NHL’s top 10 forwards entering 2022-23 season

Adamo Marinelli

October 31, 2022

There are many fantastic forwards in the NHL, all of which have the ability to produce for their teams and step up in big moments to win games and are known for either their elite goal-scoring ability, for their playmaking, their creativity, stickhandling, their physicality, or a mix of all these traits. 

I know we are about 2 weeks into the season, but let’s take a look at the top 10 entering the 2022 season:

1. Connor McDavid, Center, Edmonton Oilers: Along with Leon Draisaitl, McDavid has the MVP of the Edmonton Oilers not only last season, where he recorded 44 goals, and 79 assists totaling 123 points, good enough to lead the entire league in scoring to win the Art Ross Trophy, but he has been the engine that has run the Oilers’ franchise. His speed, creativity in the offensive zone, ability to find open teammates and make the hardest of passes look easy, his high hockey IQ, and his ability to find the back of the net make him one of the most well-rounded and talented players in the league. In five of his seven seasons (excluding this one), he’s scored over 100 points and in 2019 he scored 97. He is the epitome of offensive consistency. McDavid is a weapon on the powerplay and has been pretty efficient in the faceoff circle for the majority of his phenomenal career.

2. Nathan MacKinnon, Center, Colorado Avalanche: MacKinnon was an integral part of the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup-winning season. His composure and patience in the offensive zone, playmaking, stickhandling, ability to get open and quick release on his powerful shot make him one of the better centerman in the league. He has always been one of the better faceoff takers in the league; he’s consistently averaged a win percentage in the mid to high 40 percent range, which is impressive. He scored 32 goals and 56 assists totaling 88 points in the regular season and an incredible 24 points in 20 playoff games, over a point-per-game pace, which is exactly what you need in the postseason. He’s always been a threat on the powerplay too; scoring 25 or more powerplay points in each of the last five seasons. He registered 104 shots on goal last season, most in the NHL, and can consistently get open to generate scoring chances.

3. Auston Matthews, Center, Toronto Maple Leafs: The Maple Leafs are an extremely talented team offensively. Leading the charge is Auston Matthews, who has been a tremendous goalscorer ever since he entered the league in 2016. Excluding this season, he has scored 259 goals in six years and averages 43 goals per season, including a whopping 60 goals last season, more than anyone else in the league, winning him the Rocket Richard Trophy. He does not just score goals, he’s also an incredible passer and playmaker; he’s recorded 46 assists and 106 points and finished sixth in the league in scoring. He won the Hart Trophy for being the most valuable player to his team and the Ted Lindsay award for being the league’s most outstanding player in the regular season. Excluding his rookie season, he’s never won less than 51% of his faceoffs (excluding this year), which is phenomenal. He is a threat on the powerplay, scoring 16 goals last year on the man advantage. He provides so much to the Leafs, it’s easy to see why he is held in such high regard for his offensive zone talent.

4. Leon Draisaitl, Center/Left wing, Edmonton Oilers: When it is not McDavid lighting up opposing defenses, Leon Draisaitl picks up the slack and then some. Draisaitl is a proven scorer and he is a stellar playmaker too and the stats back it up. Last season, he scored 55 goals and tacked on 55 assists for a total of 110 points. Draisaitl has a high hockey IQ, is phenomenal with the puck on his stick, and can get the puck to any of his teammates anywhere on the ice. He is fantastic in the faceoff circle, averaging nearly 52% in the faceoff circle, which is important for a team like the Oilers, who rely on winning faceoffs to play retain more possession to create more offensive chances. He has a quick release on his accurate wrist shot and the power and accuracy of his slapshot are improving. He has a nose for the net, and can always find open spots on the ice to set up and shoot. He also contributes on the defensive end which makes him such an elite forward.

