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LIVE! World Championships Rewind: 12th May

Published in Table Tennis
Tuesday, 12 May 2020 02:32
DPR Korea pair strike upset (Rotterdam 2011)

Seeded 13th for the women’s doubles event in Rotterdam, DPR Korea’s Kim Hye-Song and Kim Jong have outperformed expectations to move through to the quarter-finals.

Facing off against Japanese no.5 seeds Ai Fukuhara and Kasumi Ishikawa, Kim Hye-Song and Kim Jong displayed great togetherness to rise to the occasion (11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-4). Success for the DPR Korea duo, now Korea Republic’s Kim Kyung-Ah and Park Mi-Young await in the last eight.

Wang Hao and Ryu Seungmin play out thriller (Rotterdam 2011)

Reigning World champion vs 2004 Olympic gold medallist – expectations were sky-high heading into this match and it hasn’t disappointed with Wang Hao and Ryu Seungmin meeting face-to-face in a fantastic seven-game contest.

The early advantage in Ryu’s court, Wang did well to turn his early deficit into a 2-1 lead. However, back-to-back game wins for Ryu saw the match swing back into the Korean’s favour, needing just one further game to seal a dramatic victory. A fine outing in game six, Wang forces a decider and doesn’t look back as the top seeded entry just about squeezes over the finish line (10-12, 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-6).

Feng Tianwei holds on (Rotterdam 2011)

That was a close one for Feng Tianwei! The no.6 seed from Singapore, who played a heroic role in Singapore’s World Championships title success one year back, faced a severe test in her last 16 fixture here in Rotterdam.

Requiring the full match distance, Feng narrowly holds off a brave fight from Tie Yana who deserves huge credit for her efforts (6-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 15-13).

Fan Ying is at it again! (Rotterdam 2011)

Responsible for Ai Fukuhara’s elimination in the previous round, no.22 seeded Chinese competitor Fan Ying has booked her spot in the last eight of the women’s singles draw in Rotterdam with victory over another higher-seeded Japanese opponent.

Taking on no.11 seed Sayaka Hirano, Fan fought back from a slow start to claim what was otherwise a one-way affair (3-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4).

Lucjan Blaszczyk proceeds to quarter-finals (Tianjin 1995)

Well, well, well. Just when you thought the last 16 couldn’t get anymore dramatic! Gatien, Persson and Waldner are out and now we can add another former podium finisher in Ma Wenge to the list.

Bronze medallist at Chiba 1991, Ma would have been hoping for similar exploits in front of the home crowd here in Tianjin but it’s not to be for the Chinese player as Poland’s Lucjan Blaszczyk storms to a convincing 3-0 win (21-18, 21-15, 21-16).

Swedish stars also bid their farewells (Tianjin 1995)

Talk about the title race being blown wide open! Not only has defending champion Jean-Philippe Gatien exited in the Round of 16 but now we’ve lost the two previous gold medal winners as Sweden’s Jörgen Persson and Jan-Ove Waldner also suffered defeat.

1991 champion Persson held a 2-1 lead in his encounter against Ding Song but failed to capitalise as the Chinese defender mounted an impressive recovery (21-13, 18-21, 17-21, 25-23, 21-18). As for Dortmund 1989 gold medallist Waldner, he, like Gatien, was bested by a 19-year-old host nation representative as young Liu Guoliang secured a momentous victory (21-17, 22-20, 16-21, 17-21, 21-19).

World champion Jean-Philippe Gatien is out!!! (Tianjin 1995)

Crowned champion two years back at Gothenburg 1993, French icon Jean-Philippe Gatien won’t be standing on the medals podium here in Tianjin after falling in the Round of 16.

The man responsible for Gatien’s early departure is 19-year-old ace Kong Linghui from China, who produced a mighty performance to see off Gatien in a dramatic five-game encounter (21-18, 18-21, 21-10, 17-21, 21-8). What a result for the local fans to celebrate and what a huge confidence boost for the young man from China!

Centre Will Addison and back row Jordi Murphy have committed to Ulster Rugby for a further two years.

Jacob Stockdale, Louis Ludik and Sean Reidy will also remain at the Kingspan Stadium as head coach Dan McFarland named his squad for the 2020-21 season.

