He will make a base salary of $700,000 this season and could earn an additional $1.3 million in bonuses based on individual and team play the rest of the regular season and during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Hurricanes sign Justin Williams to 1-year contract — ProHockeyTalk | NBC Sports…
Could a Boston Bruins in-season addition for the wing actually come via free agency? After beginning the season quasi-retired, veteran winger Justin Williams reportedly is ready to return to the NHL. Most recently with the Hurricanes, Williams’ preference reportedly is to remain with Carolina, though that would take a little creativity from general manager Don…
NHL Rumors: Bruins Showing Interest In Veteran Winger Justin Williams — NESN.com
Knicks forward Bobby Portis, right, fouls Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope during the first half Tuesday’s game at Staples Center. Portis was ejected from the game after the flagrant foul. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) New York Knicks forward Julius Randle, right, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers center JaVale McGee, center, defends and forward Anthony Davis watches…
Anthony Davis bruises back as Lakers win rough one against Knicks — Press Telegram
(16-22) PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS, 101 VS. (24-13) TORONTO RAPTORS, 99 SCOTIABANK ARENA TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2020
TORONTO RAPTORS QUOTES
NICK NURSE (HEAD COACH)
On Portland making some tough shots that were well defended … They made some deep ones and (Damian) Lillard is going to do that. I would say there was one (where) clearly I thought we made a mistake and didn’t press up on them enough. We were there, kind of, and he likes to lull you to sleep and we had done a good job … most of the night. There was one that was just clearly an offensive foul on (Hassan) Whiteside that wiped us out to tie the game and then (Carmelo Anthony) Melo hit a couple pretty good ones. We had a good chance to contest a couple of those a little harder in the corner, kind of two guys going at him and they both slowed because they almost were going to run into each other. Our own guys could have been a little better contesting and then the last shot he made a great move, he really did. He played on the catch and he got by OG (Anunoby) right away on that, so he was trailing from behind on that. But yeah, they made some good ones. Our guys played their guts out, they really played well.
On the Patrick McCaw turnover in the corner being forced … I think he went between, he threw it down I think a little too low. I think Kyle (Lowry) was there, but I don’t think he was going to have a shot, but he was there on the air pass. I just think that he threw it too hard and too low. I didn’t see that one yet on tape, but live it looked like Kyle was going to come off and catch it.
On considering going offence – defence in last few possessions … I did consider it, but I just felt like again what we would do is probably is leave Oshae (Brissett) for the perimeter shooting and take Rondae (Hollis-Jefferson) out, but we thought maybe Rondae would get an offensive rebound or something like that, a hustle play. It is six of one or the other or something, I don’t know and we wanted him out there for the defensive possessions. I think he is the one that got wiped out on that illegal screen.
RONDAE HOLLIS-JEFFERSON (eight points, six rebounds)
How did things get away at the end of the game? We kind of let their guys get hot, let them hit some shots, not being up on a couple screens, just was a step too late.
Offensively what does the team have to do down the stretch to execute better? We have to make sure that we get the best shot possible at the end of the day. Make sure we run the set that we want to do, make sure we set screens, get people open and just get the best shot possible.
OSHAE BRISSETT (12 points, six rebounds)
On getting more time on the court with starters… Those guys make the game really easy. They draw so much attention from the defence and they know when to kick it and when to drive. Any decision that they make is just what I have to live with, so it doesn’t matter how, really how they play, I just have to feed off how they are going.
KYLE LOWRY (24 points, 10 assists)
On what went wrong down the stretch… Lack of concentration, they made some big threes. They made six threes in the fourth quarter. We missed some shots, they made big shots and I think we just let them get a little too loose in the fourth quarter.
What is your view on what led to the Damian Lillard three that tied the game? A great screen and he shot it from really far. Serge (Ibaka) was trying to get up, but he didn’t get up there in time, but that’s what Dame does, he shoots the ball from far and they did a good job of executing. They stuck with their game plan and it worked out for them long term.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS QUOTES
TERRY STOTTS (HEAD COACH)
On tonight’s game… I was really proud the way our team competed tonight, particularly in the fourth quarter. We’ve had our struggles defensively in the fourth quarter throughout the season but tonight to hold them to 21 points and only give up one offensive rebound in the fourth quarter, and the way we competed being down 12 in the quarter, I was really proud the way we played.
On the last play… The play was to get the ball to Dame (Damian Lillard) but they doubled Dame on the inbounds. CJ (McCollum) broke open, made a good read to Melo (Carmelo Anthony), and that was just playing basketball. But the inbounds play to get the ball to Dame but they took him out.
On Damian Lillard’s fourth quarter… They did a good job with Dame, he only got three shots off in the first half. He kept moving back, he made some deep threes. Thankfully, he has the ability to make those threes, which opens up his drives and opens up some other things. I said it pregame about Dame, he’s competitive, and he has a strong desire to find a way to win games.
CARMELO ANTHONY (28 points, seven rebounds, two steals)
How big is this kind of road win for your team this season? As far as the season goes, I can only hope and pray that we could use this as a stepping stone, but as far as this road trip goes, it was very important for us to come back the way that we did on the road. The way that we just kind of buckled down in that second half, particularly that fourth quarter, the way we were able to make stops and get stops, and also make shots. So at the end of the day, this is a big confidence booster for us (and) big morale boost for us, especially going into the last game on this road trip where we have the opportunity to come out on the winning side.
Do you still crave opportunities to get those shots? Yeah, of course. It’s something that I will always embrace, embrace those moments and love those moments. Whenever you get a chance to have a moment like that, you have to take advantage of it. Throughout my career I’ve always been the guy that would take those shots and made a ton of them and missed a lot of them as well, but you just have to be willing and step up to take them.
Is there something special about hitting this shot? No, I don’t think it’s anything special. What’s special is that we came back and won this game. I think that’s the moment. That’s the special moment and that’s what I’ll take from this.
DAMIAN LILLARD (20 points, nine assists, four rebounds,)
How big is this road win for this team? It could be huge, especially against a really good team on the road. I think the way we did it, you know, we gave up 22 in the third, 31 in the fourth, we defended, we started to limit their second chances. I think they had one offensive rebound down the stretch. I think the way we did it is the style that we need to be able to win more games, so I think this could be one of those games that officially gets us going in the right direction. Hopefully it is.
