Saturday Sports: Oilers, Leafs Clinch

NHL

The Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs are returning to the NHL playoffs. Edmonton secured its post-season berth with a 6-2 win over Colorado. Connor McDavid and Evander Kane scored two goals apiece. The idle Maple Leafs booked their spot when the early NHL games were completed. The Tampa Bay Lightning – who had the night off – also clinched a berth.

Elsewhere in the NHL on Friday:

SABRES 4 FLYERS 2

Rookie Jack Quinn scored twice, and the Buffalo Sabres beat free-falling Philadelphia 4-2 on Friday night, handing the Flyers their sixth straight loss. Philadelphia failed to get a boost from rookie 27-year-old goalie Ivan Fedotov, who looked shaky in allowing three goals on the first 12 shots he faced in his first career NHL start.

RANGERS 4, RED WINGS 3

DETROIT (AP) — Chris Kreider scored the go-ahead goal on a power play midway through the third period and the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers beat Detroit.

HURRICANES 4, CAPITALS 2

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sebastian Aho scored a tiebreaking power-play goal with 1:51 remaining and Carolina overcame a two-goal deficit to beat Washington.

KRAKEN 3, DUCKS 1

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shane Wright had his first two-goal game in the NHL and Seattle defeated Anaheim for their fourth victory in the past six games.

Wright, the fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft, also had an assist. He has three goals in three games since being recalled from the AHL on Sunday.

COYOTES 7, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Michael Carcone scored twice in Arizona’s six-goal third period, and the Coyotes rallied from three goals down to stun Las Vegas.

WHL PLAYOFFS (Round 1)

BLADES 6 RAIDERS 2 

(Saskatoon wins series in five games)

Ben Saunderson scored a goal and added an assist as the Saskatoon Blades defeated the Prince Albert Raiders 6-2 on Friday to win the Western Hockey League first-round playoff series in five games.

Trevor Wong, Fraser Minten, Alexander Suzdalev, Charlie Wright and Brandon Lisowsky had the other goals for Saskatoon.

Harrison Lodewyk and Niall Crocker replied for Prince Albert.

REBELS 5 TIGERS 2

(Red Deer wins series in five games)

MEDICINE HAT – Kai Uchacz scored a goal and an assist as the Rebels defeated the Tigers to advance in five games.

Talon Brigley, Carson Latimer, Frantisek Formanek and Dwayne Jean Jr. also scored for Red Deer.

Andrew Basha and Nate Corbet tallied for Medicine Hat.

WILD 5 ROCKETS 4

(Kelowna leads series 3-1)

WENATCHEE – Steven Arp scored the winner at 0:54 of overtime to give the Wild the victory over the Rockets.

Kenta Isogai scored twice for Wenatchee, who need a Game 6 win on Sunday to even the series at three games apiece.

SILVERTIPS 4 GIANTS 1

(Everett leads series 3-2)

VANCOUVER – Austin Roest had a goal and an assist as the Silvertips topped the Giants.

Kaden Hammell, Parker Berge and Jesse Heslop had the other goals for the Silvertips, who have a 3-1 series lead.

SJHL PLAYOFFS (Round 2)

Flin Flon 6 Battlefords 2 (Bombers lead series 2-0)
Melfort 4 Humboldt 3 (Mustangs lead series 2-0)

WORLD MENS CURLING

Canada’s Brad Gushue is two wins away from returning to the top of the world men’s curling championship podium for the first time since 2017. He earned a direct berth to today’s semifinals by finishing in the top two in round-robin play. Sweden’s Niklas Edin led the standings and picked up the other direct berth. Medal games will be played tomorrow in Switzerland.

MLB

The Toronto Blue Jays will send ace Kevin Gausman to the mound for today’s game against the New York Yankees. The Blue Jays shut out the Yankees in the series opener Friday. Ernie Clement hit a solo shot for Toronto. The Blue Jays are four-and-four as they continue their season-opening 10-game road trip.

WORLD WOMENS HOCKEY

Canada will enjoy an off-day at the world women’s hockey championship in Utica, New York. Canada beat Switzerland 3-0 yesterday for its second victory of the tournament. Natalie Spooner had two assists for Canada. The host Americans beat Czechia 6-0 and Sweden dumped China 8-1.

NBA

It’s a rare win for the Toronto Raptors. They surprised Milwaukee 117-111 to end a 15-game losing streak. Gary Trent Junior scored 31 points for the Raptors. R-J Barrett added 26 points and Immanuel Quickley had 25 points. The Bucks have lost five of their last six games. 

MARCH MADNESS

• Caitlin Clark will get her wish. The Iowa superstar and the Hawkeyes are returning to the national championship game. Clark shook off a sluggish first half to score 15 of her 21 points after the break as the Hawkeyes held off UConn 71-69 in the women’s Final Four.
• All-America center Kamilla Cardoso scored 22 points and unbeaten South Carolina emphatically kept its perfect season going, advancing to the championship game of the women’s NCAA Tournament with a 78-59 victory over North Carolina State.

(Canadian Press)