincent Lecavalier (1-3—4 in Game 2 of the 2011 CF at BOS).

* Through 52 games in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, there have been 11 instances of a player recording at least four points in a game. This marks just the second time in the last 20 years and the first time since 2006 that 11 such performances have occurred through the first 52 games of the postseason.

* With Tampa Bay and Boston’s series tied at one game apiece, all four Second Round matchups featured a 1-1 series score after two games. It is just the fourth postseason that this has occcured since 1975, when the playoffs first saw four second-round matchups contested. The others: 1991 (PIT-WSH, MTL-BOS, STL-MNS and EDM-LAK), 1986 (MTL-HFD, TOR-STL, WSH-NYR and EDM-CGY) and 1984 (NYI-WSH, MTL-QUE, STL-MNS and CGY-EDM).


(NHL Media)

Three Regina Rams To Play In USports East-West Bowl

Courtesy Piper Sports Photography

While CFL teams are making final preparations for Thursday's draft,  they are also looking ahead to the USports East-West game featuring the top draft-eligible players for the 2019 draft.

The rosters for that game in Laval, Quebec on May 12 were announced today and three members of the U of R Rams are on it.

The three are defensive back Cord Delinte, and receivers Kyle Moortgat and Ryan Schienbein.

Delinte, a defensive back, completed his second season with the Rams last fall after a three-season junior career with the Okanagan Sun. He took over as the team’s starting safety midway through the 2016 campaign, but has shown his versatility with playing time at both will linebacker and halfback over the past two years. In 14 career Canada West games, Delinte has piled up 42½ tackles, 4½ tackles for loss, one interception and six pass breakups. He also had a 47-yard interception return in a 2016 postseason game.

After a redshirt year in 2014 and spending the majority of the 2015 and 2016 seasons as a backup receiver, Moortgat enjoyed a breakout season in 2017. Seeing time on the field at both wide receiver and slotback, Moortgat caught 37 passes for 408 yards and two touchdowns in eight conference games last year.

Schienbein (pictured) has been a major contributor for the Rams since graduating from Campbell Collegiate in 2015. After contributing mostly as a return specialist in his first season, he was named a Canada West all-star in 2016 after earning a starting role at slotback and finishing second in the conference in all three major receiving categories. With two seasons of U SPORTS eligibility still remaining, Schienbein has collected 97 catches, 1304 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns in his Rams career.

What Did You Miss Monday?

--The Swift Current Broncos were the last Saskatchewan-based team to win the WHL title in 1993. They will try to end the drought that has hit 25 years.

The Broncos got three goals in less than two minutes in the second period as they beat Lethbridge 5-1 to scan their barcode to the Ed Chynoweth Cup final with a Game 6 victory. 

The Broncos will open play in the final at home Friday against Everett. The Silvertips were down 5-2, but they came back to win it 6-5 in overtime with Kevin Davis getting the winner. 

--The OHL final is set as Hamilton will meet Sault Ste. Marie.  The Greyhounds, the number one ranked team in the CHL, beat Kitchener 4-3 in double overtime to advance.

--Former Moose Jaw Warrior Brayden Point had himself a night. Point had a goal and three assists leading Tampa to a 4-2 win over Boston. That series is even at one.  Vegas and San Jose went to overtime with William Karlsson winning it for the Knights as they take a 2-1 lead with a 4-3 win.

--Alouettes GM Kavis Reed says he is open to trading the number one pick in Thursday's CFL draft and that he has had a couple of inquiries. "If an offer comes our way that will allow us to improve our roster in the short- and long-term we'd entertain it." Reed said during a conference call. 

Reed said the Alouettes have narrowed down their potential choices for the first overall selection Thursday night to five prospects. Included in that group are Trey Rutherford, a six-foot-five, 312-pound offensive lineman at UConn, and Mark Chapman, a six-foot, 180-pound receiver at Central Michigan.

As it stands now, the Riders have the number five pick. 

--Tom Brady isn't going anywhere.

Few thought the New England Patriots star quarterback's status was in doubt for the upcoming season, and despite admitting that the situation is less than ideal for his family, Brady confirmed he'll return for 2018.

--The Boston Red Sox didn't hit a single grand slam in 2017. One month into 2018 and they've already more than made up for last season's power outage.

Xander Bogaerts, who already had one grand slam this year, was the latest Red Sox hitter to get in on the bases-loaded fun Monday night. The shortstop crushed Jason Hammel's third-inning offering over the Green Monster for a 430-foot slam that left Fenway Park in a hurry - a 110 mph exit velocity - and it put the Red Sox out in front of Kansas City 6-3.

It was the sixth Red Sox grand slam already this season, and that tied them with the 1996 Montreal Expos for the most hit by any team before May 1, according to Elias Sports Bureau.