What do you talk about at halftime to get it going in the second half? We just talked about those things. We talked about how they were just outworking us on the offensive glass getting so many second and third opportunities, so we had to put bodies on guys, on the defensive end just get a little bit more aggressive so we didn’t have to play against a set half court. Defence, all game. In the second half we did a better job of that. I thought was obvious.
FINAL SCORE: PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS 101, TORONTO RAPTORS 99
DATE: JANUARY 7, 2020 ATTENDANCE: 19,800 (Sellout)
FINAL SCORE RECORD HIGH POINTS HIGH REBOUNDS HIGH ASSISTS
Portland 101 16-22 Anthony – 28 Whiteside – 16 Lillard – 9
Toronto 99 24-13 Lowry – 24 Ibaka – 11 Lowry – 10
KEY RUN Trailing 95-88 with 3:57 to play, Portland ended the game the game on a 13-4 run … Carmelo Anthony and Damian Lillard combined for all 13 points during the run … After Damian Lillard made a 35-foot three-pointer to tie the game with 38.5 seconds left, Carmelo Anthony made the game-winning basket with just 4.1 seconds remaining … Kyle Lowry’s three-point attempt missed as time expired.
KEY STAT The Trail Blazers outscored Toronto 32-21 in the fourth quarter … Portland shot .632 (12-for-19) from the field and made six threes in the final period … The Raptors shot just .391 (9-for-23) in the fourth.
RAPTORS NOTES:
• With the loss, Toronto falls to 24-13 this season and 14-6 at home … The Raptors have dropped two of their last three games (Jan. 2-7) … Toronto plays the second game of a back-to-back set tomorrow night at Charlotte … The Raptors split the season-series with Portland for the second straight year. • Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 24 points and dished out a game-high 10 assists in 38 minutes for his fifth double-double of the season … Lowry has scored 20+ points in 10 of the last 12 games (Dec. 16 – Jan. 7); averaging 23.4 points during this stretch. • Serge Ibaka recorded his sixth straight double-double and 10th of the season with 17 points and a team-high 11 rebounds in 32 minutes … All 10 of Ibaka’s double-doubles have come in the last 15 games (Dec. 9 – Jan. 7). • Oshae Brissett scored a career-high 12 points (5-9 FG, 2-4 3PT) in 23 minutes off the bench. • The Raptors had four players score double figures – Lowry (24), Ibaka (17), Brissett (12) and Chris Boucher (12) … Boucher scored in double digits for the ninth time this season. • Matt Thomas scored eight points (2-6 FG, 2-6 3PT, 2-2 FT) in 15 minutes off the bench … Thomas returned to the lineup after missing the previous 21 games with a left middle finger injury. TRAIL BLAZERS NOTES:
• With the win, Portland improves to 16-22 on the season and 8-13 on the road … The Trail Blazers have won two of their last three games and are now 2-2 on their five-game road trip (Jan. 1-9) … Portland finishes the road trip Thursday night at Minnesota. • The Trail Blazers led for just 18 seconds … After leading 4-3 early in the first quarter, Portland didn’t take the lead again until Anthony’s basket with 4.1 seconds remaining. • Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 28 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter … Portland improved to 5-3 this season when Anthony scores 20 or more. • Hassan Whiteside recorded his sixth straight double-double (Dec. 28 – Jan. 7) and 28th of the season with 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds in 37 minutes of action. • The Trail Blazers had five players score in double digits – Anthony (28), Damian Lillard (20), Whiteside (14), Anfernee Simons (12) and CJ McCollum (10).
INJURY REPORT AT 1:30 P.M. TUESDAY
Portland Trail Blazers Collins, Zach Out Injury/Illness – Left Shoulder; Dislocation Hood, Rodney Out Injury/Illness – Left Achilles Tendon; Rupture Labissiere, Skal Out Injury/Illness – Left Knee; Inflammation McCollum, CJ Questionable Injury/Illness – Chest; Upper Respiratory illness Nurkic, Jusuf Out Injury/Illness – Left Leg; Fracture
Toronto Raptors Gasol, Marc Out Injury/Illness – Left Hamstring; Strain Hernandez, Dewan Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain Ponds, Shamorie Available – Powell, Norman Doubtful Injury/Illness – Left Shoulder; Subluxation Siakam, Pascal Out Injury/Illness – Groin; Strain VanVleet, Fred Out Injury/Illness – Right Hamstring; Strain .
GAME #37 – TORONTO RAPTORS (24-12) vs. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (15-22) TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2020 – 7 P.M. (ET) – SCOTIABANK ARENA TV: TSN – RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN
RAPTOR NOTES
• The Toronto Raptors host the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors have won eight of their last nine games against the Trail Blazers, including the first meeting this season. Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet combined for 66 points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds in a 114-106 victory Nov. 13 at Portland. Toronto has won four in a row at home vs. Portland.
• Serge Ibaka recorded his fifth straight double-double (Dec. 28 – Jan. 4) with 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds in 28 minutes Jan. 4 at Brooklyn. Ibaka and Pascal Siakam lead the Raptors with nine double-doubles this season. All nine of Ibaka’s double-doubles have come in the last 14 games (Dec. 9 – Jan. 4). He is averaging 18.4 points and 11.2 rebounds over the last five games.
• Brooklyn matched an opponent season high with 24 turnovers Saturday night, which led to 32 points for the Raptors. Toronto currently ranks second in the NBA in both opponent turnovers (16.6) and points off turnovers (19.7), behind only Chicago in both categories.
• Fred VanVleet recorded his sixth double-double of the season with a game-high of 29 points and a season high-tying 11 assists Jan. 4 at Brooklyn. Toronto is now 5-1 this season when VanVleet posts a double-double. VanVleet has scored 20+ points 14 times this year, including four of the last seven games.
• Toronto shot .406 from 3-point range (13-for-32) Jan. 4 at Brooklyn. The Raptors improved to 12-3 this season when they shoot 40 per cent from 3-point distance. Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet led the attack from beyond the arc with five 3s apiece in Saturday night’s victory.
• Rondae Hollis-Jefferson paced the reserves with 10 points and set a season high with four steals in 26 minutes Jan. 4 at Brooklyn. Hollis-Jefferson has now scored in double digits in three consecutive games (Dec. 31 – Jan. 4). He is averaging 12.3 points and is shooting .467 (14-for-30) from the field during this stretch. Hollis-Jefferson ranks second on the team with 62 offensive rebounds this season.
