Another non US-born superstar voted NBA MVP
The case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was simple. He's the best player on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that had the best record this season and set a league mark for margin of victory.
If that wasn't enough, he also won the scoring title.
That's an MVP year.
Gilgeous-Alexander was announced on Wednesday as the NBA's Most Valuable Player, his first time winning the award. It's now seven straight years that a player born outside the US won MVP, extending the longest such streak in league history.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game this season, leading OKC to a 68-14 record. The Thunder outscored teams by 12.9 points per game, the biggest margin in league history.
He becomes the second Canadian to win MVP; Steve Nash won it twice.
"His value is his confidence," Oklahoma City's Kenrich Williams said of Gilgeous-Alexander, his Thunder teammate for the last five seasons.
"His confidence that he has in himself and the confidence that he instills in every one of his teammates, including the coaches."
Denver's Nikola Jokic — a winner of three of the last four MVP awards — was second, despite a season for the ages. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, the first centre to average a triple-double and the first player since all those stats were tracked to finish in the NBA's top three in all three of those categories.
"He's a special player," Jokic said of Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this week when the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
"His shot selection, his shot capability ... he's always there. He's a special player."
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, was third. He started this run of international players winning MVP; Antetokounmpo, of Greek and Nigerian descent, won in 2019 and 2020.
Jokic, a Serbian, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024. And Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but since became a US citizen, won the award in 2023.
Now, it's Gilgeous-Alexander — a son of Ontario, where hockey reigns — carrying the MVP flag.
The MVP award, like most other NBA honours, was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly before the start of the playoffs.
The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson winning coach of the year, Atlanta's Australian Dyson Daniels winning most improved player, San Antonio's Stephon Castle winning rookie of the year, Cleveland's Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York's Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year and Boston's Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.
The case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was simple. He's the best player on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that had the best record this season and set a league mark for margin of victory.
If that wasn't enough, he also won the scoring title.
That's an MVP year.
Gilgeous-Alexander was announced on Wednesday as the NBA's Most Valuable Player, his first time winning the award. It's now seven straight years that a player born outside the US won MVP, extending the longest such streak in league history.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game this season, leading OKC to a 68-14 record. The Thunder outscored teams by 12.9 points per game, the biggest margin in league history.
He becomes the second Canadian to win MVP; Steve Nash won it twice.
"His value is his confidence," Oklahoma City's Kenrich Williams said of Gilgeous-Alexander, his Thunder teammate for the last five seasons.
"His confidence that he has in himself and the confidence that he instills in every one of his teammates, including the coaches."
Denver's Nikola Jokic — a winner of three of the last four MVP awards — was second, despite a season for the ages. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, the first centre to average a triple-double and the first player since all those stats were tracked to finish in the NBA's top three in all three of those categories.
"He's a special player," Jokic said of Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this week when the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
"His shot selection, his shot capability ... he's always there. He's a special player."
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, was third. He started this run of international players winning MVP; Antetokounmpo, of Greek and Nigerian descent, won in 2019 and 2020.
Jokic, a Serbian, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024. And Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but since became a US citizen, won the award in 2023.
Now, it's Gilgeous-Alexander — a son of Ontario, where hockey reigns — carrying the MVP flag.
The MVP award, like most other NBA honours, was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly before the start of the playoffs.
The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson winning coach of the year, Atlanta's Australian Dyson Daniels winning most improved player, San Antonio's Stephon Castle winning rookie of the year, Cleveland's Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York's Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year and Boston's Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.
The case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was simple. He's the best player on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that had the best record this season and set a league mark for margin of victory.
If that wasn't enough, he also won the scoring title.
That's an MVP year.
Gilgeous-Alexander was announced on Wednesday as the NBA's Most Valuable Player, his first time winning the award. It's now seven straight years that a player born outside the US won MVP, extending the longest such streak in league history.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game this season, leading OKC to a 68-14 record. The Thunder outscored teams by 12.9 points per game, the biggest margin in league history.
He becomes the second Canadian to win MVP; Steve Nash won it twice.
"His value is his confidence," Oklahoma City's Kenrich Williams said of Gilgeous-Alexander, his Thunder teammate for the last five seasons.