The province's two new signings are Ireland fly-half Ian Madigan and former New Zealand scrum-half Alby Mathewson.

Nathan Doak, son of of former Ulster player and coach Neil, has joined the club's Academy squad.

Of the 41 fully contracted players and two development players, 39 of are Irish qualified.

McFarland's men have not played since beating Cheetahs at Kingspan Stadium on 22 February because of the coronavirus outbreak, and it remains unclear when Pro14 and European Champions Cup rugby will be able to return.

The club announced last month that 70% of staff, including all players and coaches, were placed on furlough.

"Our desire to build on the successes of this season to-date is evidenced in our strong investment in talent from the current squad," said McFarland.

"Although it's an uncertain time for rugby, and all sport, I am confident our selection will stand us in good stead for when we are able to safely start the new season.

"Once again, the chosen line-up of players shines a light on the indigenous talent nurtured through the Academy by Kieran Campbell and his staff - and the role which it, along with the province's clubs and schools, continues to play in securing the future of Ulster Rugby.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the players who are moving on from the squad. This includes Clive Ross, who earned 73 caps since joining the province on a development contract in 2014, along with 21-capped Angus Kernohan, and Zack McCall.

"Looking to the future, we look forward to welcoming the new additions to the squad, who are set to bring their own unique skills and talent, as we move towards a time when the 2020/21 season can kick-off."

Matty Rea is another player who remains in the squad, while Stewart Moore has been awarded a new three-year deal which will see him graduate from the Academy to spend one year as a development player, before being upgraded to a senior professional contract for the following two seasons.

Joining Doak in the Academy are Reuben Crothers, Ben Carson, Lewis Finlay, Cormac Izuchukwu and James McCormick.

Full Ulster squad: Will Addison, John Andrew, Robert Baloucoune, Billy Burns, Sam Carter, Marcell Coetzee, John Cooney, Angus Curtis, Matt Faddes, Craig Gilroy, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, James Hume, Bill Johnston, Greg Jones, Ross Kane, Michael Lowry, Louis Ludik, Rob Lyttle, Ian Madigan, Luke Marshall, Alby Mathewson, Adam McBurney, Kyle McCall, Stuart McCloskey, Jack McGrath, Gareth Milasinovic, Marty Moore, Stewart Moore, Jordi Murphy, Alan O'Connor, David O'Connor, Eric O'Sullivan, Tom O'Toole, Marcus Rea, Matty Rea, Sean Reidy, David Shanahan, Jonny Stewart, Jacob Stockdale, Nick Timoney, Kieran Treadwell and Andrew Warwick.

Chris Jones, Ugo Monye and Danny Care are joined by England and Saracens hooker Jamie George as their knowledge of the 2013 and 2017 British and Irish Lions tours is put to the test.

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Former Wales wing Tom James has retired aged 33 after 14 seasons in rugby.

The 33-year-old was capped 12 times for Wales, scored 60 tries in 163 appearances for Cardiff Blues and also spent two years with Exeter Chiefs.

James finished his career with one season at Scarlets after taking a break in 2018 while having treatment for depression.

"With a lot of time to think, I've made a decision to retire from professional rugby," said James.

He added: "To all the supporters, the rugby family as a whole, I can't thank you all enough.

"The biggest thanks of all goes to my own family, friends and the many people who have helped me through my career."

James, the Cardiff Blues' all-time top try scorer, made his Wales debut as a 20-year-old against England in 2007 and his last Test appearance came against Scotland in the 2016 Six Nations.

"Looking back, I have some wonderful memories over the last 14 years," said James.

"From signing my first contract at Cardiff Blues, running out onto Twickenham to make my Wales debut against England in 2007 and the couple of seasons I had with Exeter Chiefs.

"I've had unbelievable experiences in so many countries and that is all down to rugby," said James.

"I have been fortunate to have been coached by the best coaches and have played with some of the best players in the world, including my idol Gareth Thomas (Alfie)."

"I have also loved the opportunity that the Scarlets have given me this season. It's been an awesome experience meeting new players, coaches and staff who will be friends for life."