• Chris Boucher is one of the six current NBA players from the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, which is slightly more than 100 miles south of Portland. Boucher leads the team in offensive rebounds (67) and ranks second in blocks (28) despite coming off the bench in all 33 of his appearances this season.
• Marc Gasol (left hamstring; strain), Pascal Siakam (groin; stretch) and Norman Powell (left shoulder; subluxation) were all injured Dec. 18 at Detroit. Toronto is 5-4 over the last nine games without them. The Raptors are averaging 108.1 points and shooting .443 (347-for-783) from the field during this span.
• Kyle Lowry needs 79 assists to tie Jose Calderon (3,770) as the Raptors’ all-time leader in assists. Lowry is already the franchise leader in three-point field goals (1,302), steals (775) and playoff victories (37). Lowry has recorded 10+ assists 110 times – second most in team history behind only Calderon (141).
• Terence Davis ll is one of five rookies who has played in all games for their team this season, along with Darius Bazley (Oklahoma City), Darius Garland (Cleveland), Kendrick Nunn (Miami) and Coby White (Chicago). Only two rookies have played in every game of a season for the Raptors: Vince Carter in 1998– 99 (which was a lockout-shortened 50-game season) and Matt Bonner (2004–05).
POSSIBLE STARTERS
F – PATRICK McCAW #22
MIN: 26.3 REB: 2.5 AST: 1.9 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.1 BLK: 0.1 PTS: 6.1
• Recorded eight points, three rebounds and one assist in 25 minutes Jan. 4 at Brooklyn. • Averaging 8.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 29.6 minutes in nine games as a starter. • Has played at least 20 minutes in a career-long 12 straight games (Dec. 14 – Jan. 4).
F – OG ANUNOBY #3
IN: 26.3 REB: 2.5 AST: 1.9 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.1 BLK: 0.1 PTS: 6.1
• Contributed seven points, three rebounds and one assist in 29 minutes Jan. 4 at Brooklyn. • Toronto is 15-4 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points. • Shooting a career-best .494 (153-310) from the field, including 50 per cent (13-for-26) over the last three games.
C – SERGE IBAKA #9 •
MIN: 25.6 REB: 8.2 AST: 1.2 STL: 0.5 TO: 2.0 BLK: 1.0 PTS: 14.5
Recorded ninth double-double of the season with 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds Jan. 4 at Brooklyn. • Averaging 17.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 31.7 minutes in nine games as a starter. • Has scored in double figures in 16 of the last 18 games (Dec. 1 – Jan. 4), including six 20-point outings.
G – KYLE LOWRY #7
MIN: 38.3 REB: 4.7 AST: 7.4 STL: 1.2 TO: 3.1 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 20.9
• Recorded 26 points, five assists and four rebounds in 43 minutes of play Jan. 4 at Brooklyn. • Has made at least two three-pointers in 12 straight games (Dec. 14 – Jan. 4); totaled 42 threes during this span. • December was the first calendar month in which he averaged 20 points and eight assists since December 2014.
G- TERENCE DAVIS II #0
MIN: 16.8 REB: 3.0 AST: 1.8 STL: 0.5 TO: 0.9 BLK: 0.2 PTS: 6.9
• Matched a career-high with 19 points Dec. 31 vs. Cleveland. • Scored in double digits in four-of-five games (Nov. 18-27); averaged 13.4 points. • Scored 15 points and led the team in assists for the first time with five in 29 minutes Nov. 27 vs. New York. • Set career highs with 19 points (7-10 FG, 3-5 3PT, 2-2 FT) and eight rebounds in 27 minutes Nov. 20 vs. Orlando. • Recorded 16 points and a career-best seven assists Nov. 18 vs. Charlotte; scored all 16 points in the fourth quarter.
LAST TIME VS. PORTLAND
GAME 11 – NOVEMBER 13, 2019 TORONTO 114, PORTLAND 106 PORTLAND — The Raptors held Damian Lillard to just nine points in a 114-106 win over the Portland Trail Blazers … Pascal Siakam scored 36 points and Fred VanVleet had 30 … Siakam scored 13 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter to help close out the Trail Blazers and help Toronto bounce back from Monday night’s loss to the L.A. Clippers … Rodney Hood led the Blazers with 25 points … Lillard had 2-fof-12 shooting from the field and was 2 of 7 from 3-point range … He did dish 10 assists … CJ McCollum also pitched in 18 points while Anfernee Simons had 17 off the bench … The Raptors attacked in waves, with Siakam scoring seven straight points to close the third quarter and give the Raptors an 87-78 lead heading into the fourth … The Raptors also got solid bench contributions from Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Terence Davis (15 points) … The Blazers went on an 11-2 run to start the fourth quarter, tying the game at 89 with 9:06 left as Lillard watched from the bench … A dunk by Hollis-Jefferson with 5:29 left gave the Raptors a 10194 lead … Another jumper by Siakam with 3:38 remaining gave the Raptors a 108-94 lead, their largest of the game.
1 2 3 4 TOT
TORONTO 23 31 33 27 114
PORTLAND 30 23 25 28 106
PORTLAND’S POSSIBLE STARTERS
Forward 24 Kent Bazemore 6-5 200 7.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.4 apg
Forward 00 Carmelo Anthony 6-8 240 16.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.3 apg
Center 21 Hassan Whiteside 7-1 265 15.9 ppg, 13.9 rpg, 1.2 apg
Guard 2 Gary Trent Jr. 6-6 205 4.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.5 apg
Guard 0 Damian Lillard 6-3 195 27.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 7.6 apg
Tuesday’s game will round out the two regular season meetings between the Trail Blazers and the Raptors during the 2019-20 season. Toronto leads the season series, 1-0.
• LAST MEETING: Toronto took down Portland 114-106 on November 13. Rodney Hood paced Portland with 25 points (9-15 FG, 5-10 3-PT, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and one assist, while Pascal Siakham led Toronto with 36 points (15-28 FG, 4-7 3-PT, 2-3 FT), six rebounds and three assists.