"His confidence that he has in himself and the confidence that he instills in every one of his teammates, including the coaches."
Denver's Nikola Jokic — a winner of three of the last four MVP awards — was second, despite a season for the ages. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, the first centre to average a triple-double and the first player since all those stats were tracked to finish in the NBA's top three in all three of those categories.
"He's a special player," Jokic said of Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this week when the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
"His shot selection, his shot capability ... he's always there. He's a special player."
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, was third. He started this run of international players winning MVP; Antetokounmpo, of Greek and Nigerian descent, won in 2019 and 2020.
Jokic, a Serbian, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024. And Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but since became a US citizen, won the award in 2023.
Now, it's Gilgeous-Alexander — a son of Ontario, where hockey reigns — carrying the MVP flag.
The MVP award, like most other NBA honours, was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly before the start of the playoffs.
The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson winning coach of the year, Atlanta's Australian Dyson Daniels winning most improved player, San Antonio's Stephon Castle winning rookie of the year, Cleveland's Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York's Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year and Boston's Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.
The case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was simple. He's the best player on an Oklahoma City Thunder team that had the best record this season and set a league mark for margin of victory.
If that wasn't enough, he also won the scoring title.
That's an MVP year.
Gilgeous-Alexander was announced on Wednesday as the NBA's Most Valuable Player, his first time winning the award. It's now seven straight years that a player born outside the US won MVP, extending the longest such streak in league history.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game this season, leading OKC to a 68-14 record. The Thunder outscored teams by 12.9 points per game, the biggest margin in league history.
He becomes the second Canadian to win MVP; Steve Nash won it twice.
"His value is his confidence," Oklahoma City's Kenrich Williams said of Gilgeous-Alexander, his Thunder teammate for the last five seasons.
"His confidence that he has in himself and the confidence that he instills in every one of his teammates, including the coaches."
Denver's Nikola Jokic — a winner of three of the last four MVP awards — was second, despite a season for the ages. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game, the first centre to average a triple-double and the first player since all those stats were tracked to finish in the NBA's top three in all three of those categories.
"He's a special player," Jokic said of Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this week when the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
"His shot selection, his shot capability ... he's always there. He's a special player."
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, was third. He started this run of international players winning MVP; Antetokounmpo, of Greek and Nigerian descent, won in 2019 and 2020.
Jokic, a Serbian, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024. And Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but since became a US citizen, won the award in 2023.
Now, it's Gilgeous-Alexander — a son of Ontario, where hockey reigns — carrying the MVP flag.
The MVP award, like most other NBA honours, was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league and cast ballots shortly before the start of the playoffs.
The other awards that were part of that voting process and have already had their results unveiled: Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson winning coach of the year, Atlanta's Australian Dyson Daniels winning most improved player, San Antonio's Stephon Castle winning rookie of the year, Cleveland's Evan Mobley winning defensive player of the year, New York's Jalen Brunson winning clutch player of the year and Boston's Payton Pritchard winning sixth man of the year.