5. Kirill Kaprizov, Left wing, Minnesota Wild: At only 25 years old, Kaprizov is already breaking out into a sensational young talent. In 2021-22, his breakout season, he recorded an astounding 47 goals and 61 assists for a total of 108 points at only 24. Even in his rookie season, which was shortened due to COVID-19, he scored 27 goals, 24 assists, and 51 points (breaking Marion Gaborik’s rookie record of 36 points set in 2001) and was on pace for nearly 75-80 points which is incredible for a rookie. He has a nose for the net and always seems to find ways to get open for scoring chances. Playing on a line with Mats Zuccarello and Frederick Gaudreau has helped his development but he is a phenom talent and what he’s done offensively in his first few seasons is nothing short of spectacular. He has a crisp, accurate pass and can fool defenders with his eyes and hands before making a pass to set up his teammate and he has been a weapon on the powerplay, scoring 22 powerplay goals in two seasons (excluding the current season). He will develop into a sensational talent and lead the Wild to playoff success.

6. Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers: Panarin’s impact to the Rangers as a purebred playmaker has been nothing short of spectacular. His creativity with the puck on his stick, his vision, high hockey IQ, and his accurate passes - both short and long - allow him to get the puck to any of his teammates anywhere on the ice. With Chicago, his role was more balanced between playmaking and goal-scoring, however for his entire career with Columbus and New York, he’s recorded twice as many (or more) assists as goals in all but the 2019-20 season, where he was one assist short of doubling his 32 goals. Last season was no different, he scored 22 goals, but tallied an impressive 74 assists. Playing with tremendous goal scorers like Chris Kreider, who had 52 goals last season, Mika Zibanejad, and Vincent Trocheck means his opportunities to create chances will be plentiful, but his ability to make a play to set up a shot or create an attack has been a key reason for the Rangers’ success in recent seasons. 

7. Mikko Rantanen, Right winger, Colorado Avalanche: Rantanen is another player that can 

do it all offensively and produce in big moments for his team. Last season was his best ever statistically, where he recorded 36 goals (a career-high) and 56 assists (ties a career-high) for a career-best 92 points which was a huge reason the Avalanche had so much success in the regular season. He doesn’t just perform in the regular season either: his 20 assists and 25 points in the playoffs helped win the Avalanche some big games on their way to a Stanley Cup victory. What he’s been able to do at only 26 years old is incredible and he’s just entering his prime and only going to get better. Playing alongside the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Arturi Lehkonen will only help him develop as a more well-rounded player. He knows how to get open to generate chances and put him in positions to score. He recorded 254 shots and 51 on target, which is 14th best in the league. His contribution to the Avalanche offense has been big.

8. Sidney Crosby, Center, Pittsburgh Penguins: What Crosby has done in his storied career has been nothing short of incredible and he will without a doubt be a future Hall of Famer. Sidney Crosby was a key contributor in the elite Penguins teams that made back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2015-16 and 2016-17. Before the start of this season, he already had over 500 goals and 1400 points which shows how dynamic of a player he is on the offensive side, both as a playmaker and as a goal scorer. For most of his prime, he’d be guaranteed to get over 80 points per season and he even surpassed the 100-point mark on numerous occasions. Last season, Crosby scored 31 goals and added 53 assists for a total of 84 points. Even at an older age, he can still produce in bunches, both at even strength and on the powerplay, where he recorded 30 points last season. He can score goals at efficient rates and can set up his teammates for scoring chances with his vision, stellar passing, and high hockey IQ. He limits his mistakes. He is now mentoring the younger forwards on the team.