• FROM DOWNTOWN: Portland has made at least 13 three-pointers in each of its last three games against Toronto, including a 17-of-48 (35.4%) shooting performance in the previous matchup on November 13. Portland’s 17 three-pointers represent the team’s second-highest total of the season.
• CJ McCollum scored 19 points (8-18 FG, 3-7 3-PT) to go with six rebounds and four assists against the Raptors on Nov. 13. McCollum is 12-of-23 (52.2%) from beyond the arc in his last three matchups with the Raptors, including tying his career high with seven 3-PM on March 1, 2019.
• Hassan Whiteside recorded 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting to go with nine rebounds and three assists on against Toronto on Nov. 13.
• Damian Lillard had nine points and 10 assists against Toronto on Nov. 13. It was just the second time in his career that he has scored in single-digits against the Raptors, and he has scored at least 20 points in 12 of his 15 career outings against Toronto.
• Kyle Lowry has scored 15-plus points in each of his last six games against the Trail Blazers. He made at least three three-pointers in five of those contests, shooting 23-of-48 (47.9%) from deep in that six-game span.
• In the previous meeting with Portland, Fred VanVleet scored 30 points (10-16 FG, 4-6 3-PT, 6-6 FT) to go with four rebounds and seven assists. It was his third career game with at least 30 points, and third consecutive game scoring in double-figures against the Trail Blazers.
• CONNECTION: Portland forward Anthony Tolliver and Toronto forward Stanley Johnson were teammates in Detroit during the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons.
• CONNECTION: Trail Blazers forward Mario Hezonja and Raptors forward Serge Ibaka were teammates in Orlando during the 2016-17 season.
TORONTO RAPTORS ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 28-18 IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 15-8 AT THE RAPTORS: Trail Blazers lead 13-10 LAST PORTLAND WIN: 128-122, 3/12/18 (Por.) LAST RAPTORS WIN: 114-106, 12/14/18 (Por.) CURRENT WIN STREAK: Two (Tor.)
DAME DROPPING 30: With 34 points (11-22 FG, 6-12 3-PT, 6-7 FT) against the Heat on Jan. 5, Damian Lillard scored 30-plus points for the fifth time in the last six games and the 14th time this season, which is tied for the fifth-most in the NBA. With 39 points at the Warriors on Nov. 4, Lillard (141 career 30-point games) passed Clyde Drexler (130) for the most such games in franchise history. ANT MAN: Anfernee Simons recorded 19 points (8-15 FG, 2-6 3-PT, 1-1 FT) to go with four rebounds and four assists at Miami on Jan. 5. It marked his secon-highest scoring game of the season. Simons has scored in double figures 19 times this season.
WHITESIDE DOUBLE-DOUBLES: With 21 points (9-12 FG, 3-3 FT) and 18 rebounds at Miami on Jan. 5, Hassan Whiteside notched his 27th double-double of the season, the fifth-most in the NBA. Whiteside has recorded a double-double with at least two blocks 23 times this season, the most in the NBA. LEAGUE LEADERS: Damian Lillard ranks seventh in the NBA in scoring (27.1) and is seventh in the league in assists (7.6). CJ McCollum ranks 20th in the league in scoring (22.3). Hassan Whiteside ranks fourth in the league in rebounds (13.9), is first in blocks (2.79) and is eighth in field goal percentage (60.4%).
20/20 VISION: Hassan Whiteside recorded 23 points (8-14 FG, 7-8 FT), 21 rebounds and five blocks at Washington on Jan. 3. It marked the third game of 20-plus points, 20-plus rebounds and five-plus blocks in Trail Blazers history (Nurkic, twice) and was the second such game in the NBA this season (Drummond). Whiteside is averaging 20.3 points, 17.0 rebounds and 3.33 blocks in the 2020 calendar year.
DAME TIME: Damian Lillard scored 13 of Portland’s fourth quarter points at Washington on Jan. 3. Lillard ranks fourth in the NBA in second half scoring (15.3) and eighth in the NBA in fourth quarter scoring (7.1).
MELO NIGHT: With a season-high 26 points (11-17 FG, 3-5 3-PT, 1-2 FT) against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 1, Carmelo Anthony recorded his 760th career game with 20-plus points, which is the ninth-most 20-point games in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain ranks eighth with 771.
REBOUND MACHINE: Hassan Whiteside had 21 rebounds at Washington on Jan. 3. Whiteside hauled in a season-high 23 rebounds against Golden State on Dec. 18, 22 rebounds against Minnesota on Dec. 21, and 22 rebounds again on Dec. 30 against Phoenix. Whiteside is one of three players in the NBA with multiple 20-rebound games this season.
DAME DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Damian Lillard logged 34 points (11-22 FG, 6-12 3-PT, 6-7 FT), one rebound and 12 assists against the Heat on Jan. 5, marking his eighth double-double of the season. It was the 22nd game in his career that Lillard recorded at least 30 points and 10 assists.
HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE
On how tough it was to take Andersen out of the game in the second period:
Not all that tough, really, to be honest. We only have about five seconds to make that decision and just through experience more than anything in that scenario is kind of why I made it pretty quickly. But, before I did, I just told our team I’m not going to let Freddie play behind that. That’s not fair to him. To that point I felt like he already had almost a full game worth of work. We made the change, sometimes you make those changes and it gets your team’s attention. Obviously, we didn’t get their attention in the first intermission like we would have liked to, like we thought that we would have or thought that we did. It didn’t transfer to the ice, so I had to do something such as that to get our team’s attention and to save Freddie from what was happening.
On what he said to Andersen on the bench:
I just told him exactly that. I said I wasn’t going to let them play behind that. I didn’t think it was fair to him, so we needed to make a change. We had no issue with anything that he was doing in the net. Like I said, it’s almost a full game’s worth of work to that point.
On the difference between tonight’s defensive play and Saturday’s defensive play:
Significantly different. Just from the start of the game it didn’t seem like it was going to be our day today. We just — from our touches of the puck to how competitive we were or non-competitive we were on loose puck situations; it just wasn’t to the same level that we’ve had. And, all that said, you’ve got to give some credit to Edmonton. They played really well today. Right from the drop of the puck it was pretty clear that they were here for a reason today. They played at another level, a higher level than we did today, and, I would say, a higher level than any of our opponents we’ve played for quite some time.