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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
How two Paul George trades set Pacers and Thunder on path to NBA Finals
Paul George will go down as one of the best forwards of his generation by the time he decides to call time on his NBA career. George, now with the Philadelphia 76ers, has tallied nine All-Star appearances, six All-NBA nods, and has a list of accolades that will likely land him in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame one day. The one thing missing from his resume is an NBA title. As this year's NBA Finals tip off between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, George is the common thread between the two franchises and will have to watch one of his former teams reach the mountaintop he so desperately craves to reach himself. George was drafted 10th overall by the Pacers in 2010 and quickly blossomed into one of the most exciting wings in the league, going toe to toe with LeBron James as Indiana's star player against James's Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers teams in the early to mid-2010s before he wanted out at the end of 2017. Incredibly, two separate transactions involving the Pacers and the Thunder spread two years apart with George as the centrepiece have indirectly led to this year's Finals match-up. The Thunder surprised the league by acquiring George, who was expected to land in LA as a California native, in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis in the 2017 off-season. Both Oladipo and Sabonis recorded multiple All-Star appearances as Pacers, but it was Sabonis who proved to be the pivotal piece in constructing this current Pacers roster that is in the finals for the first time in 25 years. Five years after sending George to OKC, the Pacers shocked the NBA again, flipping Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton, who was considered to be one of the best young guards in the league. Haliburton has blossomed into an All-NBA level guard and led the league in assists last year before winning a gold medal with the United States at the Paris Olympics. He is the engine that makes this current Pacers team tick. On the Thunder side of things, they too benefited from George, both when he was on the team and once he left. George was a perennial All-Star during his time in Oklahoma City and was outstanding in the 2018-19 season, where he finished third in the MVP voting and was named in the All-NBA first team for the first and only time in his career. That summer, the Thunder shocked the league by sending George, who had signed a four-year extension 12 months earlier, to the LA Clippers to pair him with Kawhi Leonard, who had chosen to join the Clippers as a free agent. Leonard had told the Clippers he would only sign with them over the Lakers if they could acquire George in a trade to be his running mate. At the time of the trade, Leonard had just won the Finals MVP and was considered a top five player in the NBA, and as a result the Clippers sent OKC a monster trade bounty in exchange for George. The smart take at the time was that this trade package was essentially for George and Leonard, making it feasible to part ways with such a large haul of assets. The Clippers sent young guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Italian forward Danilo Gallinari and a total of five first round picks to the Thunder. OKC also obtained the right to swap first-round picks with the Clippers in 2023 and 2025 in the bumper trade deal. That haul essentially hit reset on the Thunder's initial era of contention after the franchise was controversially moved from Seattle in 2008, but has given birth to a new era that is just four games away from delivering an NBA title. Gilgeous-Alexander was voted the league MVP this season after another stellar campaign. The Canadian guard is one of the best at his position in the NBA and has made three straight All-Star teams and has been voted onto the All-NBA first team in the last three seasons. OKC's other current All-Star, forward Jalen Williams, was selected with the 12th pick in the 2022 draft, one of the five first-round selections the Clippers sent to the Thunder in the George deal. Incredibly, the Thunder have already gone further than the Clippers did with George and Leonard together, and with George having already left LA, the deal remains one of the all-time NBA trade heists. Shrewd asset accumulation over the last five years has allowed the Thunder to steadily stack together a haul of first-round draft picks that is virtually unprecedented. They have an incredible seven first-round selections coming their way over the next three drafts, a war chest that can be flipped for whoever the next disgruntled superstar is should the Thunder choose to really push their chips into the middle of the table. Haliburton and Gilgeous-Alexander are the two heads of the Indiana and Oklahoma City snakes, and operate in completely different ways, making for a fascinating match-up. The Pacers floor general is a passing savant, and has the uncanny ability to protect the ball despite having it in his hands regularly. Haliburton has registered 156 assists and just 31 turnovers in Indiana's 16 playoff games this year. The only