FIFA World Cup Quarterfinals Predictions

Adamo Marinelli

Argentina 2 - 1 Netherlands

The Netherlands cruised through Group A, finishing with wins over Senegal and Qatar and drawing with Ecuador, claiming seven of a possible nine points. In the round of 16, they controlled the majority of the match against the United States en route to a 3-1 win. The Netherlands scored early, doubled their lead right before the half, and despite a few nervy moments after the US scored, the Netherlands scored again to seal the victory. They are a strong team, with a talented attack and midfield, but Argentina’s midfield can also control the possession and their front three can capitalize on the chances they create. Argentina lost their opening World Cup match to Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest upsets in tournament history, but then proceed to beat Mexico and Poland 2-0. In the round of 16, they got off to a quick 2-0 lead against Australia thanks to their prolific ball movement, and creativity in the final third to create shots before holding on after Australia scored a late goal. It will be a close game and will be tied 1-1 late into the second half, but Argentina will capitalize in transition after an error by the Australian midfield and a late goal from Leo Messi will break the tie. 

Brazil 3 - 1 Croatia

Croatia finished second in their group, behind Morocco, after handily beating Canada despite conceding in the first 90 seconds and drawing with Belgium and Morocco. Croatia’s defense was solid, but the real reason they’ve excelled in the World Cup is the elite level of talent and creativity in their midfield and how efficient they are in turning defensive stops into attacks in transition. Croatia is beatable, however, and Japan’s high press and ability to create chances and pressure Croatia’s defense brought the game to extra time before Croatia won 3-1 on penalties, where their goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved three Japanese penalties, tying a World Cup record. Brazil, the number one ranked team in the world, has been a favourite to win the tournament from the very beginning and won their first two matches to clinch a spot in the round of 16 before they fell to Cameroon 1-0 in matchday three. Brazil dominated a strong South Korean side 4-1 in the round of 16 thanks to four first-half goals. Croatia is talented offensively and can control possession and generate several scoring chances, but Brazil is better overall. They are able to control possession, tire opposing defenses out with their ball movement and speed, and create quality scoring chances. They will attack Croatia in transition, and Croatia will not be able to get back defensively which will allow Brazil to score a few goals.

England 2 - 2 France (5-4 on penalties)

The defending World Cup champions still have a lot of talent despite missing several quality players like Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante among others. France started their tournament strong with a dominant 4-1 win over Australia and a 2-1 win over Denmark in a match they controlled from start to finish. They booked their spot in the round of 16, ending the defending winner’s group stage curse before losing their final game 1-0 to Tunisia with a fairly rotated squad. In the round of 16, they beat Poland 3-1. The game was pretty even with both teams getting chances for the first 30 minutes but from then on, France controlled the rest of the way. France is talented all over the pitch, on defense in the midfield and upfront, especially with Kylian Mbappe who has already scored five goals so far and will be hard to beat. England is a team that may be able to do that. They have a lot of depth and talent everywhere on the pitch and have done well at recent international tournaments (losing to Croatia in the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup and losing to Italy in the finals of EURO 2020). They topped their group, with dominant wins against Iran and Wales. They controlled both games and frequently found the back of the net, with their excellent ball movement abilities to create open spaces and shots on target, their strong transition attack, and their ability to be clinical in the box and finish chances they create. They scored nine goals, six against Iran and three against Iran, but tied the US 0-0 in an evenly matched game. In the round of 16, they controlled the game from start to finish in a 3-0 win over a good Senegal side and showed their ability to be clinical in the final third, create many scoring chances, and prevent the other team from capitalizing on their scoring chances. Both teams are proficient scorers and will find the back of the net twice (Kane and Sterling for England; Mbappe and Giroud for France). In extra time, both defenses will play lights out and force penalties, where a Mbappe miss (like in the Euros) will send England to the semis.

Morocco 1 - 2 Portugal (AET)

Morocco has been the surprise of the tournament so far, topping Group F after drawing 0-0 with Croatia in their opening match before beating Belgium 2-0 and Canada 2-1. Their defense was phenomenal in all three games, limiting their opponents’ creativity in the final third, limiting quality scoring chances, defending set pieces well, and turning defense into transition attacks. The only goal they conceded in the group stage was an own goal against Canada. In the round of 16, they played fantastic defense again, holding Spain to only one shot on target (on 13 shot attempts) despite only having 23 percent possession. They forced the match into penalties where they scored three and their goalie Yassine Bounou saved all three of Spain’s penalties. Portugal is a team with a lot of talent in the midfield, upfront and they know how to use that talent, speed, and creativity to create and capitalize on scoring chances. It showed in their 3-2 win against Ghana and 2-0 win against Uruguay. Despite a 2-1 loss to South Korea on matchday three, they had already qualified for a round of 16 matchup against Switzerland, where even without Ronaldo, Portugal cruised to a 6-1 win and Goncalo Ramos scored the first hattrick of this World Cup. Morocco is a good team defensively, but they will be tested against a Portugal team who can score with ease. Morocco will not allow them to score six, but a mistake late into extra time after a solid defensive game will cost Morocco.

