What we learned from NFL conference championship weekend

Adamo Marinelli

Jan. 30, 2023

Super Bowl 57 is set. The NFC’s number-one-seeded Philadelphia Eagles will do battle with the AFC’s number-one-seed Kansas City Chiefs in Arizona on February 12. It shall be known as the battle between Jason and Travis Kelce for their second ring and Andy Reid’s current vs former team.

NFC Championship: San Fransisco 49ers 7 - Philadelphia Eagles 31 

Unfortunately, this game between the two best teams in the NFC was never particularly close, quite anticlimactic, actually. Of course, Brock Purdy got hurt early. The 49ers had to rely on backup QB Josh Johnson, who clearly wasn’t game ready, and also relied on running back Christian McCaffrey in the wildcat formation when Johnson exited with an injury. Still, the biggest factor in this game was the Eagles’ defence that forced two turnovers deep in 49ers territory which they capitalized on by scoring two touchdowns to build an early 21-7 lead at halftime. The 49ers' defence was solid all game, but their offence left them some short fields, which is hard for any defence to prevent touchdowns, especially against a dynamic offence like Philadelphia’s. McCaffrey led the way for the 49ers with 84 yards and a touchdown on the ground, but that’s where the 49ers’ offensive production ended. Meanwhile, the Eagles’ offence did not make a single mistake, didn’t turn the ball over and controlled the clock with their effective run game, which combined for 150 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Jalen Hurts only threw for 121 yards, but like against the Giants, they built a big lead early and didn’t need to pass the ball. The only questionable call in this game was Devonta Smith’s huge reception on third down in the first quarter which led to the Eagles’ first touchdown. The replay showed it was incomplete, but 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t throw the challenge flag because his sideline staff didn’t have the definitive angle at the time. Regardless, the Eagles’ defence also pressured both 49ers’ quarterbacks all game, forcing three sacks two fumbles and being in the 49ers' backfield all day. The Eagles’ number-one pass rush which recorded a franchise record of 70 sacks this season is how they win games, and it was no different tonight. The Eagles will return to the Superbowl for the first time since 2017.

AFC Championship: Cincinnati Bengals 20 - Kansas City Chiefs 23

Joe Burrow is no longer perfect against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Just like the Bengals’ three previous victories against the Chiefs, this game was also decided by three points after an unnecessary roughness penalty against Mahomes who after scrambling for a first down on a hurt ankle - great play by him putting his body on the line for the win - was hit late out of bounds by Begals’ defensive end Joseph Ossai which led to Harrison Butker’s game-winning field goal. While that call was correct according to the rule book, many other suspect calls in this game led many people who were on the fence about if the NFL was scripted to believe it definitely was. Most notably, the Chiefs getting to re-do a crucial third down, several missed holds and blocks in the back on the punt return that led to Butker’s game-winning kick, several missed roughing the passers on Burrow, the intentional grounding on Burrow even though Samaje Perine was in the area. Also, many people also argued that it was Ossai’s momentum that carried him out of bounds and as a result, the refs should never decide a championship game with a call like that. People are even calling for the officiating crew to be investigated. Regardless of how bad the referees may have been, the Chiefs’ pass rush was the real reason they won the game. The Chiefs pressured Burrow all night, especially in the first half and capitalized on the Bengals’ makeshift offensive line, recording five sacks and pressuring Burrow, forcing him to hurry up his reads. This led to Burrow throwing two interceptions. Chris Jones and Frank Clarke combined for 3.5 sacks, including the one that forced a Bengals punt, leading to the Chiefs’ game-winning drive. The Chiefs' run game was borderline ineffective, however, even with an ankle that wasn’t 100 percent, Mahomes looked good, completing 29/43 passes for 326 yards and two TDs; and Marquez Valdes-Scantling was the leading receiver with six grabs, 116 yards and one TD. The Bengals kept it close and only trailed by over seven points one time after Travis Kelce’s touchdown in the second quarter. In the second half, Burrow was more composed and found ways to escape pressure and get the ball downfield to his playmakers, but with five minutes left in the game Burrow had the chance for a game-winning drive but his deep ball intended for Ja’Marr Chase was intercepted. After both teams exchanged punts, the Chiefs drove down the field with the help of the major foul on Ossai to give the Chiefs the win with seconds remaining. The Chiefs will go to their third Superbowl in five years.

What we learned from the NFL divisional playoffs

 Adamo Marinelli

January 24, 2023

The conference championship weekend is set. In the AFC, we have a rematch of last year’s championship game. Joe Burrow will look to improve his record to 4-0 against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs when the Bengals visit Arrowhead and in the NFC, the two best teams in the conference will square off when the San Fransisco 49ers travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles.

Let’s take a look at how we got here. 

Jaguars 20 - Chiefs 27 

The Jaguars kept it close with their strong defense, but even with Patrick Mahomes missing some time in the second quarter with an ankle industry the Chiefs still drove the ball downfield meticulously with Chad Henne. The Chiefs had a 17-10 lead at halftime after Travis Kelce caught his second TD of the game after Henne found him open in the endzone. The Jaguars’ offence struggled to move the ball downfield and couldn’t get their run game going in the second and third quarters got going in the fourth quarter and pulled to within seven points after a Travis Etienne touchdown, but a Mahomes pitch and catch to Marquez Valdes Scantling also sealed the game. The Jaguars’ defence gave them a shot to win this game, and although Trevor Lawrence didn’t have a bad game by any means, he wasn’t as great as he was in the second half against the Chargers, throwing for 217 yards, one TD and one interception. His teammates cost the team, especially with Christian Kirk’s crucial drop and a Jamaal Agnew fumble late in the game. Mahomes and Henne combined for 218 yards and three TDs. 