other player to enter the Finals with at least 150 assists and less than 50 turnovers is NBA icon Magic Johnson, who achieved the feat in 1984. Most things positive on the offensive end for Indiana run through Haliburton, but by no means are the Pacers a one-man offence. Veteran Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who coached the Dallas Mavericks to the 2011 title, has been masterful during this playoff run, and has his side humming offensively. The Pacers are a team that operates in perpetual motion on the offensive end. Haliburton is able to break down defences at will by penetrating and then dishing off snappy cross-court passes, but is equally adept at giving the ball up and slithering around screens before getting it back the moment his defender falls asleep for a half-second. The NBA season is an absolute marathon, and so much of what it takes to win a title comes down to timing your run perfectly, and Indiana has done just that. Watching the Pacers dispose of the Bucks, Cavaliers and Knicks en-route to the finals makes it hard to believe they started the season 10-15. Indiana has been scorching hot as an entire team so far in the playoffs. They have converted a hair under half their field goal attempts (49.7 per cent) and have shot a ridiculous 40.1 per cent from three-point range as a team. The Pacers' ability to put five shooters on the floor at once has given teams defending them fits. Snooze for one second as a defender on any given possession and your opponent either has a lay-up at the basket or an open three somewhere. Sometimes NBA offensive sets can feature motion for motion's sake, but none of Indiana's movement is wasted. Every second of the shot clock is utilised, whether it is at the start or the very end of the possession. It is constant chaos, and Indiana thrives in it. Indiana is just about as unselfish as a team gets on the offensive end. The Pacers rank second in the playoffs in passes per game with 314.3, a figure which dwarfs the marks set by every Thunder playoff opponent to date. The Pacers' 28.1 assists per game is also easily the best mark in the playoffs. This quick-twitch, egalitarian offence will be imperative against a Thunder defence that preys on over-dribbling of the ball (more on that later). In a perfect nod to their team name, Indiana turns every game into a track meet, forcing opponents to match their speed up and down the court. The Pacers have been the most effective transition team in the entire playoffs, averaging 1.32 points per transition possession. They are able to do this via pinpoint outlet passes from Haliburton and the other guards, which often find one of the team's athletic forwards such as Pascal Siakam or Obi Toppin streaking out ahead of their opponents for dunks and lay-ups. If you're playing the Pacers, you are sometimes at your most vulnerable the moment you hoist a jumper at your own basket because a missed jumper could mean an easy bucket just seconds later at the opposite end of the court. Make the basket and you still might be in trouble, such is the Pacers' transition prowess. There is one problem for Indiana if it wants to turn these Finals into a track meet - the Thunder are one of the few teams to play at a faster pace. Since 1990, only two teams have made the Finals playing faster than the Pacers: the 2017 Warriors, considered by many to be the best team in NBA history, and this Thunder team. The Thunder's 25.3 transition points per game in the playoffs is a hair below the Pacers' mark of 25.8, but comes via a completely different method. The NBA has not seen a team that is so prolific at swiping the ball like this Thunder team in literally decades. They lead all playoff teams in steals and deflections per game by wide margins. OKC averages 10.8 steals per game so far in the playoffs. The only other teams to have recorded more while playing at least 10 playoff games are the 1976 Warriors (12.8) and the 1975 Warriors (11.3). The Thunder very rarely put a player on the floor who isn't a plus defensively. Williams and Lu Dort were both named on this year's All-Defensive teams, while Chet Holmgren would have also likely ended up on one of the two teams had injuries not restricted his regular season to just 32 games. Get through the devilish starting group and you have Alex Caruso streaming off the bench and causing all hell to break loose. Good NBA defences are often said to contain five players on a 'string' meaning they are all connected and aware of each other's movements, and the Thunder are the perfect example of this. The moment any opponent puts his head down to dribble into the lane, he is usually met with multiple defenders attempting to swipe at the ball, usually successfully. If they don't swipe the ball away, usually Holmgren or fellow big man Isaiah Hartenstein are at the rim ready to evaporate a shot attempt on demand. Over-dribbling against this defence is a cardinal sin that is punished instantly. OKC's defence does an excellent job of junking up the paint by leaving the corners wide open and the key to beating them is the ability to consistently find your best shooters in the corners. If there is one player in the league who has the ability to make this pass time and time again, it is Haliburton. The