Latest news with #Cups
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What Blueshirts Fans Need To Know About The Stanley Cup Final
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images 1. There are many theories about picking the Cup winner. The easiest to remember is this: NEVER BET AGAINST THE CHAMPS! 2. Florida's assets are innumerable. A. Size; B. Savvy; C. Coach; D. Been-There-Done-That; E. Balance; F. New Adds – Jones, Marchand; G. Bobrovsky. Advertisement 3. Florida's biggest debits: The Panthers don't have McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins. Rangers Blunder That Could Win The Cup For Edmonton Rangers Blunder That Could Win The Cup For Edmonton 1. When Chris Drury canned Gerard Gallant, the Rangers had GG's successor all lined up in Hartford. His name was – and still is – Kris Knoblauch. 4. Oil Goalkeeper Stu Skinner has lifted his game to its highest level. At age 25, he's 11 years younger than Bob. That's in Edmonton's favor in the long run. 5. Like the Oilers of 1983 – losing to the Islanders – this Edmonton team has learned from last season's playoff loss. 6. The Maven's Rule is that no NHL team can win two Cups in succession anymore. I believe that the rule will be invoked in this series. Advertisement 7. Zach Hyman will be missed on the ice but not in the minds of his teammates. The "LET'S WIN THIS ONE FOR ZACH!" will be super motivation for the challengers. 8. The Oilers defense once was Sieve Town, Alberta. GM Stan Bowman has wisely beefed up the backline enough to match the Panthers. 9. Onetime New Jersey Devils playoff hero Adam Henrique is my choice as the Edmonton "sleeper star." 10. The "Big If" for the Oil is whether or not they wilt under the heavy-hitting Champs.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Five things to know about the Oilers-Panthers Stanley Cup final rematch
The Oilers will face the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup final for the second straight year, starting with Game 1 in Edmonton on Wednesday. The Panthers won last season's showdown in seven games to collect their first-ever NHL title. Here are five things to look for in the rematch: SO CLOSE The Oilers looked down and out in last season's Cup final before rallying from 3-0 down to force a Game 7. And the decisive game came down to the slimmest of margins, with Sam Reinhart's second-period goal standing as the winner in a 2-1 Florida triumph. Had the Oilers managed to complete the comeback, they would have been the first Canadian team to win a Stanley Cup since 1993 and just the fifth team — and second in a Cup final — to come back from a 3-0 series deficit. — HIT PARADE The Panthers have built their identity around being a hard-hitting team. With the likes of Sam Bennett, Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand patrolling the ice, the physical Panthers lead the playoffs in both hits (812) and penalty minutes (279). The Oilers can also throw the body and sit second in hits with 648. But they will have to make up for the loss of Zach Hyman against Florida. Hyman led the playoffs with 111 hits before undergoing surgery on an unspecified injury. — GOING DEEP Bennett leads the playoffs with 10 goals, but the Panthers have had offensive contributions throughout their lineup. Nineteen players on their roster have scored in the post-season, and their defence is responsible for 15 goals in 17 games. But while the Panthers are known for their depth, 19 players have also scored for Edmonton during this playoff run. Not bad for a team once considered too reliant on superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. — ELDER STATESMEN Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The Panthers picked up some playoff grit and veteran savvy when they acquired Marchand, the former Boston Bruins captain, at the trade deadline. Marchand, who turned 37 earlier this month, helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011 and is heading into his fourth final. Impressive, except when stacked against 40-year-old Edmonton forward Corey Perry. He is heading into his fifth final in six years. While he has come up short in his last four Cup finals, he helped Anaheim win it all in 2007. — DYNASTY DAYS The state of Florida has been the undisputed epicentre of NHL success for the last six years. Between the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, teams from the Sunshine State have appeared in six straight Stanley Cup finals, winning three so far. But the combined success of the Panthers and Bolts hasn't quite reached the level of the high-flying Oilers of the 1980s, led by Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and other stars. Between 1982-83 and 1989-90, the Oilers won five Cups and were runners-up another time, creating one of the NHL's legendary dynasties. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2025.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Mathieu Darche's lofty goals usher in a whole new Islanders era