Scarlets head coach Brad Mooar added: "TJ has been awesome.

"Unfortunately, he picked up a couple of knocks back to back, so from a playing point of view he didn't get as many opportunities as he would have hoped for, however that never lessened his spirit or drive.

"An outstanding professional on and off the field, as a senior pro and class man, the value he has brought with his experience, presence and bubbliness has been superb."

Joe Marchant says that he and his Auckland Blues team-mates are not being afforded any special treatment as New Zealand’s elite rugby teams prepare to return to action next month.

New Zealand’s Super Rugby teams will play a mini-series behind closed doors from 13 June.

“Everything they have done has abided by the government rules, there has not been anything different because we play rugby,” he told the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

Marchant, who won three England caps in the run-up to last year’s Rugby World Cup but failed to make the final squad, is on loan in Auckland from Harlequins.

New Zealand is to become the first major rugby nation to return to action, after limiting the number of coronavirus cases to fewer than 1,500 and suffering only 21 deaths after infection.

Rugby’s return in the northern hemisphere is further off with Pro14 teams working towards a resumption in late August and Premiership Rugby aiming for the best-case scenario of a restart in early July.

Marchant, 23, believes that three weeks of training together should be sufficient for New Zealand’s teams to start playing again, with players having followed their own schedules during their time apart.

“From next week we will start training again together," he said.

“We have been given a load of kit, I got a bench and a load of dumbbells, speed sleds and there have not been any bans on the number of times you can go outside like there have been back home so we have been able to train a lot. For three weeks we will go pretty hard and play after that.

“The hardest thing will be no crowd at matches so our families won’t be able to go which, for home games, will be a bit of a strange one.”

Marchant moved to Auckland in January and has scored three tries in six appearances so far for a Blues team that also includes that likes of All Blacks Beauden Barrett and Rieko Ioane in their squad.

“Everyone just goes for it here, the play is a lot looser, even in training there are just offloads all the time,” he said as he reflected on his time in Super Rugby.

"There is a big emphasis on keeping the ball alive. There was a 10-minute period in a pre-season game – one of my first here – when the ball was constantly in play. Honestly, I almost died. It was fun, but it was so much running.

“I reckon the defence in England is better, a lot more solid, but I think that is about the size of the blokes and the speed of the game.

"I was hoping I was going to be able to come here and bring defence as a big part of my game, but I just can’t get set quick – I’m trying to get back onside the ball is already gone. My tackle stats have gone down a lot and I have found it a lot more difficult.”

Marchant says while the Blues' big-name stars were a big attraction to moving out to New Zealand, he has also been impressed by the depth of quality, name-checking wing Mark Telea – “I have never seen someone beat so many people” – as one to watch.

With Manu Tuilagi, Henry Slade and Jonathan Joseph competing for centre spots and captain Owen Farrell also deployed in midfield at times, Marchant must fight his way through a logjam of quality to claim an England starting spot.

He says his move to the southern hemisphere was approved by England’s Australian head coach Eddie Jones.

“We only had a real brief conversation, but he was really supportive. He thought it would be a good idea, that the experience of playing on the other side of the world and that kind of rugby would be really good,” said Marchant.

Marchant is due to return to Harlequins on 1 July and, under current restrictions, will spend 14 days in quarantine on arrival before yet another block of intensive training.

"It is going to be my third pre-season after the mini one here. I have done more training runs than I have done in my life," he added.

Ferrari & Vettel Agree To Part Ways

Published in Racing
Tuesday, 12 May 2020 05:01

MARANELLO, Italy – Four-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel and Scuderia Ferrari have agreed to part ways at the end of the season.

Vettel has been Ferrari’s lead driver since joining the team during the 2015 season.

“This is a decision taken jointly by ourselves and Sebastian, one which both parties feel is for the best,” said Mattia Binotto, Managing Director Gestione Sportiva and Team Principal. “It was not an easy decision to reach, given Sebastian’s worth as a driver and as a person. There was no specific reason that led to this decision, apart from the common and amicable belief that the time had come to go our separate ways in order to reach our respective objectives.

