Latest news with #WestFinal
CTV News
5 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Cody Fajardo set to start for Elks against Riders
Former Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo will start for the Edmonton Elks Friday night against the Green and White at Mosaic Stadium. Fajardo was listed as the starter on the Elks' depth chart, released Thursday morning. Trevor Harris will start for the Riders (5-1). Fajardo spent three seasons with the Riders (2019, 2021, 2022) emerging as the Green and White's starting pivot in 2019 when he led the CFL with 4,302 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions, helping the Riders to a 13-5 regular season record, losing just once at home. Fajardo then threw for 366 yards and an interception in the 2019 West Final in a losing effort to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Before departing Rider Nation in February 2023 Fajardo posted a heartfelt letter to Rider fans on social media. Fajardo signed with Montreal after departing Saskatchewan and went on to win the 2023 Grey Cup with the Alouettes. He was also named Grey Cup MVP in Montreal's 28-24 win over Winnipeg. Kickoff at Mosaic Stadium Friday night is 7 p.m. -With files from TSN
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Stars goalie was benched, roasted by coach in season-ending loss to Oilers: ‘status quo … not working'
With their season hanging in the balance Thursday night at American Airlines Arena, the Dallas Stars tried to fend off Connor McDavid and the high-flying Edmonton Oilers without their No. 1 goalie on the ice. And, no, Jake Oettinger wasn't injured. The 26-year-old goalie, considered to be among the best in the NHL, was pulled by Stars coach Peter DeBoer and replaced by veteran backup Casey DeSmith just 7:09 into the first period of the must-win Game 5 of the Western Conference Final. With the Stars already trailing the best-of-7 series 3-1, things got bad quickly on home ice Thursday when they fell behind 2-0, with Oettinger allowing two goals on two shots to start the game. Advertisement DeBoer called for a timeout, blew a gasket yelling at his players, and then, maybe, blew any chance of coming back against the Oilers when he yanked his star — no pun intended — goaltender and replaced him with one who hadn't played in a month. The veteran coach stood behind his shocking decision after the Stars were eliminated with a 6-3 loss in Game 5. 'We had talked endlessly in this series about trying to play with a lead, and obviously we were in a 2-0 hole right away,' DeBoer explained. 'I didn't take that lightly and I didn't blame it all on Jake, but the reality is, if you go back to last year's playoffs, he's lost six of seven games to Edmonton. And we give up two goals on two shots in an elimination game. So, it was partly to spark our team and wake them up. And partly knowing that status quo had not been working, and that's a pretty big sample size.' Advertisement Ouch. Coach and goalie have some serious fence-mending to do before training camp begins in September. If DeBoer had left it at that he was simply trying to spark the Stars with this bold move, well, OK. But to lay it out there and trash your goalie, who was pretty much your best player throughout the season and Stanley Cup Playoffs, that's something else. Oettinger didn't speak to the media postgame. But his teammates had his back. 'It's unacceptable for us to hang him out like that,' forward Jason Robertson said. 'The whole playoffs, he's been our guy, the whole season. Just unacceptable from us.' Advertisement Related: Panthers rally past Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 5, return to Stanley Cup Final again: takeaways Stunning decision by Stars coach likely sealed their fate in West Final Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Slow starts were an issue all postseason for the Stars. They allowed the first goal in 15 of their 18 playoff games this spring, a stunning statistic when you consider that they still reached the conference final. Oettinger started each of those 18 games in goal, so he takes some blame for Dallas consistently falling behind. But, to be fair, his outstanding play was a major reason why the Stars were able to regroup and win so often after these poor starts. Advertisement And it wasn't all on the goalie by any means. Time and again, the Stars failed to start on time. Thursday was just the latest example. Rookie Mavrik Bourque took a mind-numbingly careless high-sticking penalty 1:47 into the game, and the Oilers converted for a power-play goal by Corey Perry, who was left wide open in front of Oettinger, 44 seconds later. The Stars defense broke down again at 7:09, allowing Mattias Janmark to get behind everyone, accept a Victor Arvidsson feed, break in all alone, and beat Oettinger through the pads for the Oilers second goal on as many shots. That's when DeBoer popped his cork and pulled his goalie. The move didn't pay off. DeSmith was all out of sorts allowing a Jeff Skinner goal less than a minute later at 8:07 and it was 3-0. Advertisement 'We were not ready,' forward Mikko Rantanen said. 'We were not helping Jake at all on the first two goals. That's on us and not on Jake.' Though the Stars showed some fight and twice battled back to within a goal, that three-goal deficit was impossible to completely erase. So, for the third straight season, they were eliminated in the Western Conference Final. As for DeBoer's postgame comments, he wasn't exactly wrong about Oettinger's numbers and record against the Oilers his past seven starts against them in the 2024 and 2025 conference finals. Last year, the Stars blew a 2-1 series lead and lost in six games to the Oilers. This year, they staged a wild rally to win Game 1 and then lost four straight. Advertisement As for Oettinger, he begins a lucrative eight-year, $66 million contract with an $8.25 million average annual value next season. He has 30+ wins in four straight seasons and will challenge Connor Hellebuyck to be the No. 1 goalie for the United States at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. So, he's not going anywhere. DeBoer? His future is less clear after this controversial decision and biting postgame commentary, despite leading three different teams to the conference finals in his past six seasons as an NHL coach.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ranking 3 best Rudy Gobert trade destinations if Timberwolves go nuclear