Giants 7 - Eagles 38

Absolute domination on both sides of the ball all game long for the Philadelphia Eagles. Jalen Hurts was phenomenal, the Eagles’ run game dominated the New York Giants’ run defence, and their pass rush was relentless, constantly in Daniel Jones’ face giving him no time to make a play. The Eagles’ passing game was quiet, but it doesn’t have to do much when you have such a big lead and one of the best rush attacks and defences in the league. The Eagles had five different players score a touchdown and were up 21-0 early in the second quarter. This game was not particularly close at any point. This win is a testament to how good the Eagles are on both sides of the ball, but also is a testament to how mediocre the Giants were. The Minnesota Vikings’ defence made Jones - who was shut down by the Eagles - look like prime Tom Brady; which makes us wonder if the Vikings were ever true Super Bowl contenders.

Bengals 27 - Bills 10

The Buffalo Bills end their wild season on a sour note, much earlier than expected after a tough

loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in a game where neither their offence nor defence showed up. The Bengals started strong offensively on the road despite the intense blizzard conditions and moved the ball down the field efficiently. Burrow found the endzone twice in the first quarter thanks to touchdown passes to Ja’Marr Chase and Hayden Hurst to open up a 14-0 lead. Burrow scanned the field well and consistently found the open receivers who were finding gaps in the Bills’ secondary with ease. Joe Mixon’s excellent 105 yards and one touchdown on the ground helped to open up the passing game for Burrow, who had a really good game with 242 yards and two TDs. The Bills’ offence could never seem to get going and despite a rushing touchdown from Allen to cut the lead to 14-7; seven points was the closest the Bills would get to tying the game. The Bengals’ defence was phenomenal in coverage limiting Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis to 69 receiving yards and their front four consistently pressured Allen who struggled to find any rhythm completing only 25/42 yards for 265 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. The Bengals are scary on both sides of the ball and the Bills seem to be regressing in the playoffs recently and have a long off-season ahead of them with many free agents.

Cowboys 12 - 49ers 19

Both defences were phenomenal in this game. The Dallas Cowboys’ defence kept them in the game and limited arguably the best defense in the NFL - which averages over 35 points per game - to only 19 points and held Christian McCaffrey - one of the best runningbacks in the league - to a mere 35 yards, although he did score the San Fransisco 49ers lone touchdown to give the 49ers a 16-9 lead early in the fourth quarter to break open a defensive deadlock. The Cowboys’ offence started the game strong, taking a 6-3 lead after Dak Prescott found tight end Dalton Schultz in the endzone, however, Brett Maher’s extra point was blocked, meaning he’s missed five extra points in two playoff games but he redeemed himself with two field goals from 25 and 43 yards out. After that drive, the Cowboys struggled to move the ball. The 49ers shut down the Cowboys’ rush attack, holding Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard - who exited with an injury - to a combined 48 yards on the ground. The Cowboys’ poor performance on the ground, the absence of production from any receiver except Ceedee Lamb who caught 10 passes for 117 yards, and Prescott’s two costly interceptions in opposition territory took potential points off the board. Prescott’s many mistakes in key moments of crucial games are alarming.

The Cowboys’ defence was excellent in coverage and their pass rush was consistently pressuring Brock Purdy who had a solid game, completing 19/29 passes for 214 yards. Interestingly, Prescott and Purdy both have two career playoff wins.

For the most part, the divisional round was very entertaining; let’s hope the conference championship games will be just as memorable.

Ravens win a high-scoring thriller against their cross-town rival GeeGees

Adamo Marinelli

Jan. 22, 2023

In the fifth edition of the Colonel By Classic, the first since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team made history in their 8-7 overtime win against the University of Ottawa GeeGees in a thrilling game that saw a combined 15 goals scored, the most ever in the history of the fixture, of which the Ravens have won four. 

With the huge win, the Ravens improve to 10-7-3 (23 points) and leapfrog the GeeGee’s for fourth place in the OUA East standings, which provides a big spark in the Ravens’ playoff push.

“It’s unfortunate the way it turned out, but I’m very happy with our effort and resiliency tonight and we picked up a huge point,” GeeGee’s assistant coach Paul Stoykewych said. 

The Ravens had seven different goal scorers and seven players recorded multi-point games. Forwards Kieran Craig and Alex Johnston both recorded three assists, forward Brogan O’Brien scored and recorded two assists, but defenseman Majid Kaddoura was the hero, scoring the overtime winner. 

Kaddoura went through a wide range of emotions from when the GeeGee’s hit the post in overtime until his shot went in.

“It’s extremely nerve-wracking, obviously your heart drops when they come that close, but when you get a chance like that it feels unreal … to put it in the back of the net,” Kaddoura said. 

Despite all the lead changes and momentum swings throughout an exhilarating back-and-forth game, there was never a point where Kaddoura thought the Ravens would lose the game. 

“I think the leadership we [have] in our entire room all the way from the older guys to our first-year guys was showed tonight … we know that if we stay with our game plan, we come up with the result that we wanted and we did just that,” Kaddoura added.

Despite the win, Ravens’ head coach Shaun Van Allen noted their game was far from perfect, adding that giving up too many goals will not win you many games.

“Just an ugly hockey game. I wouldn't say either side would be really happy with that result,” Van Allen said.

Van Allen felt that every shot was going in and both goalies were being hung to dry; his message to his players during the intermissions was preaching the necessity of simplifying the game defensively which involves all five players supporting each other, communicating with each other, and working together. 

“If you're going to check a guy, I'm there to support you so if you get beat, I got your back and then someone else has my back so one mistake doesn't end up in the back of our net,” Van Allen said. “Make the simple plays … if a guy is open, you move it there. If you chip in behind the [defence] then you start to forecheck … once you do that everyone buys in.”

The Ravens got off to a blazing start offensively, controlling the possession in the attacking zone 

and using their speed and playmaking to create scoring chances. It paid off nearly five minutes in when Garret Wright tapped home a rebound on the doorstep off a shot from the faceoff circle from Simon Kerr to give the Ravens a 1-0 lead. 