“Sebastian is already part of the Scuderia’s history, with his 14 Grands Prix wins making him the third most successful driver for the team, while he is also the one who has scored the most points with us. In our five years together, he has finished in the top three of the Drivers’ Championship three times, making a significant contribution to the team’s constant presence in the top three of the Constructors’ classification.

“On behalf of everyone at Ferrari, I want to thank Sebastian for his great professionalism and the human qualities he has displayed over these five years, during which we shared so many great moments. We have not yet managed to win a world title together, which would be a fifth for him, but we believe that we can still get a lot out of this unusual 2020 season.”

Vettel claimed four-straight Formula One titles while driving for Red Bull from 2010 through 2013. After a rough season in 2014, Vettel departed Red Bull for Ferrari. During his time with the Italian squad the German won 14 Grands Prix, including most recently the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix.

He also finished second in the driver standings in 2017 and ’18 to Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.

“My relationship with Scuderia Ferrari will finish at the end of 2020. In order to get the best possible results in this sport, it’s vital for all parties to work in perfect harmony,” Vettel said. “The team and I have realized that there is no longer a common desire to stay together beyond the end of this season. Financial matters have played no part in this joint decision. That’s not the way I think when it comes to making certain choices and it never will be.

“What’s been happening in these past few months has led many of us to reflect on what are our real priorities in life. One needs to use one’s imagination and to adopt a new approach to a situation that has changed. I myself will take the time I need to reflect on what really matters when it comes to my future.

“Scuderia Ferrari occupies a special place in Formula One and I hope it gets all the success it deserves. Finally, I want to thank the whole Ferrari family and above all its tifosi all around the world, for the support they have given me over the years. My immediate goal is to finish my long stint with Ferrari, in the hope of sharing some more beautiful moments together, to add to all those we have enjoyed so far.”

Jackson Motorplex Opening For Business This Week

Published in Racing
Tuesday, 12 May 2020 06:03

JACKSON, Minn. – The season at Jackson Motorplex kicks off with a major event this weekend.

The four-tenths-mile dirt oval hosts back-to-back shows featuring Outlaw Sprints Fueled by Casey’s General Stores 410 winged sprint cars on Friday and Saturday during the Great Lakes Shootout presented by Harvey’s Five Star Roofing and Tweeter Contracting.

The feature event pays $5,000 to win on Friday and $7,000 to win on Saturday.

The Heartland Steel RaceSaver sprint cars presented by Wyffels Hybrids division is scheduled compete on Friday night only.

The pits will open at 2 p.m. (Central) with hot laps scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (Central) both nights.

No spectators are allowed in the grandstands or the pits either night and there will be a limited number of teams allowed at the event. All CDC guidelines will be enforced and teams will be required to park a minimum of 15 feet apart as well as practice social distancing.

The events will be streamed live for fans to watch from home. Click here for more information.

Marks Using iRacing As A Way To Promote Sponsors

Published in Racing
Tuesday, 12 May 2020 07:01

CONCORD, N.C. – Along with providing drivers a platform to turn laps before returning to real racing, iRacing has also helped give their sponsors much needed exposure on national broadcasts.

Through the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car iRacing events on DIRTVision and CBS Sports Networks, drivers and sponsors have been seen by thousands of fans across the world.

For four-time World of Outlaws winner Brent Marks, who joined CJB Motorsports this year, bringing his sponsors with him to help support the team, that exposure has been a huge benefit.

“That’s been a big help for everybody,” said Marks, of Myerstown, Pa. “Everyone has been affected by not racing. We still have to do things with the race team to make it worth our sponsors’ time and stay invested in the sport. We tried to do anything we could. It felt like being a part of the DIRTVision and CBS Sports broadcasts helped that and gave them the exposure that they need. Even though it was all virtual exposure, it was still better than nothing at all. At least we were able to do something for them there.”

Marks joined the World of Outlaws iRacing Invitationals late, initially not having an iRacing set up. But once he got his Fanatec steering wheel and pedals, he quickly became accustomed to the virtual racing world.

He qualified for his first iRacing feature at the virtual Knoxville Raceway — out of a more than 60 car field — and finished 16th. His speed progressed with each race, giving him more airtime, but bad luck stood in his way of good finishes at times. Marks was on his way to a top-five finish in the May World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car iRacing Invitational at Volusia Speedway Park before an ill-tempered Logan Seavey drove into him and wrecked him under caution over a misunderstanding.