Canada’s World Cup is a learning experience, but ends without a single point

Adamo Marinelli

Dec. 2, 2022

After a severe mistake on a clearance from goalkeeper Milan Borjan led to Canada conceding an early goal in the fourth minute scored by Hakim Ziyech they were unable to recover and were outclassed in the midfield by a very solid Moroccan side. 

Morocco won the game 2-1 and would book a trip to the round of 16 for the first time since 1986. Canada’s journey at the World Cup would end without a single win or a single point, but they played hard and made history by scoring their first-ever World Cup goal against Croatia. 

The Canadians conceded again, this time on the counterattack after being dispossessed on the attack and Youssef En-Nesyri received a great pass from PSG defender Achraf Hakimi and slotted home a nice finish to double Morocco’s lead. 

In fact, En-Nesryi appeared to have scored his second of the match a few minutes later, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Bullet dodged by Canada and smart play by their backline to catch En-Nesryi offside.

Canada was deflated but like they’ve shown all tournament long, they didn’t give up. Canada pressed forward and began to use their creativity and ball movement in the final third to create scoring chances. 

In the 40th minute, a strong run up the left flank by Sam Adekube - who used his sound dribbling to get past defenders - resulted in an own goal after Adekube’s cross intended for Alphonso Davies in the six-yard box took a deflection off Morocco defender Nayef Ahuerd. 

Canada had some momentum back and began the second half pressing Morocco defensively, creating turnovers and scoring chances in transition. Canada began controlling the possession in the second half and ended up winning the possession battle 59 - 41 percent. 

However, those chances failed to create a single shot on target the entire match for Canada, as a strong, physical and underrated Moroccan defense consistently cleared away any dangerous crosses put into the box by Canadian wingers Alphonso Davies or Tajon Buchanan. 

Canada came mere inches away from tying the game and potentially securing their first points of the World Cup after a beautifully placed corner by Alistair Johnston was headed toward goal by captain Atiba Hutchinson - who came on as a substitute in the second half - before hitting the crossbar and landing on the goalline before being cleared away by the Moroccan keeper.

Canada’s World Cup appearance in Qatar was a great learning experience for this young team, but it was humbling. They showed they had the potential to compete with some of the best teams in the world, but when push comes to shove, they couldn’t capitalize on their chances 

and secure a result. Manager John Herdman and Canada will learn from this experience and preparations for 2026 are already underway. 

John Herdman thought the final result could be better, but was delighted about the effort and fight his team showed on the world’s biggest stage.

“So I think you've seen that resilience. You’ve seen our quality. This is a Moroccan team that's just won the group, and I thought we showed that spirit, that Canadian grit that we came here to show,” Herdman said in a post-match interview with TSN.

Canada joins Qatar as the only other team to lose all three of their matches and they join El-Salvador as the only other side to lose all six of their matches in World Cup history.

“I’m proud of what these lads have shown here. You know, I think you're always gonna walk away from this, and it's going to sting. But there isn't a game that we're not proud of,” Herdman said. “We got four years to build. But this is our first step into the big unknown and we found a lot of things out that this team has got quality, [and] we can compete. And we were close.”

This team is close to finally getting their first-ever win in World Cup history, and surely with John Herdman back until 2026, with all the talent on the squad, the continued development of the players on the squad currently and in Canada’s youth development system - who will represent Canada in the future - their first win will come on home turf in the 2026 World Cup. If Canada gets more of its players playing club football in a top European league, their chances improve even more. 

Arguably their first win should’ve come against Belgium as Canada controlled the whole match, but it didn’t happen.

It was a tough tournament for Canada, but they proved they belong and this tournament is a great first step towards continued international soccer success.

Canada makes World Cup history but fall to a far-superior Croatian squad

By Adamo Marinelli

November 28, 2022

Despite controlling the majority of their first World Cup match in 36 years against Belgium, Canada failed to secure a point in a 1-0 loss after conceding a goal in transition right before halftime, which proved to be the eventual winner.

After Morocco stunned Belgium with a 2-0 win in match day two, Canada needed a win against Croatia - or a draw at the very least - to keep their hopes of qualifying for the round of 16. 

Canada got off to a fantastic start against Croatia and made history after Alphonso Davies headed home a stellar cross into the box by Tajon Buchanan to give Canada their first-ever goal at a World Cup and a 1-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.