9. Alex Ovechkin, Left wing, Washington Capitals: Ovechkin is one of the best goal scorers the NHL has seen since the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr, Brett Hull, and Phil Esposito and it has been this way for a long time. His incredibly accurate wrist shot, the quick release on his snapshot, and the pure power on his extremely accurate one-timers, especially from his “office” in the left faceoff circle have been the reason for his goal-scoring prowess. He has had nine seasons scoring 50 or more goals and in his best season in 2007-08, he scored an astounding 65. He has a total of 783 goals and is only 111 away from tying Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. If anyone has a chance to pass the all-time great, it’s Ovechkin, who even at an older age is still scoring in bunches, even when history shows players over the age of 37 tend to slow down. He knows how to get open, he can create chances with his stickhandling and he uses his elite vision to deceive goalies before firing it into an empty net. His tremendous accuracy allows him to get pucks into the tiniest of gaps which helps his scoring. He’d need to average 28 goals for the next four seasons to break Gretzky’s record, he has three so far in eight games, and he’s on pace for 30 if he stays healthy.

10. Nikita Kucherov, Right-wing, Tampa Bay Lightning: Over the course of the last few seasons, Nikita Kucherov has really found his groove and has settled in nicely into a roster of extremely talented offensive players in Tampa Bay. Kucherov’s best seasons were a 100-point campaign in 2017-18 and a 128-point campaign in 2018-19. Kucherov’s production has dropped off slightly, but for the next two seasons, he was still scoring at a torrid pace. He scored 85 points in 68 games in 2019-20 and 69 points in 47 games in 2021-22 after missing the previous regular season due to an injury. His elite goal-scoring and playmaking talent are on display, scoring 34 and 32 points during the Lightning’s two Stanley Cup-winning campaigns and tallying 27 points in 23 games the following year in their loss to the Avalanche. Having a proficient scorer who is also unselfish and will never hesitate to make a play, including taking a hit, to set his teammates up on the roster, is a huge reason Kucherov has become so successful. Playing on such a talented team with one of the best coaches in the NHL also plays a role in his success, something that will continue as time passes.

Honorable mentions: All of these guys contribute to their team, scoring goals, setting up teammates, being physical, and winning faceoffs, but just missed out on the top 10.

• Steven Stamkos, C/LW, TBL

• David Pastrnak, RW, BOS

• Brady Tkachuk, LW, OTT

• Matthew Tkachuk, RW, FLA

• Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, CGY

• Brad Marchand, LW, BOS

• Sebastian Aho, C, CAR

• Chris Kreider, LW/RW, NYR

• Andrei Svecnikov, LW, CAR

Tiger-Cats top Redblacks to conclude a disappointing season

 Adamo Marinelli

October 29, 2022

The Redblacks fell to 4-14 on the season after suffering a 23-16 loss against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a low-scoring, defensive game. With the loss, the Redblacks have lost 22 of their last 23 home games and finished with an abysmal 0-9 record at home this season.

The Tiger-Cats already clinched a playoff spot last week with their win over the Redblacks and a Saskatchewan Roughriders loss, so this game was meaningless on paper, however, it provided the Tiger-Cats a perfect opportunity to fine-tune their game and set the tone ahead of the playoffs. 

Backup quarterback Matthew Schiltz got the start and he played a solid game, completing 12/18 passes for 144 yards. Dane Evans also got some playing time and played pretty well completing 7/9 passes for 117 yards.

Backup quarterback Caleb Evans got the start for the Redblacks and also had a decent performance despite missing a few reads or occasionally holding onto the ball for too long. He played the first three quarters and finished his night by completing 14/25 passes for 110 yards.

Third-string quarterback Tyrie Adams entered the game in the fourth quarter and provided a spark to the Redblacks’ offense which had been relatively quiet all night long. He completed 8/12 passes for 98 yards and rushed three times for 30 yards and orchestrated the Redblacks’ only touchdown drive of the night, which was capped off by Caleb Evans’ 16th rushing touchdown of the season which leads the CFL and set a new Ottawa franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a single season, surpassing 15 by Ron Stewart in 1960.

Unlike the Redblacks’ offense, which started slow and then began to heat up as the game went on, the Tiger-Cats’ offense started strong, then cooled down a bit before ending the game on a high note. 

