Maurice: Blowout loss ‘all part of this process’
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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
EDMONTON, Alberta — The Florida Panthers said their blowout loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final was a learning experience.
What a harsh education it was: Losing 8-1 on Saturday night, watching their star goaltender get pulled, and squandering a chance to win the Cup in a series sweep.
“We either win or we learn,” captain Aleksander Barkov said. “It only counts as one win. It doesn’t matter how much you lose — whether it’s 2-1 or 8-1. Obviously, we need to bounce back. We need to recover now and think about the next one.”
The Panthers had not been beaten that emphatically all postseason. In fact, the Oilers made NHL history in the win, tying the 1918 Vancouver Millionaires for the largest margin of victory when facing elimination in Stanley Cup Final. They were one goal away from the tying the largest margin of victory in Stanley Cup Final history, a record eight goals set by the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Minnesota North Stars in 1991.
Florida coach Paul Maurice downplayed the blowout loss.
“I’ll fire up at least once cliche for you: We came into Edmonton to get a split and we got what we needed,” he said. “But most cliches have some merit to it. In general, things will be far more extreme outside your room than inside it. So at 3-0 (in the series), we’re not sitting there, getting the engravers out. We lost the game tonight.”
Edmonton couldn’t have scripted a bigger reversal of fortune after three straight losses.
Their star center, Connor McDavid, had a four-point night, setting an NHL record for most assists in a single postseason (32) in the process. His 38 points are fifth all-time in a single postseason.
Their other standout offensive players hit the score sheet for the first time in the series, as Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard all recorded their first points against the Panthers. The Oilers power play finally converted, having now gone 1-for-16 in the series – although Maurice said he’s “not counting” that one, as it was scored on a 5-on-3 power play.
Perhaps most of all, they chased goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, scoring five goals on 16 shots against the netminder. That gave them seven goals in their last three periods vs. the previously impenetrable goalie, who entered Game 4 with a .953 save percentage in the series.
“He’d have enough,” said Maurice, who replaced Bobrovsky with Anthony Stolarz at 4:59 of the second period. “My number on Bob’s probably five (goals) in general. So that’s (a) steady decision.”
Winger Matthew Tkachuk said he’s not worried about carry over to Game 5 for Bobrovsky.
“We gave up eight goals, and zero of them were the goalie’s fault,” he said. “(Bobrovsky) has been unbelievable all year, all playoffs. That was more of a wake-up call to the forwards and the D as opposed to [him]. It had nothing to do with Bob. We know he’s going to come back better than ever and with that being said, none of them were his fault.”
The Panthers had a chance to win the Stanley Cup in a sweep. The chalice was in the building. The players said that wasn’t a distraction. Their coach acknowledged it presented a different kind of challenge.
“It’s the first opportunity that we’ve had as a franchise really to feel the two (past) days — the excitement of it, the emotions of it. We’ll learn how to channel it. That’s all part of this process,” he said.
Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final is Tuesday night in Sunrise, Florida.
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Ball State fired coach Mike Neu, the school announced Saturday. The Cardinals are 3-7.
Neu was 40-63 in nine seasons at Ball State. Neu led the Cardinals to the MAC title in 2020, which was his only winning season at Ball State.
Sources told ESPN that the staff was informed of Neu’s dismissal early Saturday.
Offensive line coach Colin Johnson will serve as the interim head coach for the last two games, athletic director Jeff Mitchell said in a statement. Ball State hosts Bowling Green on Nov. 23 then plays at Ohio on Nov. 29.
Neu, 53, is a beloved alum with a strong campus reputation, but the lack of results ultimately led to his dismissal. Ball State lost 51-48 in overtime at Buffalo this week and fell to 2-4 in MAC play.
That clinched a fourth consecutive losing season for Ball State.
“Coach Neu has poured his heart into the Ball State football program,” Mitchell said in the statement. “I commend him for his professionalism and the positive team culture he has constructed. His efforts have greatly impacted the lives of hundreds of young men. He has represented the Ball State brand with integrity and class, and I wish him well in future pursuits.”
Neu led Ball State to two bowl games. That included a win over San Jose State in the Arizona Bowl to conclude the 2020 season, when Ball State finished 7-1 and won its first MAC title since 1996.
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein will not play against No. 20 Clemson on Saturday, with redshirt junior Nate Yarnell getting the start for the Panthers.
Holstein hadn’t been cleared medically, sources said, and was considered a game-time decision by coach Pat Narduzzi after leaving two of Pitt’s past three games following apparent head injuries. Holstein took part in warmups Saturday.
Yarnell, who lost a camp battle to Holstein, will make his first start this season and fourth in his career for the Panthers. He has a 2-1 record as a starter, with wins over Western Michigan (2022) and Boston College (2023) and a loss to Duke (2023).
Yarnell has a strong amount of experience for a backup, as he has thrown for 1,104 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career. That includes a 65.3% completion percentage and an average of 8.9 yards per attempt. This season, he has thrown for five touchdowns and two interceptions while playing in the past three games.
Holstein has been a revelatory player for the Panthers under new offensive coordinator Kade Bell. Holstein, a transfer from Alabama, has thrown for 17 touchdowns with six interceptions.
Pittsburgh has the country’s No. 16 scoring offense at 36.7 points per game. That’s up from No. 114 last season, when it averaged 20.2 points.
Holstein has completed 61.9% of his passes and thrown for 2,174 yards.
Indiana has agreed to a contract extension with Curt Cignetti amid the Hoosiers’ unprecedented 10-0 start, the school announced Saturday.
Cignetti’s new eight-year contract runs through the 2032 season and will pay him an average of $8 million per year with an annual $1 million retention bonus, putting the total value of the new contract at $72 million.
“I am beyond appreciative for the tremendous commitment, confidence, and support from President Pam Whitten and Athletic Director Scott Dolson,” Cignetti said in a statement. “Manette [his wife] and I love Bloomington and are grateful for how the IU community has embraced us. I look forward to leading this outstanding program and doing my part to continue the momentum for Hoosier football.”
Cignetti originally received a six-year, $27 million contract when he was hired in December. He took the Indiana job after leading James Madison to an 11-1 season in 2023 — when he made $677,311 — with the goal of changing the Hoosiers’ historically woeful image in football.
He then led Indiana to the first 10-win season in school history and a possible push for the College Football Playoff. No. 5 Indiana (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) has one more win than its combined total over the previous three seasons. Its No. 5 ranking is one spot shy of the team’s highest ever, last reached in 1967, also the last time the Hoosiers won or shared a Big Ten title.
Indiana has scored at least 40 points seven times, won nine times by 14 or more points and trailed only twice briefly all season.
“We were confident IU could become a winning program and we love what he’s building here,” Dolson said in a statement. “We love the student-athletes that he’s bringing here. We love how our fanbase has rallied around this team and made Memorial Stadium the place to be on Saturday afternoons. And now, we love the fact that he’s going to be doing all those things right here in Bloomington for a long, long time.”
A source told ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg that Indiana will also significantly increase the pool for Cignetti’s assistants and staff.
The Hoosiers are on a bye this week before a pivotal matchup with No. 2 Ohio State next Saturday that could determine Indiana’s playoff hopes and a potential spot in the Big Ten championship game.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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