On if he felt the third Edmonton goal coming:
I wasn’t really feeling the third goal coming, no. I think you’re still in a little bit of shock and disappointment with what happens on the second goal, to be honest. As I said, we tried to reset the team in the first intermission. Reset the team with the fact that we weren’t playing well and what we weren’t doing well enough and then, also, just sort of instill some confidence in the fact that it’s just with all that incurred, we were still down one and had some great looks. Perhaps could have gotten out of that period with some of our chances that we had — [Tavares] was in point blank there, it could have been even. So try to build some confidence on that fact that if we could just dust ourselves off and play like we’re capable of it would have been okay. That response was disappointing, so it was a little bit of a shock and disappointment there with how that second goal transpired. We just completely lost our structure defensively, which clearly was a focus of ours yesterday and today in terms of maintaining that structure, not opening up the ice like we did for 97. When you open up the ice for him, it’s going to make life easy for him, as it was today.
MICHAEL HUTCHINSON (13 SAVES)
On entering the game in the second period:
I think when you get the call it’s about not being too amped up. Your heartrate goes from resting to all of a sudden, a surge of adrenaline but, as a goalie, you need to be relaxed. So it’s just one of those things with experience you maybe try to calm yourself down a bit, take a few deep breaths and come in and just try to get moving right off the start to try and loosen up. There are things I try to do in-between periods every single game to stay loose and ready because sitting on the bench for long periods of time is tough if you do happen to go in, it doesn’t happen often, but when it does you have to be ready.
AUSTON MATTHEWS (1 GOAL)
On tonight’s start:
I don’t think we really came out too strong and they really dictated the play the first 10 minutes and it was back in our heels. Not fun, that’s for sure.
On the team’s reaction to Andersen being taken out of the game:
I think it’s more of a wakeup call for the players on the ice and in the game. There’s nothing — we just kind of left Freddie out to dry there. I think for a guy like him who does so much for us night-in, night-out for us every night, the opportunities and chances that we were giving them, it’s really not fair to him to just leave him out to dry like that. It’s definitely not on Freddie at all, we were just giving away too many clean and clean opportunities.
On Connor McDavid’s performance:
We just gave him way too much space. He’s the most dangerous player in the world for a reason so if you just let him fly through the neutral zone with the speed and skill that he has, he’s going to make us pay. That’s what he did tonight.
MORGAN RIELLY (24:08 TOI)
On the challenges of playing against Connor McDavid:
Yeah, obviously good player, but it’s more than that. It’s a team game so obviously, a tough loss but we’ve been going good for a while now, so we’ll regroup tomorrow and get back at it.
On the goaltending change in the second period:
Well, the first couple goals aren’t on Freddie, I think everyone knows that. I think when you do that, that’s the idea – to try and provide a spark and I think it did for a little bit, but obviously as players we’ve got to respond more and respond better and obviously do a better job for Freddie off the start.
JOHN TAVARES (19:34 TOI)
On tonight’s performance:
We just seemed flat early, they got a lot of energy from it and got some early looks, obviously built up a lead. We gave ourselves a chance, we just didn’t do a good enough job defending and playing with the puck, keeping possession and being able to break them down.
On what the team can learn from tonight:
Yeah, just got to execute better. For whatever reason there are going to be nights maybe you don’t feel it as well as you do other nights. We’ve got to find a way to turn momentum when we get off to the start that we did. Just be better than that. So, yeah, just disappointing, I think. We’ve been playing some good hockey and doing good things, so to have one like tonight is frustrating and so back to work tomorrow and a great opportunity on Wednesday to get back on the right side of it.
EDMONTON OILERS (23-17-5 – 51 Points) vs.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (24-15-5 – 53 Points)
MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2020
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | FINAL | |
| EDMONTON | 1 | 3 | 2 | – | 6 |
| TORONTO | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | 4 |
GAME SUMMARY | EVENT SUMMARY | FACEOFF SUMMARY
ON THE SCORESHEET
SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| EDMONTON | 17 (16) | 9 (9) | 9 (4) | – | 35 (29) |
| TORONTO | 11 (10) | 18 (12) | 7 (4) | – | 36 (26) |
SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| EDMONTON | 33 (24) | 13 (13) | 19 (10) | – | 65 (47) |
| TORONTO | 15 (14) | 30 (21) | 13 (9) | – | 58 (44) |
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
| Record at Home | 11-5-5 (21 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Edmonton | 52-43-8-1 (104 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Edmonton at Home | 29-18-2-0 (49 Games) |
| Record vs. Western Conference | 11-6-0 (17 Games) |
| Record vs. Pacific Division | 6-3-0 (9 Games) |
| Attendance | 19,507 |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| Shots | 5 (Barrie, Matthews) |
| Shot Attempts | 7 (Barrie, Hyman, Matthews) |
| Faceoff Wins | 13 (Tavares) |
| Faceoff Win Percentage | 100% (Kerfoot – 6 won, 0 lost; Engvall – 2 won, 0 lost) |
| Hits | 4 (Hyman) |
| Blocked Shots | 5 (Marincin) |
| Takeaways | 2 (Marner) |
| TOI | 24:08 (Barrie, Rielly) |
| Power Play TOI | 3:24 (Five players tied) |
| Shorthanded TOI | 5:55 (Ceci) |
| Shifts | 24 (Marner) |
| 5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage | 77.8% (Gauthier – 7 for, 2 against) |
RECORD WHEN…
| Opponent scores first | 8-10-4 |
| Trail after 1 | 3-8-2 |
| Trail after 2 | 2-9-2 |
| Score one power play goal | 9-4-3 |