However, Marks rebounded the next race, which was broadcasted on CBS Sports Network. He battled in the top-three all night, at times challenged for the win, and earned a third-place finish.

“I’m getting better,” Marks said. “It was a little rough at first to get used to everything. The set ups on this thing is totally different than real life. That’s been a huge challenge and trying to figure out the lines that work best and things like that. Really the biggest thing that’s helped me out the last couple of weeks is trying to get all of my steering wheel settings right. That really helped. It’s been fun, though.”

There are various settings for the sim racing wheels, such as the amount of force feedback you want to feel. That allows you to feel the bumps in the virtual tracks and the handling of the car through the wheel. In talking with experienced iracers, Marks said they told him to turn down the force feedback. That didn’t work for him, though. Used to feeling everything from the seat of his real No. 5 sprint car, Marks needed some kind of feedback. He turned the setting back up and immediately found more speed, citing it gave him a “more realistic feel.”

His involvement in iRacing has gone beyond his racing in the World of Outlaws events, too. With help from Wicked Cushion, Marks has started his own eSports racing team. The five-car team gave Marks another way to provide more exposure for his sponsors — with each sponsor getting its own car — as well as getting to help out a few iracers who compete in iRacing leagues.

“They’ve been helping me out quite a bit,” Marks said. “I appreciate that. It’s real to them. They love it. It’s cool. They think it’s cool that they’re a part of a team. Trying to get them their own exposure. And each car has its own individual sponsor on it that’s on the CJB car right now. So that’s another cool way to give our sponsors move exposure through another avenue than just me. I think that’s pretty cool, too.”

After a long two months of waiting, he went from iRacing to real racing on Friday as one of the 48 drivers invited to the World of Outlaws’ historic return to racing at Knoxville Raceway. With no fans in the stands, thousands of people around the world watched the race on DIRTVision.

Marks and the rest of the World of Outlaws field of drivers will get that exposure again on Friday, May 22 and Saturday, May 23 when the Series races at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55. There will be a limited crowd of fans, who will be socially distanced around the track. Those not able to attend will again be able to watch all of the action live on DIRTVision.

He finished eighth and 11th, respectively at I-55 last year and will be poised to get another pair of solid finishes to continue building momentum with his CJB team and bring real world exposure to his sponsors. While the series and racing world is slowly getting back into a rhythm, Marks still sees more iRacing in his future even when racing gets back into full swing.

“I’ll keep up with it when I have the time,” Marks said. “It’s been cool, and it’s been fun. I’m going to stay involved in it as much as I can. During the off season it’ll be nice to sit down and get some practice in. One thing about iRacing that I think is really cool is the cars are OK, they have some work to do on that yet, but I think the tracks are really realistic. That’s another cool tool to use to learn the tracks a little bit more.”

Marks will be a part of the elite line up of drivers — including David Gravel, Logan Schuchart and Christopher Bell — in Tuesday night’s World of Outlaws: eDirt Racing Shootout on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. (ET).

With the 2019-20 NHL season on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic (here's the latest update on where things stand), we've started the NHL Viewers Club, highlighting some of the most rewatchable games from this season -- such as when EBUG David Ayres beat the Maple Leafs -- along with some cool hockey documentaries on ESPN+. So far, that has included "Big Shot" -- covering the fraudulent purchase of the New York Islanders -- as well as "Kings Ransom," which explored the events leading to Wayne Gretzky's trade to the Los Angeles Kings.

We're also exploring the classic games archive, and after taking in Mario Lemieux's five-goal game against the Rangers, it's time to dust off Game 6 of the 1989 Stanley Cup Final, pitting the Calgary Flames against the Montreal Canadiens. Watch the game here, and read on for our insights on the broadcast.

How stacked were these teams in 1989?

Emily Kaplan: Quite stacked. It's wild just how many big names passed through these two teams: Chris Chelios, Al MacInnis, Joe Mullen, Joe Nieuwendyk, Doug Gilmour and Claude Lemieux. We get to see Theo Fleury -- a hotshot rookie who was called up midseason -- and of course, Lanny McDonald in his swan song.

