Latest news with #Byfield
Calgary Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
LATEST STORIES BY DONNA SPENCER, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Dedrick Mills, Vernon Adams Jr. power Stampeders to season-opening win over Tiger-Cats Mills rushed for 94 yards on 17 carries, while quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. completed 19-of-28 pass attempts for 284 yards, in his highly anticipated Stampeder debut. Calgary Stampeders Sudbury's Tracy Fleury, Team Homan repeat as Canadian women's champions Rachel Homan's dominance of women's curling continued on Sunday with a 6-1 win over Manitoba's Kerri Einarson to win the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. February 24, 2025 Sports Tyler McGregor leads Canada to gold at para hockey worlds Canada dented the United States' recent dominance in para hockey with a 2-1 win for the gold medal in Sunday's world championship final. May 13, 2024 Local Sports Paralympic skier Marcoux retires CALGARY — Decorated para alpine ski champion Mac Marcoux announced his retirement Wednesday, but he isn't done with sport. February 7, 2024 Local Sports Byfield named to Canadian U18 team, prepares for big year with Wolves CALGARY — Quinton Byfield is a bow-tie man. The Sudbury Wolves forward collects them. At 16, Byfield was an integral piece in Sudbury's 48-point turnaround with 29 goals and 32 assists in 64 games, followed by three goals and five assists in eight playoff games. July 31, 2019 Local Sports Hefford, Keith to enter Canadian Sports Hall of Fame CALGARY — Two Kingston athletes, one of whom made her mark on the ice and the other in the water, will be part of the class of 2019 entering Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in October. May 23, 2019 Local Sports Lambton County players devastated by CWHL's demise The collapse of the Canadian Women's Hockey League plunges the future of the female game in Canada into disarray, at least in the short term. April 2, 2019 Local Sports Team McDonald stays in hunt with two wins BRANDON, Man. — The wins are coming, but they're not coming easy for Alberta at the Canadian men's curling championship. March 8, 2019 Local Sports Wes Forget honours curling heroes; Team McDonald makes playoffs BRANDON, Man. — Wes Forget's old-school backswing is part homage to his curling idols, but part practical, too. March 7, 2019 Local Sports One league on Hefford's mind as she takes over at the CWHL's helm As a hockey player, Jayna Hefford strove to make her league viable and respected. She's now in a position to do that as its leader. July 27, 2018 Local Sports
New York Times
6 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
L.A. Kings offseason: Who stays, who goes from the roster this summer?
Should a team like the Los Angeles Kings, who have failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs for four consecutive years, go into the offseason with a 'run it back' mindset? Or do the Kings need some different ingredients to create a winning playoff mix? One path the Kings won't head down is that of a rebuild. There won't be any starting over. They wouldn't have hired new general manager Ken Holland, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame with four Stanley Cup championships across his four decades as an NHL executive, to chart that kind of course. Advertisement 'This is a real good, legitimate NHL team,' Holland said. 'Got to keep it that way and then see, as we go forward, what I can do to pitch in and make them better, different.' Just how different will the Kings be when they report for training camp? No hockey teams 'run it back' completely, since there is bound to be some level of change. But this is a good time to look at which Kings will return and who could be going out the door. Brandt Clarke If there was one true untouchable, it probably would be 2024 first-round pick Liam Greentree. But we're talking about the current roster, and the closest to one here is Clarke. Not necessarily because of what the 22-year-old did this season – which, with 33 points to lead the defense, is still notable – but because of his profile and potential. He's young and is a right-handed puck-mover with the potential to be a successor to Drew Doughty. Mikey Anderson The Kings have Anderson, their steady shutdown defender, locked down for six more seasons at a team-friendly $4.125 million cap hit. The 26-year-old is about as rock-solid as it gets when it comes to play at his own blue line. His postseasons could be better, but he's often drawn the assignment of going against either (or both) of Edmonton's uber-duo in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Quinton Byfield As a prospect, Byfield was considered an untouchable. You don't trade a No. 2 overall pick unless you're trying to get a modern-day superstar in his prime. Now we're beyond that. Byfield, 22, is a full-fledged everyday center, and it's still worth betting on his continued growth and upside after a 23-goal, 54-point season. He's already been extended