The Tiger-Cats elected to receive the opening kickoff and after a solid kick return, they efficiently drove down the field using a mix of the run and pass to set up a one-yard rushing touchdown for third-string quarterback Jamie Newman, who finished the game with four carries for three yards and two rushing touchdowns. Newman also scored the Tiger-Cats’ second touchdown to put them up by 14 points in the fourth quarter.

A few drives later, after getting a stop on defense, the Redblacks looked to be punting on third down but a 23-yard fake punt pass from punter Richie Leone to safety Antoine Pruneau resulted in a huge first down and led to a 29-yard field goal from Redblacks’ kicker Lewis Ward to get the Redblacks on the board after an unnecessary roughness penalty pushed their offense outside of the red zone. Ward hit all three of his field goals, two of which were from beyond 50 yards out.

Both teams exchanged two field goals each and the Tiger-Cats took a 13-9 lead into halftime. Statistically, it was a very even game at halftime. The Tiger-Cats recorded 172 total yards (130 passing, 42 rushing) and the Redblacks recorded 165 total yards (128 passing, 37 rushing) and the possession was slightly in favour of the Tiger-Cats.

The third quarter was dominated by both defenses. Both teams’ secondary made it difficult for the opposing quarterback to complete passes and both pass rushes got home often. The Redblacks recorded five sacks and the Tiger-Cats finished with seven. Redblacks’ defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin finished the game with two tackles, three quarterback pressures, and one sack and he leads the CFL with 17 sacks this season.

The only points scored in the third quarter was another field goal from Seth Small, who hit all three of his attempts his longest was from 40 yards out. The Tiger-Cats ended the third quarter with a defensive stop and began the fourth quarter with a meticulous drive downfield which resulted in Newman’s second touchdown of the night to give them a 14-point lead. 

The Redblacks cut Hamilton’s lead to seven points with 4:45 left after an 80-yard touchdown drive. The Redblacks’ defense stopped the Tiger-Cats’ defense on two separate occasions but Adams was unable to lead the Redblacks downfield for the potential game-tying score.  

With the loss, the Redblacks fall to 4-14 in 2022 and after their third consecutive losing season in which they have gone a combined 10-40, several changes will definitely be coming. 

The roster will likely look significantly different in many areas next season and the future of interim head coach Bob Dyce is also still up in the air. The Redblacks, who are tied with the Edmonton Elks at the bottom of the CFL standings, will either have the first or second overall pick in the 2023 CFL draft which will also help fill the holes on their roster. Free agency is another place where they will address positions of need, which include offensive line, defensive line, middle linebacker, outside linebacker, safety, and running back.

The Tiger-Cats improve to 8-10 and are brimming with confidence ahead of their trip to the East Semifinal game next weekend in Montreal. 

Labeling this season as tough is an extreme understatement, all the injuries to key players and poor, conservative play-calling from Paul LaPolice hurt the Redblacks significantly. However, the coaching and injuries weren’t the only reason for their poor season. Several mistakes on both sides of the ball cost the Redblacks in key moments this year, which is why interim head coach Bob Dyce even struggled to turn the ship around, finishing the campaign with a 1-3 record. 

Interestingly, the Redblacks’ offense which struggled for most of the season scored 380 points, is actually seventh best out of nine teams, ahead of the Roughriders and Elks.  Their defense gave up 475 points, eighth best out of nine teams only ahead of the Elks. That makes sense considering how long their defense was on the field each game.

The Redblacks have been on the decline for several seasons now, you can’t sink very much lower than this, so hopefully next year they can compete for a playoff spot. 

It’s been a pleasure covering games this season, see you next spring R-Nation!

Redblacks fall just short vs Alouettes, extend their tumultuous long home losing streak

The Ottawa Redblacks’ home losing streak continued in a heartbreaking 34-30 defeat against the Montreal Alouettes. Quarterback Nick Arbuckle fumbled the ball after being sacked because he held onto it for too long trying to wait for a receiver to get open downfield on a 3rd and 5 with under 30 seconds remaining. With the loss, the Redblacks have lost 21 of their last 22 home games and are 0-8 at TD Place this season. 

