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A22 SPORTS
Tuesday 9 May 2017
Draisaitl helps Oilers rout Ducks 7-1 to force Game 7
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) ence finals in 2015 (Chica- down.” Slepychev extend-
— The Edmonton Oilers go) in Game 7s at the Hon- ed the Oilers’ lead to 6-0
bounced back from a da Center. The Ducks led in the opening minute of
tough loss in the last game each of those series 3-2 the second period before
with a resounding win, and before back-to-back losses Rakell got the Ducks on
put the pressure on the ended their seasons. the scoreboard just shy of
Anaheim Ducks. “Half of the guys in here the 9-minute mark. “For us
Leon Draisaitl had three haven’t been here for that to come out in the second
goals and two assists, stuff,” Ducks captain Ryan period and get that sixth
Mark Letestu added two Getzlaf said. “We’re go- goal, that was big,” Let-
goals and two assists, and ing back with the prepa- estu said. “It showed we
the Oilers cruised to a ration to be ready for a weren’t going to get back
7-1 victory over the Ana- big game. It doesn’t really on our heels and possibly
heim Ducks on Sunday matter what the situation is. let them get back into the
night, forcing a decisive It is still win or go home.” hockey game.” The Oilers
Game 7 in their NHL West- The Oilers won twice in were up 3-0 on Friday night
ern Conference semifinal Anaheim to open this series and on the cusp of tak-
series. “Obviously the sea- and narrowly lost Game 5 ing a 3-2 series lead home
son was on the line and we there in double overtime. when the Ducks became
all had to step it up a notch Zach Kassian and Anton just the second team in
and the whole group did,” Slepychev also scored and NHL playoff history to erase
Draisaitl said. Game 7 is Cam Talbot stopped 34 a three-goal deficit in the
Wednesday night at Ana- shots for the Oilers, who led last four minutes of regu-
heim, with the winner ad- 5-0 after the first period. lation. Ducks center Ryan
vancing to face the Nash- Rickard Rakell scored Kesler had his glove on Tal-
ville Predators in the con- midway through the bot’s pad when Rakell put
ference finals. second period for Ana- a backhand between his
“The big test is coming up,” heim. Ducks goalie John pads to tie it with 15 sec-
Oilers coach Todd McLel- Gibson was pulled after onds remaining. Corey Per-
lan said. “We’re going giving up three goals on ry then scored the double-
to have to park this one six shots less than 8 1/2 min- overtime winner.
quickly and get ready for a utes into the game. Jona- “What we experienced in
big battle down there.” than Bernier came on and Game 4 and 5 with two
The Ducks will head back finished with 25 saves. comebacks by them, we
to southern California look- “I wasn’t very good,” Gib- knew we had to keep our
ing to end a trend of hav- son said. “I have to come foot on the gas pedal and
ing lost a Game 7 at home up with a couple of saves the hockey gods gave us a
in four straight years. Ana- and maybe it’s different, chance in Game 7,” Oilers
heim was eliminated in the maybe it’s not. As it went forward Milan Lucic said.
first round of 2013 (Detroit) Edmonton Oilers’ Patrick Maroon (19) and Anton Slepyshev (42) on they kind of took it to us, Edmonton’s last Game 7
and 2016 (Nashville), the celebrate a goal against the Anaheim Ducks during the second it wasn’t our best. I wasn’t was the 2006 Stanley Cup
period in Game 6 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series
second round in 2014 (Los in Edmonton, Alberta, Sunday, May 7, 2017. as good as I wanted to final, which they lost 3-1 at
Angeles), and the confer- Associated Press be and I kind of let them Carolina.q
Houston Rockets’ Nene suffers
season-ending thigh injury
KRISTIE RIEKEN Nene, a 15-year veteran
AP Sports Writer in his first season with the
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Rockets, averaged 10
Rockets center Nene is out points and 4.7 rebounds
for the rest of the season, a in nine postseason games.
day after he tore a muscle The Brazilian was the star of
in his left thigh. Game 4 of Houston’s first-
“I hate it for Nene,” coach round series against Okla-
Mike D’Antoni said on Mon- homa City when he tied an
day. “He’s been so valu- NBA record by making all
able all year, such a good 12 of his shots and scoring
guy.” a career playoff-high 28
Nene was injured in Hous- points in a 113-109 win.
ton’s 125-104 win over the The injury leaves Houston
San Antonio Spurs in the short on big men to con-
Western Conference semi- tend with San Antonio.
finals on Sunday and didn’t Clint Capela will remain the
return. The team said it was starter, but the Rockets will
Houston Rockets center Nene Hilario, left, and forward Ryan Anderson sit on the bench during
the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoff series against the San reviewing treatment op- have to shuffle their rota-
Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, May 3, 2017, in San Antonio. tions for the torn adductor tion to make up for the loss
Associated Press muscle. of Nene.q