on a five-year contract. He isn't moving … but he'd likely be the ask for a superstar in his prime. Advertisement Joel Edmundson The ink had hardly dried on Edmundson's four-year, $15.4 million contract before it was ridiculed by hockey fans and experts. It was considered an overpay for a third-pair, cross-checking defenseman who gets hurt a lot. Maybe that contract won't age well, but Edmundson not only played in a career-high 73 games but was especially valuable in capably handling important second-pairing minutes while Doughty was sidelined for the first few months. Warren Foegele Foegele, 29, was a great addition to the Kings' lineup. The winger ultimately settled in as a third-line force with linemates Trevor Moore and Phillip Danault, and he fit L.A.'s ethos in terms of hard-working, straight-line play with a no-nonsense vibe. Coming off a career 24-goal season, Foegele brings added value as a tenacious penalty-killer. Kevin Fiala The second half of Fiala's 2024-25 season was much better than the first half, as the 28-year-old not only cleaned up his penchant for bad turnovers and penalties but flourished with Byfield as his regular center after being bounced around the year before. That was important for the unpredictable Fiala, who scored a career-high 35 goals to tie Adrian Kempe for the team lead. Samuel Helenius Helenius, 22, slides into this category because he's still on his rookie contract while emerging as the Kings' big-bodied fourth-line center. He played 50 regular-season games and all six in the playoffs after starting the season with AHL Ontario. He ranked second on the team with 150 hits, and coach Jim Hiller raved about his development. There's always a place for young, cheap talent that can be effective in their roles. Adrian Kempe The Kings' best player is set to become one of their most highly paid players as he enters the last season of a four-year, $22 million deal that he has easily outperformed. Kempe, 28, led the Kings in scoring for a second consecutive season. He added a team-leading 10 points in six playoff games. He's in line for a home-run contract, and talks can begin on July 1. Advertisement Anže Kopitar While Kopitar, 37, hasn't said anything definitive about when he'll end a career that's destined to put him in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the signs remain that 2025-26 could be his final NHL season. He's going to be a rare one-team star who holds franchise records, including likely passing Marcel Dionne as the all-time leading scorer next season. Darcy Kuemper The Kings quietly hoped returning to a place where he found success as a backup to Jonathan Quick would help Kuemper bounce back from a rough 2023-24 season in Washington. Instead, Kuemper, 35, was much more than a decent return for offloading Pierre-Luc Dubois' contract. He had the finest season of his 13-year career, becoming a Vezina Trophy finalist for the first time as L.A.'s clear No. 1 goalie. Alex Laferriere Laferriere, 23, improved from his rookie season and is coming up on his second contract. While he experienced major scoring droughts (one goal in 20 games, zero in another 17-game spell), Laferriere nearly reached 20 goals and continued to improve overall. 'For me, I think the way my style of play is, I can be effective when I'm not scoring as well,' Laferriere said. Jacob Moverare The Kings have the good-natured Swede under contract for another season. Moverare, 26, split the season between Ontario and Los Angeles but suited up in 49 games with the Kings, the most in his five years with the organization. With the Kings, he has effectively stepped in when injuries hit their defense or when he plays limited minutes in an 11-7 formation. Kyle Burroughs Burroughs, 29, is signed for next season and again could fill a depth role on the right side. The veteran's role was bound to change in L.A. after he played a lot for a terrible San Jose team – and indeed he experienced a drop in games (73 to 33) and time on ice (19:09 to 7:49) this season. He's got the temperament to handle a limited role. Drew Doughty From the moment Doughty suffered an ankle fracture in the preseason, this was bound to be a challenging year. His minus-7 rating against the Oilers in the playoffs left a bad taste, but it would be shocking if Holland were to do something as drastic as buying out the final two years of his contract or trading the franchise legend. The Kings should start dialing back his minutes and hope time will push the 35-year-old back toward full health. Jordan Spence The Kings have the 24-year-old signed through next season before he becomes an arbitration-eligible RFA. Without question, Spence was disappointed with being relegated to a bit role against Edmonton after playing in all but three regular-season games. He should be part of their regular six next season. He'll also have to work past being marginalized when the games really matter. Advertisement Alex Turcotte Turcotte, 24, finally had the year he long desired at the NHL level, as he dressed