Another player on the Flames is defenseman Brian MacLellan, whom we now know as the GM of the Washington Capitals. MacLellan actually said his experience winning in Calgary wasn't all that different from the Caps breaking through in 2018. "They were similar situations," MacLellan told the Calgary Sun last year. "At that time, Calgary was a team that was always struggling to get by Edmonton, had won a couple of Presidents' Trophies and hadn't turned them into a Stanley Cup. Washington was in the same spot -- always struggling to get by Pittsburgh, didn't translate regular-season championships to Stanley Cups ... So a lot of good parallels between the two teams."

Greg Wyshynski: The Canadiens were three years removed from beating the Flames for the Stanley Cup, and the bones of that team were still set here: Patrick Roy in goal; Chelios and Larry Robinson on defense; Mats Naslund, Bobby Smith, Lemieux, Guy Carbonneau and Bob Gainey up front.

What's amazing is to think about how much more success they'd find in their years after leaving Montreal. Chelios won two Stanley Cups with Detroit. Stephane Richer won a Cup with New Jersey in 1995, the same year Lemieux won the Conn Smythe for the Devils -- and "Pepe" would win two more Cups with Colorado. Roy and Carbonneau, meanwhile, would win another Cup with Montreal in 1993 before lifting it again in future stops: Carbonneau with Dallas in 1999 and Roy twice with Colorado in 1996 and 2001. Oh, and of course, Pat Burns behind the Montreal bench, who would finally win the Cup in 2003 with the Devils.

Favorite random player sighting?

Kaplan: Today, Gary Roberts is known as the trainer to Connor McDavid and a bunch of other NHL stars. He has his own high-performance training center in Toronto called ... the Gary Roberts High Performance Training Center ... and is often quoted in media articles giving out holistic nutrition and recovery advice. In this game, Roberts is a 23-year-old who picked up two roughing minors through the first two periods.

Wyshynski: Hakan Loob. The Swedish winger for the Flames played six years in the NHL from 1983-89, and actually had a 106-point season in 1987-88. He's a member of the Triple Gold Club, winning the Stanley Cup, IIHF world championship and Olympic gold medal. But let's be honest: Hakan Loob's greatest legacy remains being named Hakan Loob, forever earning him a place on all-time hockey name rankings, along with such luminaries as Per Djoos and Bob Beers.

Review Lanny McDonald's mustache, to the best of your abilities.

Kaplan: There was a big kerfuffle online last week when Tennessee Titans president/CEO Steve Underwood retired, and the world learned of his glorious, Lorax-like goatee. With due respect to Underwood, McDonald's facial hair is far more impressive, for functionality. McDonald grinded through the blood, sweat and tears that is a long Stanley Cup run with what looks like a furry creature perched on his mouth, and looks no worse for the wear when he finally hoists the Cup.

Wyshynski: Adding a playoff beard to the greatest mustache in NHL history is like strapping a rocket booster on the back of a Bugatti -- improving on perfection. The best way to describe McDonald's look by the end of the 1989 Final is that it looks like there's a parasitic Gritty emerging from his maw to kiss the Stanley Cup.

What was your favorite moment of hockey nostalgia while watching the broadcast?

Kaplan: Two Canadian teams facing off in the Stanley Cup Final -- something we haven't seen since. It feels like such a novel concept these days as we're nearing the three-decade mark of the last time a Canadian team took home the Cup. Also, where can I buy the retro sweater that trainer Bearcat Murray is wearing on the Flames bench? That guy is a beauty.

Wyshynski: Jiggs McDonald! When it came to national play-by-play voices in the U.S., most fans recall Gary Thorne and Doc Emrick as the most ubiquitous ones in the late 1980s and through the 1990s. But Jiggs McDonald holds a special place in our hearts as the lead announcer for SportsChannel America for five years. He also was the play-by-play voice for the New York Islanders for 15 seasons. Throw in Bill Clement on color commentary, and this was a warm blanket. (Emrick makes an appearance at the end of this game doing analysis with the great Herb Brooks.)

What were your favorite moments in this game?