Six minutes later, the Ravens’ sustained attack led to Kerr’s pass into the slot being deflected upstairs over the glove of GeeGee’s goaltender Jean-Phillipe Tourigny by O’Brien to double the Ravens’ lead.

The difference in this game was special teams. The Ravens took several leads throughout the game, however, the GeeGee’s strong penalty kill was phenomenal, killing all five of Carleton’s powerplays, helping the GeeGees tighten up defensively and spark their late-game comeback. Tourigny was a huge reason why the GeeGee’s penalty kill was perfect, making several huge saves in key moments. 

In addition, the GeeGee’s powerplay had a fantastic performance and was incredibly efficient, scoring three goals on six attempts gave them momentum and helped equalize the game multiple times.

The GeeGee’s moved the puck well to create quality scoring chances and put consistent pressure on the Ravens’ defence while on the powerplay. 

“Our power play was phenomenal. The guys executed every opportunity they had,” GeeGee’s forward Brady Chenier said.

“We've struggled over the year trying to get our special teams going but both units were excellent today,” Stoykewych said. “Great day to get our powerplay going.”

GeeGee’s forwards Nicholas Ouellet and Chenier scored on consecutive powerplays before the first period ended to cut the Ravens’ lead to 2-1 and 3-2. Chenier scored his second powerplay goal in the third period to help propel the GeeGee’s comeback. 

The GeeGee’s special teams were great but the Ravens excelled in transition where they used their speed, vision, and incredible playmaking to create several scoring chances which kept the GeeGee’s defence on its heels.

The Ravens controlled much of the first period, but the GeeGees came alive in the second period. They weren’t afraid of throwing their bodies around to make a play. They controlled possession, dictated the game’s pace, and their great playmaking and sustained pressure in the attacking zone helped generate a barrage of scoring chances around the net. 

The GeeGees consistently trailing forced them to adjust their game plan to find a spark. 

“You have to play a little bit more aggressively, you have to take a few more chances and our guys battled back on multiple occasions,” Chenier said, adding that their aggressiveness helped them control possession and create shots.

The Ravens were also very physical and played fast and loose with their sticks which caused them to take many undisciplined penalties which their opponents capitalized on. 

The Ravens regained control in the third period, recording nine shots and scoring two goals in under five minutes to take a 6-4 lead and snatch all the momentum away from Ottawa.

After the GeeGee’s scored their third powerplay goal, Ravens’ forward Lukash Matthews scored 50 seconds later to restore the Ravens’ two-goal lead. 

Despite being down 7-5 midway through the third period, the GeeGees wouldn’t go away. They scored two goals - including Chenier’s hattrick - less than three minutes apart as a result of their excellent forecheck and their accurate puck movement which opened up the Ravens’ defence to create shooting lanes. 

Both teams exchanged multiple scoring chances throughout overtime, but both goaltenders made many huge saves to keep their teams alive. Nearly 45 seconds after the GeeGee’s hit the post, the Ravens used their speed to attack in transition and Kaddoura took a shot from behind the net that deflected in off Tourigny’s pad.

“It was a great experience and something we won’t soon forget,” Kaddoura said. “A huge win against our rival in front of all those fans.”

The Carleton Ravens extend their win streak, keep winning in many ways

Adamo Marinelli

Jan. 22, 2023

The Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team improved to 13-2 on the season, are riding a seven-game winning streak, and are a perfect 6-0 in 2023 a hard-fought 69-64 win against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Jan. 20 and a 63-53 win against the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold on Jan. 21 after a strong second half effort. 

The Ravens have proven this year they can win games in multiple ways. At the beginning of the season, they struggled to get consistent production from their bench and often relied on one or two starters, normally guard Kali Pocrnic, to lead the way offensively. 

More recently, especially during their seven-game win streak, the Ravens have become a more cohesive team unit offensively. All five of their starters and the entire bench began to consistently contribute offensively which took the pressure off Pocrnic and allowed them to create more open shots. When every player on the floor is a threat to score, it spreads out the defence more than if they only had to focus on one or two players. 

In the Ravens’ win over UofT on Friday, their bench scored 32 points, doubling the output of their opponent’s bench which marks the seventh consecutive game the Ravens’ bench outscored their opposition - and it has been by a whopping combined margin of 193-46. The Ravens are now 6-1 in those games. 

However, it wasn’t just the bench producing at a high level. Forward Jacqueline Urban led the starters in scoring with 17 points and 15 rebounds, Pocrnic added 15 points and guard Dorcas Buisa added 14 points. When the Ravens are all contributing on offence, the team finds much more success compared to when one player carries the majority of the burden herself. 

In their win over TMU on Saturday, the Ravens’ bench was not nearly as productive as it usually is, scoring only two points. 

Four starters recorded eight or more points and Jacqueline Urban continued her strong run of form with a second consecutive double-double recording 13 points and 16 rebounds. However, it was Pocrnic carrying the majority of the offensive load again.

Pocrnic led the team in scoring for the sixth time this season with a dominant 27-point performance while shooting 8-19 from the field and also recording two rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Most of the offensive load flowed through Pocrnic against UofT just like how it did in four of the first six games of the season when Pocrnic led the team in scoring in each of those games recording 29, 25, 26, and 22 points respectively. 

Another season-long struggle has been the inability to make free throws. In both of Carleton’s 

losses this season, they shot 63 and 41 percent from the charity stripe. The inability to consistently knock down free throws has hindered the team’s success in lost games. Even in their first 11 wins, their average from the free throw line was just over 60 percent which is not ideal. However, the Ravens’ free throw shooting has improved recently and played a crucial role in their last few victories. 

Against the Varsity Blues on Friday, the Ravens made 24 of their 36 free throw attempts which helped them secure a tough win in a close game. Hitting only 66.67 percent of your free throws doesn’t sound very good, but if you consider that it gave the Ravens 24 extra points in a close game, it did make a big contribution to the win. 