The event itself was evidence of the change at hand with the Islanders, and you didn't need to look far at Mathieu Darche's introductory press conference as general manager on Thursday to find more of it. There were season-ticket holders in attendance and a repeated focus on connecting with the fan base. There was some transparency, with Darche giving specifics on Bo Horvat's ankle injury, his plan to keep the No. 1 pick, Patrick Roy staying in charge as head coach and changes elsewhere in the organization. Advertisement 4 Islanders new general manager Mathieu Darche speaks during his introduction at a press conference at UBS Arena Corey Sipkin for the NY POST There was, again and again, emphasis on player development and the importance of fixing up an AHL team in Bridgeport whose struggles were hand-waved by Lou Lamoriello last season. There was a GM talking about collaboration and communication, being a part of the organization's community efforts and building a team around pace. Advertisement 'By saying fast-paced doesn't mean we're playing [only] offense, because you can't win if you don't defend,' Darche said. 'Playing defense and defending are two different things. I want to attack.' Music to Patrick Roy's ears. 4 Left to right: Islanders co-owner John Collins, co-owner Oliver Haarmann, new general manager Mathieu Darche and co-owner Jon Ledecky stand for a photo at Darche's introduction. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST 'Even when the Lightning won the two Cups, everybody thinks it was all offense,' Darche went on. 'No — the team defended better than everybody else. That's why the team won. And that's the same thing. Advertisement 'Doesn't mean that you weren't scoring goals. That's what I want. Over time, we're gonna build a team towards that. You need everything. That's the recipe: you need everything, build all aspects of it. Fast, high-paced, intensity, compete. That's how you win in the NHL.' Once you stripped all the trappings and niceties from the afternoon, got past all the allusions to shoring up the Islanders' brand and all the change that will come off the ice, that may have been the starkest contrast offered from the Lamoriello Era Isles who — even in their heyday — were a step slow and very much defensive in nature. 4 Mathieu Darche spent much of his career in the AHL before transitioning to a front office role with the Lightning. AP Turning it into reality is a different thing, and Darche, a first-time GM, will need to toe the line of changing over the roster while keeping the Islanders competing for the playoffs next season. Advertisement The 48-year-old spent the last six seasons as an assistant GM for the Lightning. Before that, he had a 12-year playing career — most of it in the AHL — worked in the business world for Delmar International and was an analyst for French-language station RDS on Canadiens pre- and postgame shows. 'We wanted someone who is really collaborative, but who's really a strong hockey leader,' said minority owner and operating partner John Collins, who led the search. '… We always looked at Mathieu like he was the best of the first-time candidates because he was so well prepared in terms of his playing career.' It also helped, Collins said, that Darche's responsibilities in Tampa went beyond those of most assistant GMs. 'I joked I spent more time with [Lightning GM] Julien [BriseBois] than my wife the last six years,' Darche said. 'But I've met basically every GM. Every one of them has reached out to me.' The Lightning, though, were already a contender when Darche arrived in 2019. The Islanders will require more of a face-lift to reach that point. 'I think this team last year, because of various factors, probably should've been a playoff team,' Darche said. 'Do we have work to do to improve it? Of course we do. This summer, that's gonna be my focus.' So the jury's out on the extent of change the roster will see, though the cap rise combined with a large group of pending free agents gives Darche some leeway to put his stamp on things. Advertisement It may be, though, that the pace of change with the NHL roster is slower than the pace of change within the Islanders' organization itself — be it on the business side, with the AHL roster or in the community. 4 Islanders new general manager Mathieu Darche speaks during his introduction. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST 'When I say I'm vertically integrated, that's what it is,' Darche said. 'You can't just have a good NHL team and no, I don't care about the AHL. That's your pipeline. You have to move forward player development. That's where I think the Tampa Bay Lightning have done a beautiful job. 'If you look over the years, I think last year, Tampa in the top two lines, not one first-round pick. You like first-round picks, especially the first overall, but the reality of it — you have to develop your players.' Advertisement For a team that went from 2020-23 without even making a first-round pick, that's a whole new language. And Thursday marked an entrance into a whole new world.
Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Why the Senior Cup is the one trophy Donemana's Billy Dougherty is so desperate to win
They lost the Final last year to Newbuildings, but are the favourites to lift the famous trophy for the 24th time. Wicket-keeper Billy Dougherty was part of the last Donemana team to win the silverware in 2020 and, along with younger siblings DJ and Levi, has been a major part of their success this season. 'It couldn't have gone any better for us so far, as we are unbeaten in the League and still in all the Cups,' said Dougherty. "We've been playing good, attacking cricket, and the results have been great and hopefully will continue. 'We always look forward to the Cup and it's certainly the one trophy I want to get every year. I'm sure it won't be an easy game but if we play to our capability, we will hopefully get through to the next round.' Donemana make the short journey to Ardmore, who currently lead the Premiership, but their recent form has seen confidence dip, losing last week against Strabane and Ballyspallen. It would take something special for the Bleachgreen side to pull off a shock. Holders Newbuildings have a tricky looking encounter away at Strabane, and it could well depend on the X-factor provided by West Indian international Peat Salmon that decides the outcome between two evenly matched teams. There's not much to choose either between Brigade and Bready, who meet at Beechgrove. Scott Macbeth has been a revelation since his switch between the clubs, and the Donegal youngster might not be too far from an international call-up if he continues his form of the past few years. Former team-mate Gavin Roulston is another young player destined for higher honours and the game could well depend on who comes out top of their own personal battle. Eglinton opener Liam Doherty is another exciting player who topped 1,000 runs last season. The hard-hitting batsman could well hold the key to improving the village side's fortunes against a Coleraine outfit who are playing with great confidence under new captain Rory Knox. The Bannsiders look to have a good blend of youth and experience in their ranks and when overseas professional Louren Steenkamp settles, they will be an even tougher proposition in the top flight.
Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Hurricanes' 15-loss streak in East finals games is over. And Rod Brind'Amour is thrilled by that
Associated Press SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Go back to June 1, 2006. Rod Brind'Amour was a captain then; he's a coach now. Logan Stankoven was 3 years old then; he's a budding star now. And in those days, when people talked about Cam Ward, they meant the goalie for the Carolina Hurricanes, not the quarterback for the Miami Hurricanes. That was also the last day on which Carolina won an Eastern Conference finals game. Until Monday, that is. It's over. Not the season. The streak. Carolina's 15-game streak of consecutive losses in the East finals ended Monday night, with the Hurricanes beating the Florida Panthers 3-0 in Game 4 of their matchup. It was Carolina's first win in the East finals since June 1, 2006 against Buffalo, a night where Brind'Amour — then the Hurricanes' captain — got the game-winning goal. 'You know what? I didn't even think about that," Brind'Amour said. 'But that's nice.' Carolina's winning goal Monday came from Stankoven, someone whose future Brind'Amour raves about. Stankoven has no idea of the circumstances surrounding what had been Carolina's most recent East finals win before Monday; considering he was a toddler when it happened, that's understandable. The odds of overcoming a 3-0 series deficit are overwhelmingly slim. A 3-1 deficit is no picnic either, but the Hurricanes at least know now that they can beat the Panthers in the playoffs. 'It's just what you can do," Stankoven said. "You start with one and go from there. We just try and preach about winning a period and going from there. And I think it was nice to get the lead tonight as well and play on our toes instead of on our heels.' Under Brind'Amour, the Hurricanes have gone to the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons but have no Stanley Cups — or even Stanley Cup Final trips — to show for it. The seven straight playoff berths is the fourth-longest active run in the NHL, behind only Toronto's nine, Colorado's eight and Tampa Bay's eight. The Lightning have two Cups in that span, the Avalanche have one. This looked like it could have been the team to change the fortunes for Carolina. The Hurricanes rolled through the first two rounds, ousting New Jersey in five games in Round 1 and then needing only five more games to eliminate NHL all-time scoring king Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in Round 2. They were a top 10 team this season in goals scored, a top 10 team this season in fewest goals allowed, had a pair of eight-game winning streaks this season and outscored the Devils and Capitals 34-18 in the first two rounds. Momentum was building until the first three games against Florida. Now going home for Game 5, the Hurricanes still have a chance. And streak talk, thankfully from Brind'Amour's perspective, will end. 'I mean, it means like nothing to these guys because half of them weren't here, but it's been a story," Brind'Amour said. "So, yeah, it's nice to not have to talk about that.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and recommended
