Saturday Sports: Oilers Draw Even

NHL

• Connor Brown scored after getting hit in the mouth by a skate Friday night and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Dallas Stars 3-0 in Game 2 to tie the NHL Western Conference final 1-1. Brett Kulak and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had the other Edmonton goals while Stuart Skinner earned a 25-save shutout.
• Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett and the Florida Panthers hope to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in the NHL Eastern Conference final on Saturday. Verhaeghe and Bennett have 13 points apiece to lead Florida in post-season points. Verhaeghe has five goals and eight assists and Bennett has nine goals and four assists.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs will not have a new president once Brendan Shanahan’s contract runs out. Keith Pelley, the president and chief executive officer of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, says he is looking to work closer with general manager Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube. Shanahan won’t be returning after 11 seasons with the club that saw an influx of talent but little playoff success.
• Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is a finalist for this season’s Jim Gregory Award. Jim Nill of Dallas and Bill Zito of Florida are the other finalists for the award given annually to the NHL’s top G-M. The Jets won the this year’s Presidents’ Trophy as the team with the best regular-season record.
• The New York Islanders have hired Mathieu Darche as their general manager. Darche won two Stanley Cups as an assistant GM with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He succeeds Lou Lamoriello in the role after the 82-year-old longtime executive’s contract was not renewed.

MEMORIAL CUP

Hunter St. Martin’s late goal was the winner as the Medicine Hat Tigers edged the Rimouski Oceanic 5-4 in the first round-robin game of the Memorial Cup. The round-robin portion of the tournament continues on Saturday when the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Moncton Wildcats face the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights. 

CFL

The CFL’s pre-season continues Saturday with four games on the schedule. The slate starts with a pair of afternoon games as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Montreal Alouettes welcome the Ottawa Redblacks. Later, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats welcome the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders welcome the Edmonton Elks.

MLB

Brandon Lowe and Curtis Mead homered as the Tampa Bay Rays snapped the Toronto Blue Jays’ three-game win streak with a 3-1 victory in Florida. Lowe put the Rays ahead in the third against Eric Lauer with his team-leading ninth home run, a two-run drive. Mead homered in the fourth. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen allowed four hits and two walks.

NLL

The National Lacrosse League championship will be decided tonight in Buffalo. The host Bandits are looking to complete the 3-peat as they host the Saskatchewan Rush in Game 3 of the Best-of-3 series at Keybank Center on TSN.

NBA

Pascal Siakam scored a playoff career-high 39 points, and the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 114-109 for a 2-0 lead in the NBA Eastern Conference finals. Myles Turner added 16 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Pacers. Game 3 is Sunday in Indiana.

(CP)