| Allow one power play goal | 11-7-3 |
| Outshot by opponent | 11-5-2 |
| Monday | 1-2-1 |
OF NOTE…
UPCOMING GAMES:
EDMONTON OILERS (22-17-5 – 49 Points) vs.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (24-14-5 – 53 Points)
JANUARY 6, 2020 ▪ 7:00 PM EST
SCOTIABANK ARENA (TORONTO, ON) ▪
TV: TSN4 ▪ RADIO: TSN 1050
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus EDMONTON
| ALL-TIME RECORD: | 52-42-8-1 (103 Games) |
| ALL-TIME AT HOME: | 29-17-2-0 (48 Games) |
| 2019-20: | 1-0-0 |
| LAST FIVE: | 5-0-0 |
| LAST 10: | 8-2-0 |
MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus EDMONTON
| GAMES PLAYED: | Jake Muzzin (31), Jason Spezza (28), Tyson Barrie (21) |
| GOALS: | Tyson Barrie (8), Jason Spezza (8), John Tavares (6) |
| ASSISTS: | Jason Spezza (17), Tyson Barrie (12), John Tavares (12) |
| POINTS: | Jason Spezza (25), Tyson Barrie (20), John Tavares (18) |
| PENALTY MINUTES: | Jake Muzzin (20), Jason Spezza (10), Morgan Rielly (8) |
MAPLE LEAFS – OILERS TEAM STATS
| TORONTO | EDMONTON | |
| GOALS FOR (Rank): | 154 (2nd) | 129 (t-16th) |
| GOALS AGAINST (Rank): | 133 (t-16th) | 137 (t-24th) |
| POWER PLAY [%] (Rank): | 28/116 [24.4%] (6th) | 18/92 [29.6%] (1st) |
| PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank): | 93/123 [75.6%] (26th) | 104/125 [83.2%] (4th) |
| SHOTS (Rank): | 1436 (4th) | 1278 (24th) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank): | 2195 (3rd) | 1826 (23rd) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank): | 52.7% (5th) | 47.4% (t-27th) |
| FACEOFF % (Rank): | 52.5% (t-3rd) | 48.4% (27th) |
MAPLE LEAFS – OILERS NOTES
| FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS: | November 11, 1979 (Toronto 6, Edmonton 3) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD: | 52-42-8-1 (103 Games) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME: | 29-17-2-0 (48 Games) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD: | 23-25-6-1 (55 Games) |
| LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT AT HOME: | February 26, 2019 (Toronto 6, Edmonton 2) |
MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. OILERS
| Frederik Andersen | 200th NHL win (December 14, 2019 at EDM) |
| Tyson Barrie | 200th NHL assist (November 11, 2018 (COL) at EDM) |
| Martin Marincin | Selected by Edmonton in the second round (46th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. Skated in 85 games with the Oilers from 2013-15. |
| Jake Muzzin | Recorded his 100th NHL point (January 30, 2014 (LAK) at EDM) |
| Jason Spezza | 500th NHL game (February 12, 2011 (OTT) at EDM) |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| CATEGORY | LEADER |
| GOALS | 28 (Matthews) |
| ASSISTS | 29 (Marner) |
| POINTS | 51 (Matthews) |
| POWER PLAY POINTS | 15 (Matthews) |
| SHORTHANDED POINTS | 2 (Engvall, Kapanen) |
| PIMs | 34 (Muzzin) |
| SHOTS | 156 (Matthews) |
| FACEOFF WIN% | 58.0% (Gauthier) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % | 55.8% (Nylander) |
| BLOCKED SHOTS | 69 (Ceci, Muzzin) |
| TAKEAWAYS | 48 (Marner) |
| HITS | 87 (Muzzin) |
| TOI PER GAME | 24:20 (Rielly) |
| PP TOI PER GAME | 3:00 (Marner) |
| SH TOI PER GAME | 2:58 (Ceci) |
MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES
| Frederik Andersen | – Is 9-4-4 at home this season with a 3.00 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. – Has made 13 career appearances against the Oilers and is 12-0-1 with a 2.07 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage.- Leads the NHL in wins (21).- Second in the NHL in saves (961) and second in even-strength saves (810).- Fifth in the NHL in shootout saves (11). |
| Tyson Barrie | – Has four multi-assist games, which is tied for 11th-most among NHL defencemen.- Is tied for ninth among NHL defencemen in multi-point games (7) – One of 17 NHL defencemen to have recorded at least 100 shots on goal (112).- Has 20 points (8 goals, 12 assists) in 21 career games against the Oilers. Edmonton is one of three teams Barrie has recorded at least 20 points against in his career to-date. |
| Cody Ceci | – 13th among NHL skaters in shorthanded time on ice (127:29).- Has played 61.7 percent of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time, which is tied for the 15th-highest shorthanded time on ice percentage among NHLers who have appeared in at least 30 games. |
| Pierre Engvall | – Ranks second among NHL rookies who have appeared in at least 20 games in goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time (1.10).- Averages 5.1 shots on goal per 60 minutes of ice time while shorthanded. |
| Justin Holl | – Has started 44.6 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which is the lowest mark among Toronto defencemen who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Has an unblocked shot attempt percentage of 53.7 percent at 5-on-5, which is the highest percentage among Toronto defencemen who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Has a 5-on-5 on-ice goals-for percentage of 57.8 percent, which is the highest percentage among Maple Leafs defencemen who have appeared in at least 20 games. |
| Michael Hutchinson | – Earned his first shutout of 2019-20 on January 4 vs. New York.- Leads NHL goaltenders who have appeared in 10 or fewer games in saves (283). |
| Zach Hyman | – Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 53.6 percent, which is eighth among Toronto skaters who have played 20 games.- Has an on-ice goals for percentage of 56.7 percent at 5-on-5, which is sixth among Toronto skaters who have played 20 games. – Averaging 15:27 per game in 5-on-5 ice time, which ranks seventh among Maple Leafs. |
| Kasperi Kapanen | – Tied for fourth among Maple Leafs in points (2-3-5; 5 GP) since the Christmas break.- Has scored 10 goals this season, which is tied for ninth most among NHLers with no power play goals.- Tied for sixth among Toronto skaters in even-strength points (8-11-19). |
| Alex Kerfoot | – Tied for seventh among Maple Leafs in even-strength goals (6). – Ninth among Maple Leafs in even-strength points (6-8-14).- Only Toronto forward to have recorded at least 25 hits (32) and 25 blocked shots (26) this season. |