With the win, the Alouettes clinched a playoff berth and if they beat the Toronto Argonauts in their final two games, they’ll win the East Division.

The Redblacks remain alive in the playoff race but must win their last two games against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and have the Saskatchewan Roughriders lose their final two games. Or else they’ll be eliminated from playoff contention.  

The Redblacks started the game on fire offensively and quarterback coach Will Arndt who calls the plays got creative on the first snap.

Arbuckle lateralled to Ryan Davis, who launched a deep ball 45 yards downfield to Shaq Johnson. A few plays later, Arbuckle found new receiver Siaosi Mariner (3-53-1) wide open in the endzone where he made an incredible catch for a 23-yard touchdown. It was the Redblacks’ first home touchdown pass since July 21, 2022, which was also against the Alouettes.

The Redblacks’ defense flexed its muscles and forced the Alouettes out of field goal range thanks to Lorenzo Mauldin’s CFL-leading 15th sack of the season. 

But on the next drive, a fumble by Nick Arbuckle, who held onto it for as long as he could to try to extend the play caused by a strip sack would ultimately be returned for a touchdown by Alouettes’ defensive back Adarius Pickett which tied the game 7-7 midway through the first quarter. A second fumble by Arbuckle trying to extend the play ultimately cost Ottawa the game.

After a turnover, the Redblacks’ offense has proven all year that it cannot respond. Arbuckle proved everyone wrong after his first fumble and moved the ball down the field with a few screen passes and intermediate passes to Justin Hardy and Trevaun Smith before Arbuckle threw a dime to a wide-open Smith in the endzone to regain their seven-point, 14-7 lead. 

The Redblacks’ offense was extremely aggressive, passing for 176 yards after the first quarter and 221 at the half. The Redblacks’ offense cooled down a bit after the first quarter, but their defense made some critical stops as the game progressed.

What was a problem for the Redblacks’ was their special teams, specifically their punt and kickoff return units. Chandler Worthy had four kickoff returns for 99 yards and 5 punt returns for 73 yards. With his electric speed was consistently giving his team good field position and set them up in scoring position, including a punt return that set the Alouettes up on the Redblacks’ 23-yard line on the drive they scored the eventual game-winning touchdown.

A few drives after an Alouettes’ field goal cut the lead to 14-10, a defensive pass interference penalty against the Alouettes put the ball on the one-yard line and Caleb Evans rushed for his 13th touchdown of the year on a designed run to extend the Redblacks’ lead to 21-10.

Overall, the Redblacks’ defense played well tonight, but they’ve been plagued by numerous little details this year and one of which is missed tackles. Alouettes’ running back Walter Fletcher capped off a 7-play, 104-yard drive with a 40-yard touchdown catch in which he evaded many tackles by Redblacks defenders; the lead was cut to 21-17 and it grew to 24-7 at the half after a 41-yard field goal by Lewis Ward.

The Redblacks’ offense played very well in the first half, particularly Arbuckle, who completed 18/21 passes for 176 yards and threw for two touchdowns. He finished the game completing an astounding 78 percent of his passes (28/36) for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Justin Hardy (8-93-0) and Tevaun Smith (6-61-1) were the leading receivers. 

In addition, the Redblacks’ defensive line dominated the Alouettes’ offensive line. They pressured Alouettes’ quarterback Trevor Harris all night long and recorded four huge sacks, three of which ended Alouettes’ drives. 

Trevor Harris played well in the first half, completing 11/16 passes for one touchdown and no interceptions. The Alouettes’ only recorded 8 yards on the ground at halftime but warmed up in the second half. Harris finished the game by completing 19/27 passes for 241 yards and a TD.