Kaplan: I love the moment that Rick Green scores, which cut Calgary's lead to 3-2, because it really reinvigorated the crowd in Montreal. I also love that it gives us an extended pan of the arena, and you see how many fans are wearing suits to this game. Maybe it's because we're in a global pandemic and I can't remember the last time I encountered someone wearing a suit. But to wear a suit to a hockey game -- let alone a clinching game of a Stanley Cup Final -- feels like such a funny luxury.

Wyshynski: I would add that Green's goal features some vintage Claude Lemieux depravity, as he stuck his leg out and made contact with Mike Vernon while the Flames goalie was inside the crease. Of course, there were two things in Lemieux's favor here: no video review for goalie interference, and some "Montreal typical" officiating.

But my favorite moment was the sequence that eventually led to Calgary's third and eventually game-winning goal. It begins with Montreal winger Russ Courtnall's truly inexplicable run at Calgary goalie Mike Vernon at 10:46 of the third, a hit that sent an irate coach Terry Crisp bellowing and pointing at the Canadiens bench. Then Calgary defenseman Ric Nattress skates over and pulls back his hand to try to punch Courtnall ... except Courtnall slipped away quickly and there was nothing for Nattress to wallop. If he connects? It's likely matching minor penalties. Instead, it's Courtnall to the box, and Gilmour scored a back-breaker by tapping in his own rebound off of Roy's pad to make it 3-1.

Which players in the game do you wish you could watch in today's NHL?

Kaplan: Chris Chelios. He has the same size and offensive capabilities as many of the young defensive stars in the game today, but Chelios also was tough as nails and had a mean streak. I'd love to see how that would play out in the modern NHL.

Wyshynski: Al MacInnis. The obvious answer is Theo Fleury, because the NHL is now safer for a 5-foot-6 mighty mite to fly around and score goals. But I want to see the Hall of Fame defenseman in today's NHL. His ability to read the game and move the puck was tremendous, and would be effective in a league of breakouts and stretch passes. But let's be real: I just want to see today's goalies flinch when MacInnis loaded that cannon of a shot from the blue line.

Any lingering questions after watching?

Kaplan: What if Lanny McDonald didn't play in this game? Would the Flames have still won the Cup, and might he not have retired that summer?

An interesting subplot in this series was that second-year Flames coach Terry Crisp had to decide between benching McDonald, Tim Hunter and Jim Peplinski -- his three captains. (Crisp told Sportsnet recently that it was "the toughest decision of my career.") The 36-year-old McDonald was a healthy scratch the previous three games, but Crisp decided to give him the go here. It paid off big time, as McDonald scored a crucial goal in the second to give the Flames a 2-1 lead. There are overtures about McDonald's potential retirement throughout the broadcast, but once he hoists the Cup at the end, you get the feeling that the decision has been made.

Wyshynski: Should the Stanley Cups wins have been flipped? In Rosie DiManno's book on Pat Burns, that was Claude Lemieux's theory. "Thinking back, maybe Calgary should have beaten us in 1986 and we should have beaten them in 1989. I think we were better in '89 than they were, and they were probably better than us in 1986," he said.

Of course, the other lingering question is how many Cups the Flames might have played for were it not for the Edmonton Oilers. They lost three playoff series to Wayne Gretzky and the Oil in the 1980s.

The American Hockey League canceled the remainder of its 2019-20 season on Monday -- including the Calder Cup Playoffs -- due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Like the NHL, the 31-team minor league had paused its season on March 12.

AHL president and CEO David Andrews said that the league is "looking forward to returning to our arenas in 2020-21." What the league can't say, with any certainty, is what will happen in the months leading up to that return. Or when players and fans can return safely. Or what the AHL will look like when they do return.

For perspective on what comes next, we asked a current AHL player, general manager and two team presidents about the cancellation of this season and their concerns for the future of the NHL's top developmental league.

The player

This is not how Gerald Mayhew imagined winning a scoring title.

The Iowa Wild center scored 39 goals in 49 games this season, more than any other AHL player. The AHL's statistics as of March 12 are considered final and official, and will serve as the basis for determining league awards for the 2019-20 season. Hence, