Perry, 40, helps Oilers to cusp of Cup Final return
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Kristen Shilton
EDMONTON, Alberta — Corey Perry has seen and done it all in his career. He is in elite company. So, why slow down now?
The Edmonton Oilers‘ veteran forward proved he’s potent as ever, scoring the game-winning goal and adding an assist in his club’s 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday. The Oilers lead 3-1 in the best-of-seven series and are one win away from a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final berth.
The second-period power-play strike was Perry’s sixth goal of the postseason. According to EPSN Research, he is now tied with Teemu Selanne, Mark Recchi, Ron Francis and Jean Beliveau for the most goals in a single postseason by a player who started that playoff run at age 39 or older.
Suffice it to say, Perry is the epitome of an ageless wonder for the Oilers.
“That would be huge [going back to the Cup Final],” Perry said. “I thought we got better as the game went on. There’s ups and downs in a game, in a series, but that one felt good going in the back of the net. It’s nice to see it go in and get the power play going again.”
Perry didn’t have a flawless night in Game 4 and was clearly frustrated with himself because of it. When Edmonton was ahead 1-0 in the second period, he was called for interference, and Dallas forward Jason Robertson evened the score on the ensuing power play. Perry could be seen in the box angrily throwing a towel in response to the equalizer.
“If it was interference or whatever, I was just trying to get to the bench,” Perry said of the infraction. “It happens a lot, but we found a way to get one over the line.”
Oh, yes, Perry didn’t let the tie score stand for long.
Barely two minutes later, the Oilers were on their own man advantage and Perry rifled a shot — off an excellent setup by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — past Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger to give Edmonton a 2-1 lead it would never relinquish.
That helper by Nugent-Hopkins was his first of two on the night, making him the first player in 35 years to open a conference final with four multipoint performances (the longest streak belongs to legendary Oiler Wayne Gretzky, with five).
Leon Draisaitl called Nugent-Hopkins “the best player in the series.” Nugent-Hopkins was modest in his own assessment of what has gone right to this point.
“I think everybody is pretty locked in,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “We’re all trying to do our part and chip in. We needed the power play to step up, and we were ready and we wanted to and we’ve talked about scoring in the big moments when we’ve needed to.”
Perry capitalizing on his opportunity was critical to keeping the Oilers ahead as they grappled with having lost a key part of their offense in Zach Hyman. Edmonton’s top-line skater left in the first period after taking a hit from Mason Marchment. Hyman dropped his stick and immediately appeared to favor his right arm as he moved down the tunnel. He was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Hyman has been a force in the Oilers’ postseason run, with a league-leading 109 hits in 14 playoff games.
“He’s a huge piece,” goaltender Stuart Skinner said. “He’s a key piece. He is a cliché. He’s a hard worker, he grinds. He’s a leader in the room. He does all the little things right. And on top of that, he’s an amazing human being. You can ask anybody; everybody loves that guy.”
Coach Kris Knoblauch said he would have an update on Hyman — who was seen congratulating teammates in the dressing room after the game — on Wednesday.
The Oilers carried play even after Perry had them ahead 2-1, holding the Stars’ diminished attack at bay thanks to another stellar performance from Skinner. He is now 6-0 in Game 4 of a playoff series, with a 1.26 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage with two shutouts.
“I was feeling good,” Skinner said. “[The Stars] definitely brought it on. They were bringing it the whole game. But the way we all played as a team, we showed courage blocking shots. I felt good out there. Just trying to give my team the best chance every night.”
Dallas has stalled offensively since its Game 1 victory over Edmonton. The Stars were down 3-2 going into the second period of that tilt but opened the third with three power-play goals in less than six minutes to tee up a 6-3 victory. Since then, Dallas has been outscored 13-2 over three straight losses.
The Stars had hoped to get a boost up front from the return of Roope Hintz, who missed Game 3 (a 6-1 drubbing by the Oilers) with a lower-body injury suffered in Game 2 when Hintz was slashed by Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse.
But Dallas’ scoring woes continued in the first period, where it held a 39-16 edge in shot attempts but still gave up the first goal to Draisaitl on a power play. It was the fourth time in the series — and 14th time in 17 games — that Dallas has allowed the opening marker this postseason.
Trailing 1-0 going into the second frame, the Stars finally hit pay dirt when Robertson converted on their second power-play chance of the game. But it wouldn’t last, and Dallas was on its heels for most of the period from there.
Edmonton has owned the score sheet in that frame throughout the series, outscoring the Stars 6-2. And things didn’t improve in the third period either, with the Stars being outshot 8-2 with eight minutes left in regulation. And per Natural Stat Trick, they recorded just one high-danger chance in the final two periods of Game 4.
Now, the Stars are on the brink of elimination as the series shifts back to Dallas. Regardless of how well the Oilers have played to this point, there’s no question they’re prepared for the Stars’ best when Game 5 begins on Thursday.
“We’re going to Dallas to have the chance to move on to the Stanley Cup Final,” Draisaitl said. “If that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will. But that will be the toughest game of the series. We know that. We’ve been in that situation. Yup. Get ready for it. We know there are certain areas we can clean up and be better at, but overall I think we’re playing a pretty good game right now.”