Canada’s dominance continued for the first 20 minutes, they controlled possession, created many chances, and were great defensively, pressing Croatia and limiting their scoring chances. Unfortunately, Canada couldn’t maintain their excellent style of play for the entire game.

However, there is a reason why Croatia is the 12th best team in the world according to FIFA’s latest rankings and there is a reason why this team was a finalist at the 2018 World Cup. 

From the 25th minute on, Croatia completely took control of the game and dominated the rest of the way. Croatia’s midfield trio of Luka Modric, Matteo Kovacic, and Marcelo Brozovic completely controlled the possession, pressed very well forcing Canada to make errors with their passes, and were key in transition, setting up their lethal front three with several quality scoring chances. They also limited Canada’s quality scoring chances and creativity in the final third in the second half.

All four of Croatia’s goals came on the counterattack. Coming into the match, Canada knew the talent and speed of Croatia’s midfield and how lethal it could be but still couldn’t stop it. 

After forcing Canada to make a mistake, an errant pass, or after taking the ball away from Canada, Croatia used their speed to advance up the pitch, catching Canada’s backline pressing too high, which led to open spaces for Croatia’s forwards to line up an open shot.

Canada’s defence started to break down in the 26th minute when Croatia appeared to tie the game on a counterattack, but the goal was ruled out for offside. However, it didn’t take much longer for Croatia to equalize for real.

Croatia was the faster, more composed, more experienced, and more talented team. They showed how easily they could seamlessly transition from defense to attack, generate numerous scoring chances and goals in transition, control possession, and the pace of the game.

In the 36th minute, great ball movement by Croatia’s midfield drew Canada’s midfield and backline slightly upfield to press, but Kovacic slotted a ball beautifully to Ivan Perisic on the left wing which drew in Alistair Johnston and left Andrei Kramaric wide-open to slot in the equalizer to the bottom right corner of the net.

Eight minutes later, a determined run up the pitch by Josip Juranavic forced multiple Canada defenders to vacate their positions and move toward him. Kamal Miller missed his tackle, Juranavic slotted a crisp pass between the two remaining defenders, and Marco Livaja calmly controlled the ball before beating Borjan in the bottom left corner to take a 2-1 lead into halftime.

Canada had no choice but to move forward and attack in the second half, knowing they needed at least a draw to keep their round of 16 hopes alive. Canada created some brilliant chances early in the second half, but Canada could not capitalize on their opportunities. However, moving up the field created even more chances for Croatia on the counterattack and Milan Borjan made a handful of tremendous saves early in the second half to keep the game 2-1.

In the 70th moment, Modric was able to use his speed and ball control to create some space and chipped a brilliant pass to Perisic on the left flank, who then cut inside and crossed it across the box to Kramaric who found himself unmarked on the back post with plenty of time and space to control the pass before scoring with a well-placed strike to give Croatia a 3-1 lead and in essence the win.

In stoppage time, Kamal Miller misjudged his positioning after trying to intercept a pass from Modric, instead, it found its way to Mislav Orsic who dribbled it to the penalty spot before passing to substitute Lovro Majer who scored Croatia’s fourth goal on a 2-0 counter attack, sealing their 4-1 win.

Canada did have their moments of brilliance in this game, however, they were outclassed by a stellar Croatian side; the better team won. Canada had a few chances to score another goal, but couldn’t capitalize. On the other side, if it weren’t for Borjan, it could’ve easily been 6-1 or 7-1.

Canada won the possession battle by a slight 52-48 percent margin, but Croatia outshot Canada 13-8, had 10 shots on target to Canada’s two and had the better midfield. The speed and skill in Croatia’s midfield and the effectiveness of their transition attack propelled them to victory.

Despite not qualifying for the round of 16 and despite losing their first two games at the World Cup (even though they should’ve taken at least a point against Belgium), Canada scored their first-ever World Cup goal which they’ve waited 36 years for, and still have one more chance for their first ever win at a World Cup when they play Morocco on Thurs. Dec. 1 at 10 a.m.

All in all, it was a tremendous accomplishment to return to a World Cup and they will set their sights on improving their squad before they co-host the 2026 World Cup with US and Mexico.

Who is to blame for the Broncos’ abysmal season in 2022?

Adamo Marinelli

November 15, 2022

The Denver Broncos are currently 3-6 after week 10, third place in the AFC West, and two games out of a playoff spot. 

The Broncos after completing a trade for all-star and future Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson were projected to contend for an AFC West division title, but that has not been the case.

The Broncos’ defense is among the best unit in the league in many statistical categories. 

They have given up the fewest number of points, the fewest number of passing touchdowns and total touchdowns, given up the second-fewest yards, and have the best red-zone defense in the league. The Broncos have also given up 17 or fewer points in all but two games this season, one of which went to overtime. 