Against the Bold on Saturday, the Ravens only missed one free throw, shooting 17/18 from the charity stripe. Consistently knocking down your free throws and scoring points while the clock is stopped is a huge offensive boost for any team, especially in close games and the Ravens have been in seven games that were decided in 10 or fewer points.

Regardless of whether Pocrnic leads the way offensively or if the whole team contributes, the Ravens build their reputation on strong team defense, dominating on the glass, and physicality in the paint. 

Against the Varsity Blues, the Ravens continued their dominance in the paint and on the glass. The Ravens outrebounded their opponent 43-42 and for the 10th time in their 13 wins which demonstrates how critical winning the rebound battle is. Winning the offensive glass gives your team additional possessions and more opportunities to score; winning the defensive glass ends your opponents' possessions, prevents them from scoring, and enables you to attack in transition. That is what Carleton has been able to do in the majority of their wins this season. 

The Ravens also dominated the paint, outscoring their opponents 38-22 in the area. They have outscored their opponents in the paint in 10 of their 13 victories this season. 

Carleton is also known for playing a very physical defensive game. They limit their opponents’ space to move the ball and create high-percentage shots and force a lot of turnovers. The Ravens forced 14 steals and 22 turnovers, scoring 20 points in transition from their takeaways which made up for their abysmal night from beyond the arc where they shot a mere five percent. 

Against the Bold, the Ravens were outrebounded 45-37 and were outscored in the paint 30-24, but they forced 23 turnovers and scored 17 points in transition compared to the Bold, who scored only 12 points off 18 forced turnovers. 

They also held the Bold to 32.3 percent from the field and 16.7 from beyond the arc, giving their opponents no space to operate making it difficult for them to create scoring opportunities. No matter the circumstance, the Ravens can always rely on their excellent defense, especially from the perimeter, and their transition game to help them win. 

The Ravens’ success from the free throw line, massive nights from Pocrnic and Urban, and their huge 26-point third quarter against TMU - in six games this season, the Ravens have taken the lead after outsourcing their opponents in the third quarter - all helped the Ravens improve to 13-2. 

What we learned from NFL Super Wild Card Weekend - Recap

By: Adamo Marinelli

Jan. 16, 2023

The NFL wild card weekend was a fun one, filled with many exciting games, many comebacks, collapses, and many entertaining and high-scoring games. Let’s take a look at each one and see what we can learn from each.

49ers vs Seahawks: 

The Seahawks kept it close in the first half, their defense played well, and their offence heated up in the second quarter, scoring 17 points to take a 17-16 lead at halftime, however, the 49ers scored 25 unanswered points in the second half to put the game away. Geno Smith was solid in his first playoff start, throwing for over 250 yards and two touchdowns but the 49ers have so much talent in every position on their roster and Brock Purdy (Mr. Irrelevant) has played admirably in every game this season and became the first rookie QB to throw for over 330 yards, three touchdowns, and rush for another score in his first playoff start. Christian McCaffrey is proving to be a very good addition for the Niners and their defense - which has been excellent all season - is heating up again at the right time. Even with Brock Purdy at quarterback, the rest of their roster is chock full of talent and depth and they are so well coached under Kyle Shanahan; the 49ers are a definite Super Bowl contender and are playing very well right now.

Chargers vs Jaguars

The Chargers found themselves up 27-0 late in the second quarter after forcing five turnovers. However, the Chargers’ offence could not move the ball in the second half to save their lives - thanks in part to poor offensive execution, failure to run the ball effectively, and poor playcalling - and only scored three points. The Jaguars outscored the Chargers 31-3 in the second half behind a phenomenal second-half performance from Trevor Lawrence, who rebounded extremely well after a poor first half. He played with confidence, progressing through his reads with ease, making difficult throws look easy, extending plays with his legs, and throwing accurate intermediate and deep passes directly to his receivers. In the first 25 minutes, he threw four interceptions; in the second half, he had a short memory and dominated, throwing for nearly 250 yards and three touchdown passes. What really helped was 109 rush yards from Travis Etienne, the Chargers couldn’t run the ball at all: Austin Ekeler only had 35 rush yards, seven in the second half. Brandon Staley has to go.

Bills vs Dolphins

The Buffalo Bills’ offence started the game really strong; Josh Allen and company looked as dominant as they had been all season and moved the ball down the field efficiently, using Devin Singletary in the run game and Josh Allen’s strong arm to push the ball downfield in chunk plays. The Bills scored two touchdowns in the first quarter and their defence prevented the Dolphins from moving the ball at all. Dawson Knox appeared to score his second touchdown of the game to give the Bills a 21-0 lead, but it was ruled incomplete; Buffalo settled for three. The Dolphins’ defence came alive forcing a handful of turnovers and getting a few quick scores to tie the game 17-17 late in the second quarter. The Dolphins took their first lead of the game early in the third quarter after recovering a Josh Allen fumble and returning it five yards for a touchdown. The Bills' offence resumed moving the ball downfield effectively and scored two more touchdowns to put the game away, but the Bills turned the ball over a lot, and the Dolphins’ strong defence capitalized with three turnovers and seven sacks. With Tua, this game ends differently. The Bills need to clean up their turnovers ahead of the divisional round if they want to defeat a strong Cincinnati Bengals team.

Giants vs Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings had an incredible 11-0 record in one-score games this season, an NFL record. Unfortunately for the Vikings, their luck in one-score games ran out on wildcard weekend as they lost 31-24 at home to the New York Giants. Huge credit to head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale; the Giants’ defence played lights out all game, generating a ton of pressure against Kirk Cousins and limiting Justin Jefferson, arguably the best receiver in the league to 47 yards on nine catches. On the offensive side of the ball, the Giants were very effective on the ground with Saquon Barkley with 53 yards and two touchdown runs and Daniel Jones who ran for 78 yards on the ground. Jones was also dominant through the air, completing 24 of 35 passes for 301 yards and two TD passes. Jones made history as the first player to record over 300 pass yards, over 75 rush yards, and two passing touchdowns and the Vikings’ defence simply could not handle the Giants’ passing attack. The Giants look good and are heating up at the right time.