in 68 games and provided some flashes of being an energetic play-driver who can jazz up a line and occasionally finish. The specter of injury may follow him as he moves forward in his career but the former No. 5 overall pick is moving forward at last. Jeff Malott Include Malott among the most surprising developments of the Kings' season. The 28-year-old AHL veteran got promoted on March 26 after excellent work with the Reign and he stuck with L.A. through the postseason. He nearly scored his first NHL goal on multiple occasions. The 6-foot-5 winger is capable of being a physical element on the fourth line. Akil Thomas Thomas spent the entirety of this season with the Kings, but he often was the odd man out after a training camp that Hiller wasn't fully satisfied with. The 25-year-old got in 25 games, but others were usually preferred on the fourth line, and Hiller's 11-forward, seven-defender rotation was another obstacle. Unless he'd prefer a move to find a clearer path to NHL work, Thomas will be back. Phillip Danault Some have floated Danault, 32, as a trade possibility if Holland feels like shaking up the core. He scored only eight goals this season, tying the lowest mark over an 82-game season since he became an everyday player. But it can be argued that he was their best player outside of Kempe against the Oilers. He's got two years left on his contract and should be set as their 3C next season. Trevor Moore Moore, 30, was dealing with an injury that could be the main reason why he had just six goals in his first 40 contests. Better health led to more production, as he had 12 goals and 20 points over his final 31 games. 'Down the stretch, I finally started feeling healthy, and that helps for sure,' he said. He's got three more years left on his contract, but he doesn't have a no-trade clause and he could be easier to move than others on the roster. Vladislav Gavrikov Former GM Rob Blake strongly expressed confidence in re-signing Gavrikov, but it's still not done as July 1 looms. Gavrikov, 29, was L.A.'s best defenseman this season and showed he can play at a high level on both sides. Will Holland break down and give him a huge next contract or pivot toward another top-four — if not top-pairing — blueliner? Tanner Jeannot It took some time for Jeannot, 28, to find his place but the veteran winger was playing his best hockey when he picked up a groin injury that took him out of action down the stretch and for the postseason, where his physical play might have been better served. He's a pricey fourth-liner, and the Kings could use the $2.665 million he made elsewhere. But his next contract shouldn't be too costly. He can help L.A. or another club. Advertisement Andrei Kuzmenko The Kings' deadline addition at a relatively low cost, Kuzmenko turned around his wayward season by scoring 17 points in 22 games. He scored in each of the first two games against the Oilers, and totaled five points, but in the next four games (all losses), he managed only one goal and had a minus-7 rating. It feels like a short-term deal could work unless the Kings want to aim for a more consistent top-line winger. Pheonix Copley Outside of one game he finished up with the Kings, Copley spent the season with Ontario and went 24-17-1 with a .904 save percentage and 2.46 goals-against average. The 33-year-old is a UFA and the Kings could be poised to give prospect Carter George – who won both of his playoff starts with the Reign – his first shot at regular AHL work. David Rittich 'Big Save Dave' went 16-14-2 in 34 games backing up Kuemper but he didn't live up his moniker as much as he did during his strong 2023-24 season. MoneyPuck had Rittich making 11.4 fewer saves than expected. He only won six of his final 16 starts and had a 3.64 GAA and .881 save percentage in a rough end to the season. The Kings could go in another direction. Trevor Lewis After 17 years and 1,034 NHL games, Lewis was asked directly if he was ready to call it a career. 'I don't think so,' he said. 'See what happens this summer. Still feel good, so we'll see what's out there.' The 38-year-old played in 60 games and has a long association with the club, but younger legs figure to win out over his experience when it comes to a roster spot. (Photo of Phillip Danault: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kings' season ends in fourth consecutive playoff series loss to Oilers