Pacers have come up against elite scorers such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson so far in these playoffs, but defending Gilgeous-Alexander is an entirely different riddle. In an era where analytics have resulted in players either living at the three-point line or at the rim, Gilgeous-Alexander is the antithesis of this. There is no spot on the court the league MVP isn't comfortable taking a shot from. At different points during this playoff run, fans on Twitter have hilariously compared Gilgeous-Alexander's offensive game to the Pink Panther and a slinky toy, and both are somehow perfectly adept descriptions. The Canadian guard is as shifty as they come. He is able to wriggle around screens where there is seemingly no space to create openings and constantly toggles between different gears, often on the same drive, a nightmare for defenders. Gilgeous-Alexander isn't considered to be one of the quicker guards in the league, but can pounce on a millisecond of hesitation to get to the rim in a blur. He is also equally adept at putting the breaks on at a moment's notice to pull up for a patented mid-range shot. This mid-range jumper is the one that has been killed out of the game in the last decade as the analytics movement has become more and more prevalent, but it is what has made Gilgeous-Alexander an unguardable offensive force. Almost 27 per cent of Gilgeous-Alexander's shots come in between 10-16 feet from the basket, the true 'mid-range' zone. The analytics heads consider this to be a 'bad' shot, but Gilgeous-Alexander converts them at a 53.3 per cent rate. Take that and put it in your spreadsheets. Gilgeous-Alexander's ability to draw fouls has driven every single opponent mad and has even resulted in ESPN commentator Doris Burke explaining that the internet calls him a "free throw merchant" on multiple occasions during the playoffs. He is an expert at feeling any sort of contact and instantaneously rising up for a shot attempt to get the whistle. Teams have tried to be extra delicate with Gilgeous-Alexander and have still given up touch fouls. The Pacers, namely Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith, have not been afraid to be handsy and extremely physical on defence so far in the playoffs. It'll be interesting to see whether they lean into this and essentially force the referees to make the calls. If the ploy is successful, the only problem is it benefits the Thunder on the defensive end as well. Good luck scoring with Dort, Caruso and friends having a license to be even more physical than usual. This OKC team is a juggernaut, and it is going to take a monumental upset to beat them in this series. The Thunder have racked up 80 wins so far this season, combining its 68 in the regular season and 12 in the playoffs. Of the 12 teams to have won more games in a single season, all barring one, the 2016 Warriors, have won the title. But this Pacers team doesn't care for history and isn't daunted by mountaintops that are yet to be scaled. It's how they have gotten this far. Naysayers have pointed to an NBA Finals between Indiana and Oklahoma City as lacking the sex appeal of the traditional 'big market' Finals featuring teams from either Los Angeles, Boston, Miami or San Francisco. However, this is a match-up of two incredibly deep and masterfully-coached teams who play the game the right way. If you want to turn the TV off because there's not a big market team playing, I hope you're OK with missing basketball nirvana.
The Advertiser
10 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Oilers grab initiative in Stanley Cup with goal in OT
Goaltender Stuart Skinner made 29 saves as Edmonton Oilers erased a multigoal deficit before edging out the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Final rematch. The Oilers, trying to become the first Canadian team to lift the coveted Stanley Cup since the Canadiens achieved the feat in 1993, beat the defending champions 4-3 to draw first blood in the series on Wednesday night . Leon Draisaitl scored the decisive goal from a power play in overtime to separate the teams. After Tomas Nosek's penalty for putting the puck over the glass, Draisaitl's goal 19:29 into OT sent the home fans into a frenzy and made sure the Oilers would not start this series like they did a year ago, when they fell behind three games to none. For a while, it looked like they would at least start out trailing. Draisaitl's goal 66 seconds in was followed later in the first period by Sam Bennett deflecting a shot in past Skinner after falling into him. Edmonton's Kris Knoblauch unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference, with the NHL's situation room ruling his own player, Jake Walman, had tripped Bennett into Skinner. The resulting penalty paved the way for Florida's Brad Marchand to score the go-ahead goal on the power play. Bennett scored his second of the night early in the second period to put the Panthers 3-1 up. They entered 31-0 over the past three playoffs since coach Paul Maurice took over when leading at the first or second intermission. With Connor McDavid leading the way, the Oilers rallied. Fourth-liner Viktor Arvidsson brought the crowd back to life early in the second, and fellow Swede Mattias Ekholm - playing just his second game back from an extended injury absence - tied it with 13:27 remaining in regulation off a perfect pass from McDavid. At the other end, Skinner made a handful of saves that were vital to keeping the Panthers from extending their lead or tying it late in the third. Florida counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky did the same, in between derisive chants of "Sergei! Sergei!" that followed goals he allowed. Skinner was greeted with friendlier chants of "Stuuuu" after saves, including one in the first minute of overtime on a quality scoring chance. Bobrovsky stone-cold robbed Trent Frederic nine minutes in but eventually cracked. Game 2 is Friday night in Edmonton before the series shifts to Sunrise, Florida for Games 3 and 4. Goaltender Stuart Skinner made 29 saves as Edmonton Oilers erased a multigoal deficit before edging out the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Final rematch. The Oilers, trying to become the first Canadian team to lift the coveted Stanley Cup since the Canadiens achieved the feat in 1993, beat the defending champions 4-3 to draw first blood in the series on Wednesday night . Leon Draisaitl scored the decisive goal from a power play in overtime to separate the teams. After Tomas Nosek's penalty for putting the puck over the glass, Draisaitl's goal 19:29 into OT sent the home fans into a frenzy and made sure the Oilers would not start this series like they did a year ago, when they fell behind three games to none. For a while, it looked like they would at least start out trailing. Draisaitl's goal 66 seconds in was followed later in the first period by Sam Bennett deflecting a shot in past Skinner after falling into him. Edmonton's Kris Knoblauch unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference, with the NHL's situation room ruling his own player, Jake Walman, had tripped Bennett into Skinner. The resulting penalty paved the way for Florida's Brad Marchand to score the go-ahead goal on the power play. Bennett scored his second of the night early in the second period to put the Panthers 3-1 up. They entered 31-0 over the past three playoffs since coach Paul Maurice took over when leading at the first or second intermission. With Connor McDavid leading the way, the Oilers rallied. Fourth-liner Viktor Arvidsson brought the crowd back to life early in the second, and fellow Swede Mattias Ekholm - playing just his second game back from an extended injury absence - tied it with 13:27 remaining in regulation off a perfect pass from McDavid. At the other end, Skinner made a handful of saves that were vital to keeping the Panthers from extending their lead or tying it late in the third. Florida counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky did the same, in between derisive chants of "Sergei! Sergei!" that followed goals he allowed. Skinner was greeted with friendlier chants of "Stuuuu" after saves, including one in the first minute of overtime on a quality scoring chance. Bobrovsky stone-cold robbed Trent Frederic nine minutes in but eventually cracked. Game 2 is Friday night in Edmonton before the series shifts to Sunrise, Florida for Games 3 and 4. Goaltender Stuart Skinner made 29 saves as Edmonton Oilers erased a multigoal deficit before edging out the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Final rematch. The Oilers, trying to become the first Canadian team to lift the coveted Stanley Cup since the Canadiens achieved the feat in 1993, beat the defending champions 4-3 to draw first blood in the series on Wednesday night . Leon Draisaitl scored the decisive goal from a power play in overtime to separate the teams. After Tomas Nosek's penalty for putting the puck over the glass, Draisaitl's goal 19:29 into OT sent the home fans into a frenzy and made sure the Oilers would not start this series like they did a year ago, when they fell behind three games to none. For a while, it looked like they would at least start out trailing. Draisaitl's goal 66 seconds in was followed later in the first period by Sam Bennett deflecting a shot in past Skinner after falling into him. Edmonton's Kris Knoblauch unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference, with the NHL's situation room ruling his own player, Jake Walman, had tripped Bennett into Skinner. The resulting penalty paved the way for Florida's Brad Marchand to score the go-ahead goal on the power play. Bennett scored his second of the night early in the second period to put the Panthers 3-1 up. They entered 31-0 over the past three playoffs since coach Paul Maurice took over when leading at the first or second intermission. With Connor McDavid leading the way, the Oilers rallied. Fourth-liner Viktor Arvidsson brought the crowd back to life early in the second, and fellow Swede Mattias Ekholm - playing just his second game back from an extended injury absence - tied it with 13:27 remaining in regulation off a perfect pass from McDavid. At the other end, Skinner made a handful of saves that were vital to keeping the Panthers from extending their lead or tying it late in the third. Florida counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky did the same, in between derisive chants of "Sergei! Sergei!" that followed