Bengals vs Ravens

The Bengals’ offence - one of the best units in the league with many talented weapons - was contained well by Ravens’ strong defence. The Ravens limited Joe Burrow to 209 passing yards and only one passing touchdown, however, he did add another touchdown on the ground. Tyler Huntley was efficient through the air, completing 17/29 passes for 226 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He added 54 yards on the ground but his only mistake - a fumble inside the two-yard line - proved costly. The Ravens scored 10 unanswered points to take a 10-9 lead at halftime after the Bengals’ offence started out hot with a touchdown and field goal in the first quarter. Huntley’s best play of the game was a 41-yard TD pass to Demarcus Robinson to tie the game 17-17 after Burrow’s QB sneak but early in the fourth quarter, Huntley leaped over the top from the 2-yard line but lost the ball and it was picked up and returned 98-yards for the game-winning touchdown by DE Sam Hubbard. The Bengals’ defence was perfect the rest of the way. With Lamar, who wouldn’t fumble near the goal line, the Ravens probably win the game. 

Cowboys vs Buccaneers

Tom Brady was 7-0 against Dallas in his career. The Cowboys came into the playoffs after a disastrous offensive performance against the Washington Commanders in week 18. However, from start to finish, the Cowboys dominated the Buccaneers on both sides of the ball and cruised to their first playoff road victory in 30 years and only their fourth playoff win since 1996. The only thing they couldn’t do was hit extra points. Brett Maher missed four extra points in a single game - an NFL record; he only missed three PATs during the regular season. Dak Prescott quieted his haters with arguably his best game of the season. He completed 25/33 passes for 305 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions while adding a rushing touchdown. The Cowboys’ rush attack was efficient, combining for 128 yards on the ground to open up the passing game. Dalton Schultz had 95 yards and two touchdowns on seven grabs; Ceedee Lamb and Michael Gallup also found the endzone. If Dallas can sustain an efficient ground attack to open up the passing game and Dak plays like that, the Cowboys’ offence will be scary. The Cowboys' defence was also excellent, pressuring Brady all night long forcing him to get rid of the ball quickly, make mistakes or miss open reads. The Cowboys' defense also recorded two sacks and an interception. The Bucs didn’t score until the Cowboys were up 24-0 late in the third quarter when the game was already out of reach. The Cowboys will go far if they play like that, Maher needs to make his kicks, though. 

The wild card round is over, but the divisional round next weekend has four very interesting games. The Jags play the Chiefs and the Giants play the Eagles on Saturday, Jan. 22. The Bengals visit the Bills and the Cowboys visit the 49ers on Sunday, Jan. 23.

Analysis: Ravens can win in multiple ways, but are more effective when everyone contributes

Adamo Marinelli

Jan. 15, 2023 

From Kali Pocrnic to Emma Kiesekamp to Jacqueline Urban; the Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team has offensive powerhouses all over the court, but their strongest threat is when everyone is scoring on one accord. 

In many games early on in the season, the Ravens struggled to get production from their bench and relied mainly on star guard Kali Pocrnic for the majority of their offence. 

The same storyline rang true in the Ravens’ 73-61 win against the Guelph Gryphons on Saturday, Jan. 14. The bench combined for only 12 points and struggled to get their offence going. Pocrnic scored 27 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in 36 minutes.

More recently, the bench players and the starters around Pocrnic have stepped up and contributed which has helped to make Carleton’s offence more dynamic when points are coming from everyone, and not just one all-star player. 

In Carleton’s 74-50 win against Ontario Tech on Friday, Jan. 13, in which the Ravens’ controlled the entire game, Pocrnic was limited to only four points, while shooting j28.5 per cent from the field, however, they were able to build and sustain their lead thanks to 36 points from their bench and 34 points from the other four starters, who’ve stepped up more often as the season progressed.

Starting forward Jacqueline Urban recorded 16 points and eight rebounds, guard Dorcas Buisa recorded eight points, six rebounds and five assists and guard Emma Kiesekamp recorded six points and 10 rebounds to help make up for Pocrnic’s lack of production. 

36 points is the highest output from their second unit all season. Ontario Tech’s bench only had four points. The win against Ontario Tech is the sixth consecutive game in which the Ravens’ bench outscored their opposition and it was by a combined margin of 161-30. Carleton is 5-1 in those games, which proves a strong bench makes all the difference. 

Zerina Duvnjak, Teresa Donato and Oceane Kounkou combined to score 34 of the Ravens’ 36 bench points recording 14, 11 and nine points respectively.

The entire starting five for the Ravens was fantastic on the defensive end in both games this weekend, covering their opponents tightly to take away passing lanes, creating turnovers, attacking in transition and preventing their opponents from getting open shots in high-percentage areas like in the paint and around the rim. 

“Obviously as coaches, we preach defence, team defence, and team effort … I thought that’s what we were able to do throughout the second half, particularly the third quarter, there was a stretch of about three minutes where we didn’t score, but we were able to get some stops … [team defence] really made the difference tonight,” Ravens’ Women’s Basketball Head Coach Dani Sinclair said in a postgame press conference on Jan. 14.

As a team, the Ravens also showed their dominance on the glass, outrebounding Ontario Tech 54-20; in the paint, outscoring Ontario Tech 34 to 20 in the area and recording 19 points off turnovers compared to only nine for Ontario Tech.

Including the 73-61 win against the Guelph Gryphons on Saturday, in Carleton’s 11 wins, they have outrebounded their opponent in nine games, have outscored their opponents in the paint nine times and have outscored their opponents in points in transition in eight games. This shows that a complete team effort both on offence and defence is critical to success and it's what Carleton has done for most of the season.