Edmonton's Trent Frederic, left, celebrates after scoring past Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper in the first period of Game 6 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs Thursday. (Andy Devlin / NHLI via Getty Images) For the fourth time in as many years, the Kings' season came to an end with a first-round playoff loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The coup de grace came Thursday in a 6-4 Oilers' win at a raucous Rogers Place, which has become a house of horrors for the Kings. Edmonton got goals from (take a deep breath) Adam Henrique, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Darnell Nurse, Trent Frederic and Connor Brown. For the Kings, Quinton Byfield, Brandt Clarke, Jordan Spence and Anze Kopitar scored. Advertisement The Kings haven't beaten the Oilers in the postseason since 1989, but this year's loss may be the most painful of the nine playoff series they've dropped to Edmonton. The Kings tied franchise bests for wins (48) and points (105) this season and won a team-record 31 times at home during the regular season, finishing ahead of the Oilers in the Pacific Division standings for the first time in seven years. They seemed primed for a long run in the postseason but once again, they couldn't get by Edmonton. They Kings went out like warriors though, carried out on their shields after a wild end-to-end final game that saw the teams combine for at least 10 goals for the third time in the series. There were 51 scores overall, an average of 8.5 a game. So much for conservative playoff hockey. With their backs against the wall the Kings set the frenetic pace early, with Byfield scoring 79 seconds into the game, one of four goals in a manic and exhausting first 5 minutes and 55 seconds. Only one potential Stanley Cup elimination game in the last 60 years has seen the first four goals score more quickly. Advertisement Read more: Edmonton Oilers rally to win Game 5, put Kings on the brink of elimination again Byfield's goal, his third of the series, came on a breakaway that saw him beat Leon Draisaitl up the slot, deke Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard to his left, then slip the puck behind him and into the net. It was the second-fastest goal to begin an elimination game in franchise history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky's score in the first minute of Game 7 versus Edmonton in 1989. That should have been a good omen since that was the last time the Kings beat the Oilers in the deciding game of a playoff series. It wouldn't happen again Thursday. Edmonton evened things on Henrique's deflection in traffic less than two minutes later but Clarke needed just 33 seconds to put the Kings back in front on a snap shot from inside the right circle. That lead was short-lived, too, with Nugent-Hopkins equaling things for the Oilers on a wrister from the edge of the left circle less than six minutes into the period. Advertisement Hyman then put the Oilers in front for the first time on a play that began innocently enough, with Nugent-Hopkins sending the puck off the boards on a faceoff deep in the Kings end. The carom found Darnell Nurse at the point and he sent a one-timer on goal that Kings' goalie Darcy Kuemper had a bead on before Hyman got his stick up, redirecting the puck into the back into the back of the net. That gave Edmonton a 3-2 lead with more than seven minutes still left in the first period. Read more: How Koreatown seniors have become Kings' playoff good luck charm with harmonica national anthem Nurse, given plenty of space in the high slot, doubled the advantage on a wrist shot that got just under the crossbar late in the second period; Frederic made it 5-2 just 96 seconds later on a tip-in from the crease at the end of an Oilers' breakaway. But still the Kings would not quit, with Spence scoring two minutes before the second intermission to keep the score close. The Kings pulled Kuemper for an extra attacker with 4:18 left and were rewarded when Kopitar scored with 53.3 seconds to play, but the Kings would get no closer thanks to Brown's empty-net goal, Edmonton's fourth of the series, in the final two seconds. That left the Kings to begin focusing on next season while the Oilers move on to play Las Vegas in the second round of the playoffs. Advertisement Neither the Kings nor the Oilers made things easy for Kuemper, a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. He faced 121 shots in the final three games and 207 in the series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Kings' season ends in fourth consecutive playoff series loss to Oilers
EDMONTON, Canada — For the fourth time in as many years, the Kings' season came to an end with a first-round playoff loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The coup de grace came Thursday in a 6-4 Oilers' win at a raucous Rogers Place, which has become a house of horrors for the Kings. Edmonton got goals from (take a deep breath) Adam Henrique, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Darnell Nurse, Trent Frederic and Connor Brown. For the Kings, Quinton Byfield, Brandt Clarke, Jordan Spence and Anze Kopitar scored. The Kings haven't beaten the Oilers in the postseason since 1989, but this year's loss may be the most painful of the nine playoff series they've dropped to Edmonton. The Kings tied franchise bests for wins (48) and points (105) this season and won a team-record 31 times at home during the regular season, finishing ahead of the Oilers in the Pacific Division standings for the first time in seven years. They seemed primed for a long run in the postseason but once again, they couldn't get by