| Mitch Marner | – Averaging 1.25 points per game, which is the 10th-highest average among NHLers who have played in at least 30 games.- Averaging 1.29 primary assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is eighth among NHLers who have appeared in at least 30 games.- Tied for 12th in the NHL in primary assists (18). His 18 primary assists are tied for the most among NHLers who have appeared in fewer than 40 games.- Second in the NHL in takeaways (48).- 11th among NHL forwards in shifts per game (25.1). |
| Auston Matthews | – Second among NHL skaters in goals (28).- First NHLer to score 20 even-strength goals this season. Currently leads the League with 21 even-strength goals.- Leads the NHL in goals scored at 5-on-5 (19).- Leads the NHL in multi-goal games (7).- Tied for eighth among NHL skaters in even-strength points (21-15-36).- Seventh in the NHL with 156 shots on goal. |
| William Nylander | – Averages 1.25 goals per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which ranks second among Toronto skaters and is tied for 18th among NHL skaters.- One of nine NHLers to average at least 14:00 minutes per game at 5-on-5 (14:32) while maintaining a goal per 60-minute rate of at least 1.2 (1.24).- Has recorded eight points (2-6-8) in seven career games against the Oilers. |
| Morgan Rielly | – Tied for 13th among NHL defencemen in even-strength points (3-15-18).- Tied for fifth among NHL defencemen in assists recorded at 5-on-5 (14).- 13th among NHL skaters in TOI per game (24:20).- Tied for 10th among NHL skaters in shifts per game (28.4).- Averaging 13.8 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time, which ranks ninth among NHL defencemen who have appeared in at least 30 games. |
| Jason Spezza | – Has seven points (2-5-7) in 13 games against Western Conference opponents.- Averaging 2.26 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is the fifth-highest average among Toronto skaters.- Averaging 1.44 assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which ranks third among Maple Leafs. |
| John Tavares | – One of 25 NHLers to have appeared in at least 30 games (36) and average at least 1.00 point per game (1.00).- Tied for 16th among NHL skaters in multi-point games (12).- Tied for 21st among NHLers in even-strength goals (13). His 13 even-strength goals are tied for third among NHLers who have appeared in less than 40 games.- Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 55.3 percent, which is tied for 11th among NHL centres who have appeared in 30 games.- Averaging 17.9 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is the third-highest average among NHL centres who have appeared in 30 games.- Averaging 9.2 shots on goal at 5-on-5 per 60 minutes of ice time, which is ninth among NHL centres who have appeared in 30 games. |
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
| Pierre Engvall | Has goals (2) in two consecutive games. |
| Kasperi Kapanen | Has assists (2) and points (1-2-3) in two consecutive games. |
| Mitch Marner | Has points (1-4-5) in four consecutive games. |
| Auston Matthews | Has assists (4) and points (4-4-8) in four consecutive games. |
UPCOMING MILESTONES
| Alex Kerfoot | Five games from 200 NHL games |
| Jason Spezza | Four games from 1,100 NHL games |
RECENT MILESTONES
| Adam Brooks | First NHL point (Assist) (January 2 at WPG) |
| Alex Kerfoot | 100th NHL point (December 31 at MIN) |
| Mason Marchment | First NHL game (January 2 at WPG) |
| William Nylander | 200th NHL point (Goal) (January 2 at WPG) |
INJURY REPORT
| Adam Brooks (Flu) | Did not play on January 4 vs. New York. |
| Andreas Johnsson (Leg) | On injured reserve. |
| Ilya Mikheyev (Wrist Laceration) | On injured reserve. |
| Trevor Moore (Concussion) | On injured reserve. |
| Jake Muzzin (Foot) | Is week-to-week with a broken foot sustained on December 27 at New Jersey. |
| Man Games Lost: 96 |
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
| January 4 | Loaned defenceman Teemu Kivihalme to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| January 1 | Recalled forward Mason Marchment from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| December 30 | Loaned defenceman Timothy Liljegren to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| December 30 | Recalled defencemen Teemu Kivihalme and Timothy Liljegren from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
OILERS NOTES
Monday’s game will mark the second of two meetings against Toronto this season (Dec. 14 L: 4-1, Jan. 6). The last time these teams met was on December 14th in Edmonton, where the Leafs topped the Oilers 4-1.
James Neal leads the Oilers in career points against Toronto (15) and Riley Sheahan leads the team in career games (24) against the Leafs.
HATS OFF – REAL DEAL NEAL James Neal posted a hat trick on Dec. 31 vs. New York Rangers, marking his second hat trick this season. The hat trick was the 9th of his career and Neal is the only active player in the NHL to record hat tricks with four different NHL franchises (PIT: 3, NSH: 2, DAL: 1, EDM: 2). Neal is the fifth player to record multiple hat trick’s in his first regular season with the Oilers (NHL debut or otherwise). Both of Neal’s hat trick’s this season have come against teams from the state of New York (NYI/NYR).
END OF A DECADE The Oilers closed out a decade in 2019 with a 7-5 win over the New York Rangers on Dec. 31. The win marked the Oilers first win in a New Year’s Eve game since 1985, when the Oilers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3. An Oilers player has scored the final NHL goal in each of the past two decades. 2000’s – Shawn Horcoff 2010’s – Kailer Yamamoto
YAMAMOTO NAMED AHL ALL STAR Yamamoto was also named to the AHL All-Star Game on Jan. 3, which will take place on Jan. 26-27 in Ontario, California. He has posted 16 points (8G-8A) in 23 games with the Condors this season and leads the team with three game-winning goals and leads all AHL rookies in shooting percentage. Yamamoto was selected by Edmonton in the 1st round, 22nd overall in the 2017 NHL Draft.
NHL ALL-STAR GAME – MCDAVID & DRAISAITL NAMED TO PACIFIC DIVISION ROSTER Leon Draisaitl was named to the Pacific Division roster for the NHL All-Star game, along with teammate Connor McDavid who was named the Pacific Division captain.