Carleton’s 36 bench points against Ontario Tech were critical in helping the Ravens build a lead in the first half and sustain it in the second half while allowing the starters to get some rest ahead of the game on Saturday against the Guelph Gryphons. 

The added rest definitely helped Pocrnic, who dominated the Gryphons’ defence scoring 27 points while shooting 12/19 from the field and recording five rebounds, four assists and three steals. She knocked down her shots with confidence, drove the rim effectively, and her presence drew in extra defenders allowing her to make a pass to an open teammate for a shot.

It wasn’t just Pocrnic contributing offensively, however. Buisa scored 10 points while recording three rebounds, two assists and two steals and Kiesekamp recorded a double-double, scoring 14 points; she dominated the glass collecting 14 rebounds too. 

Kiesekamp reflected on her mindset for the rest of her final season. 

“This is it for me, I’m graduating so I'm gonna give like everything I have for the team these last few months and not hold anything back. I want to be successful and help my team as much as possible and get as many wins as we can and hopefully, that leads us coming together as a team,” said Kiesekamp, adding they are much more dynamic when they play as a team.

The Ravens’ bench was less effective against the Gryphons, scoring only 12 points and being outscored for the first time in seven contests however, all five of the starters were clicking offensively which allowed Pocrnic to get more open looks and knock down more shots. 

The Ravens’ offence is much more effective when all five starters are involved which has been the case in all four of their wins in January, compared to when Pocrnic is carrying the majority of the offensive burden on her own.

Another issue the Ravens have faced has been a lack of aggression to start games, which happens when the Ravens struggle to get everyone involved offensively and rely on only one player to score. Five of the Ravens’ 11 wins this year have been on the backs of second-half comebacks.

Sinclair was pleased with the team’s response and how everyone getting involved offensively helped them recover from another slow start which saw them trail 18-12 after the first quarter.

“Our response tonight was really good,” Sinclair said. “I think our tendency sometimes is to feel the game out a little bit too much [which leads to slow starts and early deficits] … and I’d prefer that we come out a little bit more aggressive … but our girls were calm and didn’t panic,” Sinclair said.

Georgia repeat as National Champions; dismantle TCU 65-7

Adamo Marinelli

Jan. 11, 2023

The University of Georgia Bulldogs completed its perfect 15-0 season and became the first team in the College Football Playoff era to win back-to-back National Championships and they did so in style. 

The Bulldogs defeated the TCU Horned Frogs in a 65-7 rout; the 58-point margin of victory was the largest in College Football Playoff history.

Bulldogs’ quarterback Stetson Bennett IV, 25, capped off his collegiate career on a high note, becoming only the sixth college QB to repeat as a National Champion. He dominated through the air on the ground accounting for 304 passing yards and four passing TDs and 39 yards and two TDs on the ground.

The Bulldogs dominated from start to finish on both sides of the ball. Their offence dominated the Horned Frog’s defence, slashing through the secondary and finding huge gaps in the running game with ease. 

The Bulldogs’ defense stifled the Horned Frogs all game long. After TCU scored a touchdown on their opening drive, Georgia shut them out for the rest of the game. They consistently pressured TCU QB Max Duggan with five sacks and 11 QB pressures, forced two fumbles, and recorded two interceptions. Duggan completed only 14/22 passes for 152 yards, zero TDs, and two INTs. He also had a rushing touchdown but recorded -38 yards on the ground. 

TCU’s offense was extremely efficient on the ground and through the air and their defense - with two pick-sixes - played a big role in their 51-45 semifinal win against the Michigan Wolverines, however, neither their offence nor defence could do anything against a superior Bulldogs’ squad. 

TCU’s impressive season ends with a record of 13-2. Most had them not even finishing in the top half of the Big 12 conference, so despite the humiliating loss in the National Championship, it has still been a successful season. 

Bennett IV, at 25 years old, standing at only 5’11” and with an arm that didn’t ‘wow’ any scouts was projected to be a mid-to-round late pick. 

However, after another incredible season in which he won a second National Championship and was named a Heisman Trophy finalist to cap off a very productive career at Georgia - where he won 28 of 31 starts - he looks ready to become a pretty reliable and dual-threat signal caller in the NFL and may have a few teams take a closer look at his recent tape. Maybe he can see himself taken in the first round in April.

Canada survives Czechia's comeback, wins 3-2 in OT to claim back-to-back gold medals

Adamo Marinelli

Jan. 5, 2023

For the first time since Canada won their fifth straight gold medal in 2009, Canada becomes the first team to win back-to-back IIHF World Juniors Gold Medals after they defeated Czechia 3-2 in overtime in an absolute thriller. Canada exacts their revenge against Czechia, who was the only team to beat Canada at the 2023 World Juniors, by a score of 5-2 in their first preliminary round game.

Dylan Guenther was the hero for Canada and was the player of the game scoring two goals, including the overtime winner, and also recording an assist. Captain Shane Wright also scored a beautiful goal on his 19th birthday to help secure gold. Brandt Clarke and Brennan Othmann each recorded two assists.

Czechia ends their 17-year medal drought and were so close to winning their first gold medal since 2001. They fought back from down 2-0 to force overtime but settled with a silver medal after losing 3-2 in overtime to Canada. The silver medal is their best finish since 2001.

Against the United States, Canada looked nervous and got off to a slow start. Against Czechia with the gold medal on the line, Canada got off to a much better start, controlling the time of possession and dominating offensive zone time. 

However, both defenses played extremely well, blocking shots, and taking away passing, and shooting lanes. The shots were 1-1 10 minutes into the first period. Canada’s defense played particularly well. They were physical, took Czechia off the puck, and seemed to win every loose puck battle.