Entering the game, the Redblacks averaged just over 21 points per game, but they scored 24 points in the first half alone against the Alouettes, thanks to great execution and excellent playcalling from Arndt and interim head coach Bob Dyce. Unfortunately, their offense couldn’t maintain that in the second half which cost them.

The Alouettes scored 10 straight points to take a 27-24 lead after two efficient drives downfield, one of which saw William Stanback get his first rushing touchdown of the year after Davis converted the Alouettes’ 22nd 3rd and 1 try on 22 attempts. 

The Redblacks drove down the field and tied the game 27-27 with a 44-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter and then their defense did something no other team has done this year: stopping the Alouettes’ offense on not only a 2nd and 1 but also a 3rd and 1 opportunity.  

After the takeaway, the Redblacks drove 46-yards inside the Alouettes’ five-yard line but instead of going for it on third and goal, they settled for a 10-yard field goal. 

After a two-and-out by both teams, Worthy’s punt return set up the Alouettes inside Ottawa’s 25-yard line. The Redblacks’ defense held their opponents out of the endzone for three plays before Davis eventually scored a rushing touchdown to give the Alouettes a 34-30 lead. 

The Redblacks were able to get another stop on 3rd and 1 to get the ball back with under a minute left, with a chance to win the game. However, Arbuckle’s second fumble sealed the Redblacks’ fate.

Dyce gets his first win, Redblacks stay alive in East Division playoff race

Adamo Marinelli

October 10, 2022

Interim head coach Bob Dyce got his first win in charge of the Ottawa Redblacks, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 24-18 to keep the Redblacks’ slim playoff hopes alive while simultaneously preventing the Alouettes from clinching a playoff spot of their own.

Redblacks’ quarterback Nick Arbuckle was extremely efficient in the win, completing 28/32 of his passes for 229 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. He moved the ball downfield efficiently, made smart decisions throwing the football, did not rush his reads, and was patient in the pocket. He climbed up the pocket or rolled out to avoid pressure from the Alouettes’ defensive line before scanning the field to find an open receiver. Most importantly, however, he did not make any mistakes, did not throw an interception, and did not turn the ball over.

After falling behind 15-7 at halftime, the Redblacks had possession of the ball for the large majority of the second half, keeping Trevor Harris and the Alouettes offense on the sidelines. The Redblacks possessed the ball for over 22 minutes in the second half and over 12 of the 15 minutes of the third quarter, which tremendously aided their comeback. They outscored the Alouettes 17-3 in the second half. 

While neither team could really get their running game going, Jackson Bennett was crucial on the ground for the Redblacks, especially after William Powell left the game early on with an injury. He rushed nine times for 41 yards and provided a few crucial first downs, helped the Redblacks maintain possession of the ball, and helped keep his offense ahead of the sticks on down and distance. Caleb Evans was also critical in the run game. He rushed seven times for 11 yards and scored the Redblacks’ only two TDs on designed QB draws. 

Alouettes’ quarterback Trevor Harris was also excellent today, completing 30/38 of his passes for 338 yards and one touchdown to Geno Lewis, who had another fantastic game with nine catches for 108 yards and a touchdown catch. He has 1166 receiving yards this year, which is good for fourth most in the CFL. 

Both offensive lines were fantastic today, neither of which gave up a sack. However, both Arbuckle and Harris consistently got the ball out of their hands quickly which prevented the defenses from generating a ton of pressure and which allowed for many opportunities for big gains after the catch. 

Justin Hardy stepped up and had arguably his biggest game of the season, finishing with 11 catches for 79 yards. He made many big catches to extend Redblacks’ drives and set the Redblacks up in scoring position. He stepped up especially in the second half when Jaelon Acklin - who is third in CFL in receiving yards with 1169 - exited the game after taking a hit and entering into concussion protocol. 