The post Ranking 3 best Rudy Gobert trade destinations if Timberwolves go nuclear appeared first on ClutchPoints. Rudy Gobert's performance in the Western Conference Final has received criticism from the majority of Minnesota Timberwolves fans. As a result, some of the fans are suggesting finding a suitable trade destination for the tall Frenchman. There is no doubt that the 32-year-old shotblocker still has some gas left in the tank, and the final few years before he calls it quits. Advertisement There is no denying that his output on both ends of the court has declined over the past few years. Nevertheless, irrespective of the numbers, he remains one of the experienced players on the team and a leader on the court. Gobert's offensive output was not the only issue in the Timberwolves loss to the Thunder; the whole team as a unit struggled to put up numbers on the board. Gobert has always been a below-average offensive player for his career. His lack of offensive skills, poor ball handling in the paint, and touch around the rim are all the problems that have haunted him throughout his career. His impact at the offensive end is worrying, and it might not come as a surprise if the Timberwolves decide to let him go. Rudy Gobert's underwhelming performance in the West Final In the 2025 Western Conference Final against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Gobert impressed with his defensive numbers and acted as a defensive anchor for the team in a losing effort. Across the five-game series, Gobert averaged 10 points, 11 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game. Advertisement Although the Timberwolves ultimately lost the series, Gobert's numbers were marked by consistency, efficiency, and a reliable interior presence. If he could have just imposed himself strongly in the paint and motivated players around him who were beaten down and inferior to the Thunder players, the story might have been different. On the defensive end of the court, Gobert averaged nearly two blocks per game and was a dominant presence at certain times. However, Chet Holmgren was dominating the field both in terms of offense and defense, which no Timberwolves player was able to contain. He was rushing to the glass, won a majority of the second balls, and blew away the defence of the Timberwolves, who looked tired and beat down in the final game of the series. Gobert's presence on the glass was also crucial; in Games 1 and 5, he pulled down 12 and 13 rebounds, many of which were contested. His best performance of the series was arguably in Game 3, where he recorded 12 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. Boston Celtics The Celtics are heading towards a transitional season and are on the verge of letting key players leave in order to build a stronger and younger core around Jayson Tatum. Gobert can be a very good addition to the team if they let go of Porzingis. Both teams could look for a straight swap, but considering the financial turmoil the Celtics find themselves in, this trade could be an unrealistic one, as Gobert has a heavy contract. Chicago Bulls The Bulls were interested in Rudy Gobert in 2022 and can again go for him in this offseason as the Timberwolves lost to the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. The Bulls can send Nikola Vucevic the other way and get Gobert, who is a true defensive anchor, or continue to hover in NBA mediocrity. New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are short of good centers on the team, and that's where Gobert can fit in smoothly. With an injury-prone star like Zion, having Gobert behind him would be beneficial for the Pelicans. New Orleans has enough perimeter scoring to make it work.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Stars' Pete DeBoer hangs Jake Oettinger out to dry after ugly Game 5
The post Stars' Pete DeBoer hangs Jake Oettinger out to dry after ugly Game 5 appeared first on ClutchPoints. It's no secret that Jake Oettinger was not at his best in the Western Conference Final. He wasn't at his best in 2024 when the Edmonton Oilers beat the Dallas Stars in six games, and he wasn't even close to his best when Edmonton finished Dallas off in five games in the 2025 WCF. Advertisement Oettinger went 1-3 in the first four games of the series, sporting a brutal 3.55 goals-against average and .869 save percentage. And he didn't last eight minutes in Game 5, allowing two goals on two shots before being unceremoniously pulled by head coach Pete DeBoer. And the Stars' coach didn't pull any punches when speaking to reporters after a third consecutive series defeat in the West Final. 'I didn't blame it all on Jake, but the reality is, if you go back to last year's playoffs, he's lost six of seven games to Edmonton and we gave up two [goals] on two [shots] in an elimination game,' DeBoer explained. 