goals he allowed. Skinner was greeted with friendlier chants of "Stuuuu" after saves, including one in the first minute of overtime on a quality scoring chance. Bobrovsky stone-cold robbed Trent Frederic nine minutes in but eventually cracked. Game 2 is Friday night in Edmonton before the series shifts to Sunrise, Florida for Games 3 and 4. Goaltender Stuart Skinner made 29 saves as Edmonton Oilers erased a multigoal deficit before edging out the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Final rematch. The Oilers, trying to become the first Canadian team to lift the coveted Stanley Cup since the Canadiens achieved the feat in 1993, beat the defending champions 4-3 to draw first blood in the series on Wednesday night . Leon Draisaitl scored the decisive goal from a power play in overtime to separate the teams. After Tomas Nosek's penalty for putting the puck over the glass, Draisaitl's goal 19:29 into OT sent the home fans into a frenzy and made sure the Oilers would not start this series like they did a year ago, when they fell behind three games to none. For a while, it looked like they would at least start out trailing. Draisaitl's goal 66 seconds in was followed later in the first period by Sam Bennett deflecting a shot in past Skinner after falling into him. Edmonton's Kris Knoblauch unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference, with the NHL's situation room ruling his own player, Jake Walman, had tripped Bennett into Skinner. The resulting penalty paved the way for Florida's Brad Marchand to score the go-ahead goal on the power play. Bennett scored his second of the night early in the second period to put the Panthers 3-1 up. They entered 31-0 over the past three playoffs since coach Paul Maurice took over when leading at the first or second intermission. With Connor McDavid leading the way, the Oilers rallied. Fourth-liner Viktor Arvidsson brought the crowd back to life early in the second, and fellow Swede Mattias Ekholm - playing just his second game back from an extended injury absence - tied it with 13:27 remaining in regulation off a perfect pass from McDavid. At the other end, Skinner made a handful of saves that were vital to keeping the Panthers from extending their lead or tying it late in the third. Florida counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky did the same, in between derisive chants of "Sergei! Sergei!" that followed goals he allowed. Skinner was greeted with friendlier chants of "Stuuuu" after saves, including one in the first minute of overtime on a quality scoring chance. Bobrovsky stone-cold robbed Trent Frederic nine minutes in but eventually cracked. Game 2 is Friday night in Edmonton before the series shifts to Sunrise, Florida for Games 3 and 4.
West Australian
16 hours ago
- West Australian
Oilers grab initiative in Stanley Cup with goal in OT
Goaltender Stuart Skinner made 29 saves as Edmonton Oilers erased a multigoal deficit before edging out the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Final rematch. The Oilers, trying to become the first Canadian team to lift the coveted Stanley Cup since the Canadiens achieved the feat in 1993, beat the defending champions 4-3 to draw first blood in the series on Wednesday night . Leon Draisaitl scored the decisive goal from a power play in overtime to separate the teams. After Tomas Nosek's penalty for putting the puck over the glass, Draisaitl's goal 19:29 into OT sent the home fans into a frenzy and made sure the Oilers would not start this series like they did a year ago, when they fell behind three games to none. For a while, it looked like they would at least start out trailing. Draisaitl's goal 66 seconds in was followed later in the first period by Sam Bennett deflecting a shot in past Skinner after falling into him. Edmonton's Kris Knoblauch unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference, with the NHL's situation room ruling his own player, Jake Walman, had tripped Bennett into Skinner. The resulting penalty paved the way for Florida's Brad Marchand to score the go-ahead goal on the power play. Bennett scored his second of the night early in the second period to put the Panthers 3-1 up. They entered 31-0 over the past three playoffs since coach Paul Maurice took over when leading at the first or second intermission. With Connor McDavid leading the way, the Oilers rallied. Fourth-liner Viktor Arvidsson brought the crowd back to life early in the second, and fellow Swede Mattias Ekholm - playing just his second game back from an extended injury absence - tied it with 13:27 remaining in regulation off a perfect pass from McDavid. At the other end, Skinner made a handful of saves that were vital to keeping the Panthers from extending their lead or tying it late in the third. Florida counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky did the same, in between derisive chants of "Sergei! Sergei!" that followed goals he allowed. Skinner was greeted with friendlier chants of "Stuuuu" after saves, including one in the first minute of overtime on a quality scoring chance. Bobrovsky stone-cold robbed Trent Frederic nine minutes in but eventually cracked. Game 2 is Friday night in Edmonton before the series shifts to Sunrise, Florida for Games 3 and 4.