This was a great team win for the Redblacks, and their offense, defense, and special teams all played a critical role in the win. After Lewis Ward hit his fourth field goal of the game to put the Redblacks up 24-18, their defense stopped the Alouettes in the red zone, forcing two incompletions in the red zone thanks to great coverage on the final drive to secure the win. The Redblacks are 4-4 on the road, which is great considering their abysmal home record.

With Dyce at the helm, there was no conservative playcalling; the Redblacks were going for it on third and short situations in the Alouettes’ territory, there were limited penalties that negatively impacted either the offense or defense, they didn’t give up on the run game which opened up holes in the passing game and they were able to stay ahead of the sticks by getting the ball out quickly and not taking sacks. Dyce was excellent for his first game as the interim head coach. 

Former Redblacks quarterback William Arndt, who is now the Redblacks’ quarterbacks coach was calling the plays. He did a great job in his first game as the main play-caller. 

The Redblacks have another chance to keep their playoff hopes alive and can prevent the Alouettes from clinching a playoff spot again when these two teams meet again in Ottawa on October 14. 

The Redblacks are 0-7 at home this year and have lost 21 of their last 22 games at TD Place. Can they reverse that trend next week?

Adams Jr. and Pipkin lead Lions to victory; LaPolice dismissed from his duties

Adamo Marinelli

October 2, 2022

The Ottawa Redblacks were defeated 34-19 by the BC Lions on September 30, in a game that was never really competitive. The Redblacks have now lost three games in a row.

With the loss, the Redblacks fell to 3-11 on the season and are not only last place in the East Division but also have the worst record in the CFL. Meanwhile, the Lions improve to 10-4 on the year and cement themselves in second place in the West Division. 

The good news from this game is the dismissal of head coach Paul LaPolice, who led the team to a 6-24 record over the last two seasons. He has dealt with many injuries, but his uncreative, conservative playcalling and inability to make any adjustments during games among other things hurt the team and led to losses.

Special-teams co-ordinator Bob Dyce takes over head-coaching duties on an interim basis and the team will begin looking for a new coach in the offseason.

Vernon Adams Jr. was fantastic under center for the Lions, finishing the night completing 17/22 of his passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns while also being productive in the rushing attack. Backup quarterback Antonio Pipkin scored two rushing touchdowns and had 23 yards on five rushes.

The Lions’ controlled the game in the first half and dominated on both sides of the ball en route to a large halftime lead. 

The Lions opened up the scoring early with a nine-play, 86-yard drive that took nearly five minutes off the clock and consisted of a few huge runs by Adams Jr., James Butler, and Pipkin before Pipkin found Keo Hatcher wide open in the endzone for a 7-0 lead.

The Ottawa Redblacks were able to drive the ball downfield efficiently on numerous occasions, but couldn’t find the endzone on all but one of their drives. Lewis Ward hit four of his five field goal attempts, three of his field goals were 22 yards or shorter. 

The Redblacks have struggled all season to score touchdowns in the red zone, due to a mix of poor and conservative playcalling, mistakes, penalties that pushed the offense back, and often simply a lack of execution. 

After Lewis Ward’s 12-yard field goal, to cut the Lions’ lead to 7-3, Adams Jr. moved the ball quickly downfield with his arms, completing multiple passes including a 36-yard strike to Dominique Rhymes before passing to Butler at the 15, who made several defenders miss and used his speed to get into the endzone to expand BC’s lead to 14-3.

The score would say the same until late in the second quarter when two big completions to Lucky Whitehead and Rhymes set up a two-yard rush TD for Pipkin on a QB draw to give the Lions a 21-3 lead. 

A sack by Cleyong Laing forced the Lions to punt from deep in their own territory, and the Redblacks got the ball at the Lions’ 36-yard line. Two completions, to Justin Hardy and Devonte Williams, set up a 22-yard field goal for Ward which cut the lead to 21-6.

The Lions’ added a field goal at the end of the second quarter to take a 24-6 halftime lead.