2020 NHL ALL-STAR LAST MEN IN VOTE PRESENTED BY ADIDAS Edmonton Oilers: Media Notes Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was added as the Edmonton Oilers representative for the ‘2020 Last Men In’ fan vote presented by adidas to decide the final player spot for the Pacific Division. Leon Draisaitl won the 2019 NHL Last Men In vote. Voting for the Last Men In opened Wednesday, Jan. 1, at 12 p.m. ET and closes Friday, Jan. 10, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Pacific Division (2020 Last Men In Vote) Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Getzlaf (F) Arizona Coyotes: Clayton Keller (F) Calgary Flames: Johnny Gaudreau (F) Edmonton Oilers: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (F) Los Angeles Kings: Drew Doughty (D) San Jose Sharks: Tomas Hertl (F) Vancouver Canucks: Quinn Hughes (D) Vegas Golden Knights: Max Pacioretty (F)
ONE-TWO PUNCH Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl rank 1st and 2nd in NHL scoring with 65 points each. McDavid has points in eight of his last 12 games, posting 13 points (4G, 9A), including a goal on Jan. 4 at BOS. McDavid has points in 22 of his last 29 games, posting 42 points (17G, 25A) and has posted 34 points (12G, 22A) in his last 24 games. He also has points in four of his last five games (2G, 2A). Draisaitl registered two points (1G, 1A) on Jan. 4 at BOS, giving him points in 13 of his last 16 games (8G, 9A, 17PTS) and points in four of his last five games (2G, 3A). Draisaitl has now recorded points in 28 of his last 33 games, posting 49 points (18G, 31A), registering five two-goal games and 18 multi-point games on the season. Draisaitl is just one of four NHL players to post a point streak of at least 13 games this season (Marchand, MacKinnon, Pastrnak). Draisaitl ranks 4th with 38 even strength points, while McDavid ranks 9th with 36. McDavid ranks 1st in the league with 29 power play points and Draisaitl 2nd with 27 power play points.
PUTTING IN THE TIME Defenceman Oscar Klefbom ranks 2nd in the NHL in total ice time (1130:12), averaging 25:41 per game which ranks 3rd . On Nov. 19 at San Jose, Klefbom posted a career high 31:38 of ice time, Klefbom’s ice time was the most by an Oiler in a regulation 60 minute game in nearly 14 years, dating back to Chris Pronger’s 31:51 on Jan. 16, 2006 against Buffalo. Leon Draisaitl in and Connor McDavid rank first and second in both total and average ice-time among all NHL forwards. Draisaitl has 990:38 in total ice-time, averaging 22:31 per game, while McDavid is at 974:29 in total ice-time, averaging 22:09 per game.
REAL TIME STATS – OILERS TOP 10 PERFORMERS Blocked Shots Oscar Klefbom – 1st – NHL (138) Kris Russell – 8th – NHL (88) Takeaways Connor McDavid – 9th – NHL (40) REAL TIME STATS – TEAM RANKINGS Blocked Shots – 671 (2nd) Hits – (949) 10th Takeaways – 360 (6th) INJURY REPORT 2019-20 Man games lost: 140
PLAYER INJURY DATE GAMES F ***Kyle Brodziak (Back) Oct. 2 – Present 44 D *Matt Benning (Concussion) Dec. 1 – Present 15 F Joakim Nygard (Foot) Dec. 14 1 NOTE – The Oilers had 200 man games lost in 2018-19. *on IR (Injured Reserve) **on INR (Injured – Non-Roster) ***on LTIR (Long Term Injured Reserve)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS Dec. 8 F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was activated off injured reserve; F Colby Cave was assigned to Bakersfield (AHL) Dec. 9 D Caleb Jones was recalled from Bakersfield (AHL); D Joel Persson was assigned to Bakersfield (AHL) Dec. 28 F Markus Granlund and D Brandon Manning were placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Bakersfield (AHL) Dec. 29 F Kailer Yamamoto and D William Lagesson were recalled from Bakersfield (AHL); F Markus Granlund and D Brandon Manning were assigned to Bakersfield.
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BROOKLYN — It’s not easy winning in the NBA when you are fully healthy? It’s obviously tougher winning when you’re not. And when you’re not and it’s two starters, including your first scoring option and your defensive general and your best scoring option off the bench, well, good luck. Somehow the Raptors have kept their […]
Raps high level, ever-changing defence has been a blessing — Toronto Sun
TORONTO MARLIES (20-12-2-1 – 43 Points) vs. LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS (13-18-1-4 – 31 Points)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 2020
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | FINAL | |
| LEHIGH VALLEY | 2 | 0 | 2 | – | 4 |
| TORONTO | 0 | 0 | 2 | – | 2 |
GAME SUMMARY | GAME SHEET | PHOTOS | SCRUMS
SCORING SUMMARY
Lehigh Valley: G. Fitzgerald (5) (K. Gabriel, C. Bigras), P. Laberge (7) (G. Rubtsov, N. Prosser), C. Bunnaman (3) (D. Kase), M. Frost (6) EN (Unassisted)
Goaltender: A. Lyon (25/27)
Toronto: T. Liljegren (4) (T. Gaudet), G. Fiore (1) (T. Liljegren, M. Read)
Goaltender: J. Woll (31/34)
ON THE SCORESHEET
OF NOTE…
REGULAR SEASON LEADERS
RECORD WHEN…
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
MARLIES UPDATES.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH GREG MOORE
On today’s game:
They were hard and heavy. They definitely had some energy. They kept it simple, they just got pucks in behind our D, made it tough on us to have to get out of our end. We came up a bit short tonight. Although they made it difficult on us and the result was not what we wanted, I still thought there were some pieces of our game that are still moving in the right direction. These guys have gone through a lot in the last month and a half within the chemistry of the team and some changes. I think naturally these things happen where they might feel like they’re going through a process. I’m happy right now with what the process is. We have the right guys in the room, they’re saying the right things, they’re doing the right things. Again, tonight the result wasn’t there but I’m excited about what the next few weeks will hold for this group.
On what he expects from the upcoming Boat Show road trip:
Simple road hockey, I guess. I think it will be a good time on the road for me to spend more time with the team and get to know more guys individually and continue to build those relationships, I think it’s very important. I think if we have the right approach and the right mindset within this road trip, we can gain some momentum for our club.
On Joseph Woll:
Yeah, in the second period he really kept us in it. We had a hard time again, like yesterday in the second period, coming out of our end. Second period is just a different period, your line changes are further away. We have to manage those things a little bit better, we’ll learn from that. He definitely gave us a chance to win tonight.
On what he liked from his team in the third period:
The desperation to win battles, the desperation to keep it simple and do the right things and play heavy. Like I said, there’s things that we’re doing better, we’re doing well. We’ve just got to keep building on it and find consistency but we’re seeing signs in the third period.
NEXT GAME:
January 10 at Texas – 7:00 p.m. CST
January 11 at Texas – 7:00 p.m. CST
January 12 at San Antonio – 3:00 p.m. CST
January 16 at San Antonio – 7:00 p.m. CST
January 18 at Charlotte – 6:00 p.m. ET
The view from left field 