A few minutes into the game, Canada turned the puck over and Czechia hit the crossbar in transition. If Czechia would’ve scored that goal, the whole complexion of the game would’ve been changed. Czechia would’ve had much more momentum going into the second period.

Connor Bedard had a goal correctly ruled out for offside five minutes into the first period, but a few minutes later Canada was awarded a powerplay opportunity. Ahead of this game, Canada’s powerplay converted on 13 of its 28 attempts, the best of any team at the tournament.

Canada really found their footing offensively on the powerplay, spending almost the entire two minutes in the offensive zone, moving the puck around efficiently to open up shooting lanes and create scoring chances. Near the end of the powerplay, Brandt Clarke made an exceptional cross-ice pass, finding Guenther wide open at the top of the faceoff circle who fired home a powerful one-timer past Czechia goaltender Thomas Suchanek. All of Guenther’s six goals to that point had come on the powerplay, which shows his brilliance and skill on open ice.

Suchanek played very well all night turning aside 35 of Canada’s 38 shots on goal. He made several huge saves at many key points in the game, including preventing Canada from expanding their lead late to 3-0 in the second period, to keep the game tied toward the end of the third period and in overtime.

Thomas Milic was once again, fantastic between the pipes for Canada, making 24 saves on 26 Czechia

shots faced, including several highlight reel saves throughout. Canada turned the puck over a 

few times in the first period which led to multiple breakaway chances in transition for Czechia. Milic came up big in all of those scenarios, making big saves to preserve Canada’s 1-0 lead. 

Canada improved their transition defense as the game went on and they allowed fewer chances in transition and looked calmer and more confident on defense. 

Two minutes into the second period, forward Caedan Banker was sprung in on a rush off a nice through pass past the defense, but before he could control the puck and get a shot off, he ran into Suchanek before the puck trickled over the line and the goal was correctly ruled out. Suchanek looked a bit shaken up but didn’t leave the game. He stayed in for the rest of the game and played well too. The accidental contact was likely why no penalty was called.

Canada’s accurate passing through the neutral zone and Czechia’s defense leading to odd-man rushes for Canada in transition remained a theme throughout the game. Canada was using the stretch pass brilliantly to create scoring chances in transition many times during the game. Suchanek has to make a handful of athletic saves including stretching out his pad to deny Zach Ostapchuk on the breakaway to keep the game 1-0 for Canada. 

Canada dominated offensively early in the second period, creating several scoring chances and dominating the offensive zone time. Their incredible playmaking and creative stickhandling set up shooting lanes and their ability to drive the net with their stick down looking for rebounds or a pass in the slot made Czechia’s defense nervy.

Canada capped off a spell of offensive dominance early in the second period with a fantastic individual effort from captain Shane Wright who cut through two Czechia defenders with his agility and strong stickhandling skills before shifting to his backhand and roofing the puck past Suchanek to give Canada a 2-0 lead five minutes into the second period on his birthday. 

Canada kept pressing offensively as the second period went on and early in the third period. They did a great job getting pucks to the net by both crashing the net for shooting opportunities in the slot and by stickhandling around defenders to create open space and shooting lanes. Canada’s puck movement remained a huge factor in creating open space for shots on goal.

However, despite all their top quality, grade-A chances, Canada could not extend their lead to 3-0, and it almost came back to haunt them. Suchanek was a big reason why as he made numerous key saves to keep his team’s deficit at two goals. Going into the third, Canada was up 2-0 and knew they needed to shut the door defensively and score one more goal to seal it. 

It took Czechia 52:30 minutes to cut Canada’s lead in half, but once they scored their first goal, less than one minute passed before they found the back of the net again to tie the game 2-2. 

On the first goal, Eduard Sale’s initial shot from the faceoff circle beat Milic on his glove side before hitting the post. Jiri Kulich used his speed to drive the net and tucked home the loose puck on the rebound. 

Directly off the ensuing faceoff, Czechia controlled the puck in the offensive zone. Canada took the puck away but was unable to clear the zone and Thomas Namara forced a turnover before finding some open space to take a point shot into heavy traffic. The shot deflected off Jakub Kos before trickling past Milic. Canada was outshooting Czechia 31-21 at that point but the game was tied 2-2 with six minutes left to play.

Canada’s defense had been almost perfect - including killing all three of Czechia’s powerplays - but from the halfway point of the third period until the game was tied almost four minutes later, Canada turned the puck over a handful of times in their own zone and could not clear the puck out of their end which contributed to Czechia’s comeback. 

However, with credit to Czechia, their offense was clicking in the third period, they moved the puck well, spent a lot of time in Canada’s end, and forced crucial turnovers in the offensive zone which led to multiple scoring chances. Suchanek many timely saves also gave them a chance to make a comeback.

Both teams pressed offensively late in the game, searching for a winner. Canada got numerous quality chances to win late in the game but Suchanek stood on his head like he has all game. Milic was also very sharp in the final few minutes of regulation and made several crucial saves to keep the game 2-2 against a rejuvenated Czechia offense who had just tied the game and regained all the momentum.

Canada spent the majority of the overtime period in the offensive zone, putting pucks to the net and moving the puck with accuracy and efficiency to create scoring chances. Czechia had a few chances in transition which Canada’s defence or Milic turned aside.

Just over six minutes into overtime, Joshua Roy won a puck battle in the corner and found Guenther all by himself in the slot. Roy delivered a crisp, cross-ice pass to Guenther’s stick which he controlled before making a move and beating Suchanek upstairs to seal Canada’s 20th World Juniors Gold Medal, most of any nation worldwide.

Connor Bedard - who broke IIHF World Juniors several records - won tournament MVP, scoring nine goals and recording 14 assists for 23 points in seven games. The gold medal game was the only game he was held pointless. Bedard didn’t contribute to the scoresheet tonight, but without him, Canada wouldn’t have even been in the gold medal match.

Congratulations to Canada and what a great effort from Czechia!