'It was partly to spark our team and wake them up and partly knowing that status quo had not been working. And that's a pretty big sample size.' Certainly harsh words from DeBoer, and you don't often see a coach calling out his starting goaltender like this. Yes, Oettinger deserves some blame, but the Stars had only scored two goals in three games heading into the elimination contest, so there's enough blame to go around. DeBoer added: 'Anytime you pull a goalie, the reasoning is always to try and spark your group, so that was the No. 1 reason. We had talked endlessly in this series about trying to play with a lead. And obviously we're in a 2-0 hole right away. And you know what, I didn't take that lightly.' Advertisement It was a nightmare start for the Stars, who were chasing the game all night long and were never able to get Game 5 back on even footing. And although the Oilers deserve a lot of credit, there were multiple forwards who disappeared in the series. Stars had a ton of passengers in West Final Although DeBoer threw Oettinger under the bus, key forwards Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen refused to do the same. 'We got to step up,' said Robertson, who scored two goals in Game 5, per Shawn P. Roarke. 'It's unacceptable for us to hang him out like that. I mean, all playoffs he's been our guy, all season. It's just unacceptable from us.' Advertisement 'We were not ready,' echoed Rantanen. 'We were not helping Jake at all on the first two goals. That's on us and not on Jake.' Rantanen didn't score a goal in the series, while Wyatt Johnston and Matt Duchene combined to be a ghastly minus-10. Captain Jamie Benn didn't record a single point, while Mason Marchment had one assist. Robertson was the only player who finished at a point-per-game, while Tyler Seguin and Mikael Granlund managed three points each. Overall, it wasn't even close to good enough from one of the NHL's best offensive units. It'll now be another long offseason after back-to-back-to-back Western Conference Final defeats. The Stars will again look to get over the hump in 2025-26, but first, they'll have to watch as the team that's beaten them two years running gets another crack at a Stanley Cup.
NBC Sports
15-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Hurricanes and Stars ride stellar special teams to the verge of the conference finals
Before starting the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals coach Spencer Carbery had a good sense of what would determine the series between the top two teams in the Metropolitan Division, fierce rivals who are very familiar with each other. 'Special teams, goaltending, secondary scoring,' Carbery said. 'Those are three things that I look at when teams are evenly matched, when it's an even series, when the margins are very, very thin.' While goaltending and secondary scoring certainly have factored into going up 3-1 in their series for Carolina and the Dallas Stars against the Winnipeg Jets, the biggest reason each team has gotten to this point is some of the best special teams play in the NHL playoffs. Dallas and Carolina ranked first and second on the power play and the penalty kill among the eight teams that advanced past the first round. They're also 1-2 in those categories this round. 'Both special teams have been excellent,' Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. 'Listen, when we lost Miro (Heiskanen and Jason) Robertson, we needed our special teams to be difference-makers every night, and our goaltender. And all those things have happened to allow us to be in the spot we're in right now.' Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals When to Watch: Game 5, Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT Series: Hurricanes leads 3-1 The Hurricanes are 9-5 with a chance to advance over the past seven playoffs under coach Rod Brind'Amour, the primary stumble coming when they lost Games 6 and 7 to the New York Rangers in the second round in 2022. That is the only time during this stretch that they won three games in a series but did not advance. 'The last one is always the hardest, no matter how it plays out,' captain Jordan Staal said. 'It's not easy, and we've got a lot of work ahead still.' Washington winger Tom Wilson, who has been the Capitals' best player in the series, said the belief in the group remains strong despite needing to win three in a row to keep the season going. 'The last elimination game is probably the toughest fight,' Wilson said. 'We expect their urgency's going to be high, and ours has to be higher.' Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield did not practice. But Brind'Amour said Chatfield was just getting rest after feeling something late in Game 4 and should be good to go in Game 5. Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets When to Watch: Game 5, Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EDT Series: Stars leads 3-1 The biggest things standing in Dallas' way of a third consecutive trip to the West Final are a wired crowd in Winnipeg and an opponent that has played much better at home than on the road this postseason — most notably goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The likely Vezina Trophy winner and Hart Trophy finalist as league MVP is 5-1 with a 1.99 goals-against average and .902 save percentage at home, compared to 0-5 with a 5.84 and .793 on the road. 'I leave it all out there every night,' Hellebuyck said. 'I'm doing my best. Sometimes it's a heartbreak, but all it takes is one little change, one little bounce and things can start going our way.' The Stars are no stranger to this situation, but in each of the past two years they lost their first chance to close out their second-round opponent — Seattle in 2023 and Colorado in '24 — before eventually doing so. 'It's on us to play a mature game up in Winnipeg,' goalie Jake Oettinger said. 'We don't want to have to come back here and play again. We've all been talking about how bad we want to get back to the conference final. Now it's our turn to show up.'