Edmonton. They Kings went out like warriors though, carried out on their shields after a wild end-to-end final game that saw the teams combine for at least 10 goals for the third time in the series. There were 51 scores overall, an average of 8.5 a game. So much for conservative playoff hockey. With their backs against the wall the Kings set the frenetic pace early, with Byfield scoring 79 seconds into the game, one of four goals in a manic and exhausting first 5 minutes and 55 seconds. Only one potential Stanley Cup elimination game in the last 60 years has seen the first four goals score more quickly. Byfield's goal, his third of the series, came on a breakaway that saw him beat Leon Draisaitl up the slot, deke Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard to his left, then slip the puck behind him and into the net. It was the second-fastest goal to begin an elimination game in franchise history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky's score in the first minute of Game 7 versus Edmonton in 1989. That should have been a good omen since that was the last time the Kings beat the Oilers in the deciding game of a playoff series. It wouldn't happen again Thursday. Edmonton evened things on Henrique's deflection in traffic less than two minutes later but Clarke needed just 33 seconds to put the Kings back in front on a snap shot from inside the right circle. That lead was short-lived, too, with Nugent-Hopkins equaling things for the Oilers on a wrister from the edge of the left circle less than six minutes into the period. Hyman then put the Oilers in front for the first time on a play that began innocently enough, with Nugent-Hopkins sending the puck off the boards on a faceoff deep in the Kings end. The carom found Darnell Nurse at the point and he sent a one-timer on goal that Kings' goalie Darcy Kuemper had a bead on before Hyman got his stick up, redirecting the puck into the back into the back of the net. That gave Edmonton a 3-2 lead with more than seven minutes still left in the first period. Nurse, given plenty of space in the high slot, doubled the advantage on a wrist shot that got just under the crossbar late in the second period; Frederic made it 5-2 just 96 seconds later on a tip-in from the crease at the end of an Oilers' breakaway. But still the Kings would not quit, with Spence scoring two minutes before the second intermission to keep the score close. The Kings pulled Kuemper for an extra attacker with 4:18 and were rewarded when Kopitar scored with 53.3 seconds to play, but the Kings would get no closer with Brown closing the scoring with an empty-net goal, Edmonton's fourth of the series, in the final two seconds. That left the Kings to begin focusing on next season while the Oilers move on to play Las Vegas in the second round of the playoffs. Neither the Kings nor the Oilers made things easy for Kuemper, a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. He faced 121 shots in the final three games and 207 in the series.
New York Times
28-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Kings' missed opportunities lead to stunning Game 4 loss against Oilers
EDMONTON — If the Los Angeles Kings drop yet another first-round playoff series to the Edmonton Oilers, one of the flashpoint moments will be Quinton Byfield's failure to clear the puck out of the Kings' zone late in Game 4 Sunday, a play that quickly evolved into another lost third-period lead and a stunning role reversal. Advertisement Byfield probably wants a do-over, even though his teammates and coaches rallied behind him. On the play, the Kings couldn't keep Evan Bouchard from tying the game in a six-on-five situation; the Kings then lost, 4-3, on Leon Draisaitl's power-play goal at 18:18 of overtime. It is a stinger of a loss and the Oilers now have the momentum in the series, which is tied at two as the teams head back to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Tuesday. But the problem isn't only the Byfield play, when Bouchard disrupted the young center's chance to whittle away more of the final 45 seconds, eventually sending Rogers Place into hysterics with a bomb of a shot past Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper. The problem is the growing list of desired do-overs for the Kings in a series where they could have a commanding 3-1 lead at minimum and possibly a series sweep. Center Phillip Danault rescued them in Game 1 with a final-minute goal after Edmonton erased a 5-2 deficit. The Kings dominated Game 2 and had Game 3 within their sights in the third period until Evander Kane tied the game with 6:42 left, then a disastrous lost challenge by Kings coach Jim Hiller opened the door for Bouchard to score on the resulting power play. And in Game 4, a brilliant first 40-minute effort was wasted. The Oilers should get credit for their resilience, for not going gently into that good night. But the Kings are helping by fumbling their best chance to beat Edmonton over four springs. For instance, they lapsed back into defending their lead too much. At one point, the Kings had a 28-15 shot advantage. By game's end, it was 48-41 in Edmonton's favor. Forward Warren Foegele correctly pointed out that if Kevin Fiala sinks a two-on-one rush with Byfield instead of hitting the post, the Kings are again working with a two-goal lead. Foegele lamented the bounces that didn't go their way and maybe it would have been different. Advertisement 'But we have to find a way to seal the deal,' Danault said. 