The Redblacks’ defense gave up a lot through the air, but overall their defense played well and kept the score respectable until late. They generated a lot of pressure against Adams Jr. and recorded five sacks, including two from Lorenzo Mauldin, who leads the CFL with 14 sacks, breaking Justin Capiciotti’s franchise record of 12 sacks in 2015.

In the second half, after both teams exchanged field goals, the Redblacks’ defense forced the Lions to go two and out for only the second time in the game which led to Ward’s longest field goal from 47 yards out to cut the lead to 27-12. 

The Redblacks’ defense kept the game close with another three and out, but couldn’t capitalize on offense, punting the ball back to the Lions. Leone’s punt was returned 29 yards by ex-Redblack Terry Williams to the Redblacks’ 35-yard line. The Redblacks’ defense couldn’t make up for the good starting field position and it led to a one-yard rush TD by Pipkin to give the Lions a 34-12 lead.

Until late in the game, the Redblacks didn’t commit any turnovers or make any big mistakes, a big improvement from last week when they had five interceptions and seven turnovers. 

Arbuckle connected on two huge completions to Darvin Adams putting the Redblacks into scoring position at BC’s 30-yard line but threw an interception a few plays later.

Arbuckle responded on the next drive, leading a 7-play, 80-yard drive to give the Redblacks their only touchdown of the evening. Arbuckle spread the ball around and got multiple receivers involved, including Justin Hardy, Darvin Adams, and Jackson Bennett to set them up inside the 10-yard line. They finally capitalized in the red zone when Arbuckle found Tevaun Smith wide open in the flat. He broke a few tackles before finding the endzone to lead to 34-19. 

The Redblacks got another quick stop on defense and with under two minutes left, moved the ball quickly to try and cut the lead further. Three big completions had them on the Lions’ side of midfield but a 7-yard sack by defensive lineman David Menard proved costly. The Redblacks got a 15-yard completion but on 3rd&2, Arbuckle’s pass was batted down to seal the Lions’ win.

The Redblacks, who will not see playoff football this season, host the Alouettes on Thanksgiving in an attempt to get an elusive home win; the Lions look for another win against the East-leading Argonauts.

What to expect ahead of the 2022 Panda Game

By Adamo Marinelli

October 1st, 8:48 am

Kickoff is just over three hours away, and the anticipation is high.

The University of Ottawa GeeGees have won the last three Panda Games and lead the all-time series 35-17; this year, the Carleton Ravens look to change the narrative and snap their Panda Game losing streak with their new head coach Corey Grant and their new offensive game plan. 

The GeeGees enter the game, with a record of 4-1, having won three games in a row; the Ravens enter the game with a record of 3-2. They got back into the win column by beating the Windsor Lancers 24-7 after a tough loss to the Queen’s Gaels the previous week. Both teams are top-5 in the OUA standings. 

Despite this year’s game taking place at TD Place on October 1, 2022, the GeeGees are considered the home team. The Gee-Gees are 1-1 at home and 3-0 on the road, meanwhile the Ravens are 3-0 at home and 0-2 on the road, which is an interesting storyline to follow. 

However, last year’s post-game celebrations around the Sandy Hill area following a GeeGee’s win turned into riots that saw a vehicle getting flipped, people getting charged and people ending up in the hospital. 

Police and city councilors warned that if havoc of a similar level occurs this year, the 53rd annual Panda Game could be one of the last. 

“The message to students is clear: Don't be an idiot. Enjoy the football game, have fun … but also respect the neighborhood you live in,” said Mayor Jim Watson.

“If there's no future Panda [Game], it's going to be on the shoulders of students’ [bad] decisions,” councilor Matthieu Fleury said.

Police will have a “zero-tolerance policy” for any rioting or unsafe behaviour and told residents of neighborhoods near both campuses like Sandy Hill, Old Ottawa South, and ByWard Market to be aware of increased police presence at and after this year’s game.