So, why is their season gone so horribly wrong?

The answer is a mix of offensive incompetence, horrible play calling, poor coaching, a lack of discipline, too many penalties, and many mistakes on offense which stall drives. Is Nathaniel Hackett or Russell Wilson more to blame? Or is it both?

The Broncos are the most penalized team in the NFL with 78 penalties. In addition, with Nathaniel Hackett, an offensive-minded head coach, and star QB Russell Wilson, the Broncos are only averaging 14.6 points per game, by far the fewest in the NFL.

If the Broncos’ offense even scored 18 points in all their games this season, they would be 8-1 (because the Chargers game wouldn’t have gone to OT if Denver had scored 18). The offense is wasting this phenomenal performance by the defense and it’s sickening to see. 

Russell Wilson has not been anywhere near as good as he was advertised to be but he is not the worst quarterback in the league this season. He has 1,980 passing yards, seven passing TDs, 5 INTs, and one rushing TD but is only completing 57.4 percent of his passes. 

The Broncos have had numerous injury issues including losing wide receiver Tim Patrick before the season, and explosive running back Javonte Williams, and they have been a revolving door at the offensive line. The Broncos have used nine offensive line combinations this year and are onto backup and third-string right and left tackles, right guard, and center.

However, that is no excuse for the Broncos’ poor offensive showing. 

The Broncos have been called for the most penalties in the league and have not been able to effectively set up the run, which consistently puts them behind the chains. 

They miss on a pass - drops have been a huge issue for the Broncos this season - or take a sack on first down, they get a small gain on second down, leading to a third and long which they cannot convert because they either take a penalty, sack or a minimal gain with a screen pass that is poorly executed. 

Their inefficiency on early downs puts them in tough situations on third down. The Broncos have given up 30 sacks this season, sixth highest in the NFL, because they are so often in third and long scenarios - where Wilson has to hold onto the ball for a long time in order for a receiver to get home - and with a backup offensive line, that’s a recipe that leads to a lot of sacks, a lot of three and outs, and a lot of punts. 

Corliss Waitman has punted 54 times for 2,476 yards, the most in the NFL, and have had the most three-and-outs this season too.

Wilson takes part of the blame, for sure, because he has occasionally missed a few open receivers, held onto the ball too long, or made a costly mistake but the coaching and play-calling also play a very high role.

At the beginning of the season, head coach Nathaniel Hackett second-guessed almost every play-call he made, which led to several delays of game penalties and the team looked unorganized. His time management before halftime and at the end of games has been bad too, and he made many questionable decisions, including wasting nearly 60 seconds and electing to try at 64 yard field goal in the season opener against Seattle instead of trying a fourth and five from midfield.

The team could not get any rhythm on offense and Russell Wilson couldn’t seem to find his groove or establish any form of consistency. It looked as if the Seattle Seahawks had sold the Broncos a lemon. They played undisciplined football, and made a lot of mistakes on offense including dropped passes, missed blocking assignments, running incorrect routes, turning the ball over 10 times, and several penalties that extended opponents’ drives whole simultaneously stalling Broncos’ drives.

The game management was so bad, the Broncos had to hire Jerry Rosburg as an assistant coach to help Hackett with time management. The time management had improved and the Broncos were able to call plays and relay them to Wilson faster, but the penalties remained a huge issue, costing the Broncos in big moments of games, and the questionable play calling continued in many games, putting the Broncos behind the sticks; leading to many three & outs.

Considering how long the defense was on the field every week, it’s impressive how good they’ve managed to be this year. The Broncos forced 10 turnovers, which is middle of the pack, and are tied for the seventh most sacks in the league with 25.

While Wilson has been good in spurts and while Hackett has his moments of brilliant offensive playcalling, the Broncos have not been able to be good consistently on offense, which has led to 

their losing record. That has led Broncos fans to speculate whether Hackett will be fired before the end of the season or in the off-season.

Wilson is signed long term, at a high cap hit too, so if any change will be made, it’s Hackett. But no change is guaranteed right now.

General Manager George Paton supports Hackett 100 percent despite the struggles. It is undetermined if he has lost the locker room, according to reports, players still have his back, but are tired of losing and want to turn it around.

There is still time to turn the season around; the Broncos are only two games back of the final wildcard, but the Broncos will have to do it quickly, as they have one of the hardest remaining schedules. 

The next few weeks will truly prove if the Broncos can improve their offense enough to help their strong defense win games or if the Broncos will just have to reset and prep for 2023.

The Broncos host the Las Vegas Raiders on November 20 at 4:05 ET, hoping to improve to 4-6.

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.