'It's not only against Edmonton. You go to the next round, it's the same thing. If you're up 3-1, you got to seal the deal. You got to make those plays when it counts. It's hard. It's hard to win. Especially on the visitor's side.' It could have been different if Byfield had managed to get the puck past Bouchard and not only chip away at the dwindling clock but also force the Oilers to tag up and not be offside. And the Kings would have been deservedly rewarded for their efforts on plays like Foegele diving to break up a potential Edmonton break the other way, or Fiala hustling to keep Draisaitl from a scoring chance after the German superstar blocked his shot. No, this loss isn't all about Byfield failing to make a play at a crucial moment. And the Kings had his back afterward. 'I'm not worried about that play one bit for Quinton. I'm proud of the 28 minutes he gave us tonight, how hard he played,' Hiller said. 'And I know he'll be ready to play the next game. You shake those things off. It doesn't go your way every single time. You shake it off, you come back again. And he will.' 'He tried to make the right play. He tried to chip it out and their guy just somehow got a stick on it. It happens. It's part of the game,' Foegele said. 'He was trying to do the right thing. We told him, 'Don't worry about it.' We tried to push in OT. I don't know if that (a tripping call on Vladislav Gavrikov) was a penalty, but we'll move on.' As Foegele mentioned, there was some grousing over whether Gavrikov tripped Connor McDavid at 17:34 of overtime. And it felt like the inevitable was due to happen with Draisaitl netting his first NHL playoff OT winner. The Oilers mostly controlled the wild extra period, racking up 18 shots to the Kings' seven. Advertisement Kuemper was fantastic in OT to keep the Kings afloat. That's one positive. Given his Vezina Trophy-caliber season, he needs to be the better goaltender in this series, and you could argue he was better on Sunday. Seventeen of his 44 saves came in overtime. He even made an initial stretched-out stop on Corey Perry at his doorstep, but was prone and powerless to foil Draisaitl. While the Kings had plenty of chances to bury the Oilers, they're also grinding their players down. Hiller has made it clear that he'll rely only on three forward lines and four defensemen to get the job done. Joel Edmundson played a game-high 36:16. Mikey Anderson played 34:14 while Drew Doughty clocked in at 32:57. Eight forwards, led by Byfield, logged 24 or more minutes. Were they gassed by the time they reached overtime? 'It's hard to say,' Danault said. 'You have a big offensive machine. For sure, if you stay back for a while, it's hard to attack after, so maybe that's what it is. They just capitalize every chance they get.' The Kings do have the comforts of home to look forward to. They're already singing that tune, falling back on a franchise record 31-win run at home and victories in Games 1 and 2. But the two games in Edmonton presented missed moments that could prove monstrous if they don't win Game 5. Meanwhile, the Oilers have gotten healthier with each game and are working with the knowledge that no lead is insurmountable if they're close in the third. 'That's the mentality that we have, that we're never going to quit no matter what,' Draisaitl said. 'Obviously, we've shown that in the series so far. Maybe a little bit too much. We got to find a way to play with a lead. Play that type of game as well. We're good at that as well and we need to prove that and show that. 'It shows a lot of character, and we can be really proud of that. But you don't want to do that every night.' Advertisement Afterward, Hiller tried to strike a philosophical tone about the emotional toll of letting games get away. 'Well, you know, that's the beauty of the game,' Hiller said. 'That's the beauty of working with professional athletes. They're men. They're young men, but they're men. And they've got to go out — at home it's easy. You got 20,000 people cheering you on. The road, you got 20,000 people getting after you. You're fighting. And that's why they're playing at this level. 'They suck it up, they answer questions. They get a rest, and they get ready to go do it all over again. That's the beauty of what we get to witness. They're men. We're professionals.' But the plain-speaking Danault was asked the same question: Is there any sense of opportunities being missed? 'Little bit,' he said. 'Little bit.' Far more succinct. Also, correct. (Top photo of the game-winning goal: Perry Nelson / Imagn Images)