Canada comes back from 2-0 down to beat the US, reach gold medal game again

Adamo Marinelli

January 4, 2022

Team Canada scored six unanswered goals to overcome an early 2-0 deficit to defeat rival USA 6-2 and will advance to their fourth consecutive IIHF World Juniors Gold Medal game. 

Canada will play Czechia for a chance to be the first team to repeat as Gold Medal Champions since Canada did five consecutive times from 2005 to 2009. They will also have a chance to exact revenge on Czechia, the only team to beat Canada at this tournament. Czechia beat Canada 5-2 in the opening group stage game. 

Forward Connor Bedard has been excellent for Canada at this tournament with nine goals and 14 assists (23 points) in six games. He scored or assisted on 65 percent of Canada’s goals at the 2023 World Juniors - including a goal and an assist tonight against the US - and has the record for most career goals and points at the World Juniors by any Canadian and most goals and points in a single tournament by any Canadian. 

However, there are many other talented players who have stepped up in big moments at this tournament including Joshua Roy -who scored two goals and two assists (four points) tonight against the US-, Adam Fantili, Logan Stankoven, Zach Dean, Dylan Guenther, Zack Ostapchuk, Shane Wright and Owen Zellwegger among others. 

The United States capitalized on Canada’s slow start and dominated the first 10 minutes of the first period. They spent almost all of it in the offensive zone, controlled the pace of the game, dominated possession, and outshot Canada. 

Talented prospect Logan Cooley - who sits seventh in the all-time US point leaders at the World Juniors with 19 and who has six goals and 12 points at this tournament - gave the United States an early 1-0 lead with an excellent shot right off the faceoff. The United States continued its dominance by expanding its lead midway through the first period. Kenny Connors controlled a rebound off a Charlie Stramel point shot and tucked it past Thomas Milic. The US had a 2-0 lead, but Canada did not give up; after trailing 2-0, Canada really found their footing and began to swing the momentum in their favour.

Less than 90 seconds after the US went up 2-0, Ethan Del Mastro controlled the puck off a faceoff win by Roy and made a beautiful cross-ice, centering pass that found the stick of Bedard in the crease. Bedard cut the US’s lead in half while scoring his ninth goal of the tournament.

Canadian goaltender Thomas Milic was sensational once again, making 43 saves on 45 US shots. Many of those saves came at crucial times to keep Canada in the game.

Canada wasn’t very sharp offensively late in the first period or midway through the second 

period, but Milic made several excellent saves on Grade-A quality chances from up close against some of the best shooters at the tournament to keep Canada in the game and allow them to come back. Milic needed to be sharp at numerous stages of the game and he was. 

He was also very sharp in the first half of the third period when the United States was pressing to make the game closer. The US was getting several quality scoring chances early in the third period and was pressing in the offensive zone. Milic was particularly excellent making four saves on a penalty kill early in the third period to maintain Canada’s 4-2 lead. 

In addition, the United States dominated the offensive zone time, outshot Canada 45-37 in total, and by larger margins early in the game, had 29 scoring chances to Canada’s 17, and had 24 shots from inside the slot compared to Canada’s 17 according to Sportlogiq. Milic had to be sharp all game and he was. If it weren’t for Milic, Canada wouldn’t have had the chance to get 

back into the game, let alone win. 

Canada’s offense really got going less than one minute into the second period. Roy took a shot from the slot and collected his own rebound before finding Logan Stankoven - who crashed the net and was left unmarked on the doorstep - who buried his third goal of the tournament to tie the game 2-2. 

Canada wasn’t done yet. Nearly five minutes later, they took their first lead of the night. Zach Dean used his speed to gain the zone to chase down a loose puck and made a move to get around a defender before making a beautiful cross-ice pass which found the stick of Adam Fantilli who buried it top-shelf to put Canada in front 3-2. 

Midway through the second period, the US appeared to tie the game 3-3, but the goal was ruled out after it was determined the US player made slight contact with Milic in the crease before scoring. It was a questionable call for sure and could’ve gone either way, but the IIHF goaltender interference rules are more strict than the NHL’s. 

A few minutes later, Canada had another brief spell of offensive dominance, spending lots of time in the offensive zone and getting quality offensive scoring chances. Joshua Roy scored his first goal of the game to give Canada a 4-2 lead with over 7:30 minutes left in the second period. Roy controlled a pass from Stankoven before cutting through a pair of US defencemen and seamlessly switching from forehand to backhand to lift the puck over US goaltender Tre Augustine’s shoulder. 

Less than one minute into the third period, the US controlled the puck directly off the faceoff. Forward Rutger McGroarty followed up his initial shot on goal by tapping in what appeared to be a loose puck, however, it was determined after review that the puck was covered under Milic’s pad before it was tapped in during the ensuing scrum and it was ruled out. The game remained 4-2 for Canada. 

Almost halfway through the third period, Canada expanded their lead to three goals. Brandt 

Clarke jumped on Adam Fantili’s rebound and iced the game with a beautiful wrist shot that found the top shelf. After going up three goals, Canada focused on defending so the United States controlled the last few minutes of the game offensively creating several quality scoring chances from dangerous areas but Milic could not be beaten and made several huge saves to seal the victory. 

Roy scored his second goal of the game into an empty net on the penalty kill to give Canada a 6-2 lead and ultimately the semifinal victory.

Even though the scoreline read 6-2, the game was a lot closer than it appeared and the US was dominant offensively. A masterclass from Milic played a massive role in Canada’s win. 

Canada will have the chance to pull an Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, winning it all after losing their first group stage game. 

However, Czechia is a very talented hockey team on both sides of the puck and Canada will have their work cut out for them, knowing that their opponent in the gold medal game has been the only team to beat them at the tournament. All the pressure to win will be on Canada, not Czechia. Only time will tell who will win the gold medal, but we’ll find out for sure tomorrow.