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Jesse Rogers
CHICAGO — Cubs manager Craig Counsell defended his decision to leave lefty Shota Imanaga in the game to face righty Manny Machado in the fifth inning of the San Diego Padres‘ victory in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday.
Machado hit a first pitch splitter for a two-run home run, extending the Padres’ lead to 3-0, the eventual final score.
A deciding Game 3 will be at Wrigley Field on Thursday.
“The results suggest that we should have done something different,” Counsell said after the loss. “Really just confidence in Shota, plain and simple there. I thought he was pitching well. I thought he was throwing the ball really well and, unfortunately, he made a mistake.”
The decision came after Fernando Tatis Jr. walked and then took second on Luis Arraez‘s sacrifice bunt. That created an open base. Counsell said he considered walking Machado but decided to pitch to him instead.
“Walking him wasn’t in my head,” Imanaga said through an interpreter. “That splitter was meant for down in the zone.”
Counsell had righty Mike Soroka ready, but he decided against going to him. It was a curious move, considering the Cubs used an opener to start Game 2, purposely allowing Imanaga to avoid facing Tatis and Machado in the first inning.
That wasn’t the case in the fifth.
“I don’t put a manager’s cap on,” Machado said when asked if he was surprised that he got to face Imanaga in that situation. “I’m 0-for-6 at that point. So yeah, I’m not thinking about that. For myself, I was just thinking about trying to get to Imanaga.”
Said Padres manager Mike Shildt: “I’ve got my hands full with my own club. I can’t be thinking about anybody else’s strategy.”
The teams will play a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday. The Padres will start former Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish. Righty Jameson Taillon will take the hill for Chicago.
“I’m excited,” Taillon said. “As [Game 2] got going there, I started to get excited for tomorrow. You do a lot of work throughout the season for big moments. I’m looking forward to it.”
NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm Jr. zipped all the way home from first base on Austin Wells‘ tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and the New York Yankees extended their season Wednesday night with a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series.
Unhappy he was left out of the starting lineup in the opener, Chisholm also made a critical defensive play at second base that helped the Yankees send the best-of-three playoff to a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night in the Bronx.
“What a game. I mean, it has been two great games, these first two,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “A lot of big plays on both sides.”
In the latest chapter of baseball’s most storied rivalry, the winner advances to face AL East champion Toronto in a best-of-five division series beginning Saturday. It will be the fourth winner-take-all postseason game between the Yankees and Red Sox, and the first since the 2021 AL wild card, a one-game format won by Boston.
“Should be a fun night,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.
Ben Rice hit an early two-run homer and Aaron Judge had an RBI single for the Yankees, who received three innings of scoreless relief from their shaky bullpen after starter Carlos Rodón put the first two batters on in the seventh.
Devin Williams worked a one-hit eighth for the win, and David Bednar got three outs for his first postseason save. Judge pumped his fist when he caught Ceddanne Rafaela‘s fly ball on the right-field warning track to end it.
Trevor Story homered and drove in all three runs for the Red Sox, who won the series opener 3-1 on Tuesday night behind ace lefty Garrett Crochet.
With the score tied in the seventh, Chisholm saved a run with a diving stop of an infield single by pinch hitter Masataka Yoshida.
“Unbelievable play,” Rice said. “That’s what you are going to get from him — just a guy who will give 110% every play.”
Story then flied out with the bases loaded to the edge of the center-field warning track to end the inning, and fired-up reliever Fernando Cruz waved his arms wildly to pump up the crowd.
“I almost got out of his way,” Boone said, drawing laughs. “There’s a passion that he does his job with, and it spilled over a little bit tonight. I am glad it was the end of his evening at that point.”
Said Rice: “I felt like I could see every vein popping out of his head.”
Chisholm also made a tough play to start an inning-ending double play with two on in the third — the first of three timely double plays turned by the Yankees.
“He’s a game-changer,” Judge said. “He showed up at the park today and had the biggest plays for us.”
There were two outs in the eighth when Chisholm drew a walk from losing pitcher Garrett Whitlock. Chisholm was running on a full-count pitch when Wells pulled a line drive that landed just inside the right-field line and caromed off the low retaining wall in foul territory.
Right fielder Nate Eaton made a strong, accurate throw to the plate, but the speedy Chisholm beat it with a headfirst slide as Wells pumped his arms at first base.
“Any ball that an outfielder moves to his left or right, I have to score, in my head,” Chisholm said. “That’s all I was thinking.”
With the Yankees threatening in the third, Boston manager Alex Cora lifted starter Brayan Bello from his first postseason outing and handed the game to a parade of relievers who held New York in check until the eighth.
Hard-throwing rookie Cam Schlittler (4-3, 2.96 ERA) will start Game 3 for New York, and rookie left-hander Connelly Early (1-2, 2.33 ERA) will pitch for Boston in place of injured Lucas Giolito. It will be the second winner-take-all game in MLB postseason history in which both starting pitchers are rookies.
Schlittler, 24, grew up in Boston, where he attended Northeastern University, but has said he always wanted to play for the Yankees. Early has made four major league starts since his debut on Sept. 9.
Information from The Associated Press and ESPN Research was used in this report.
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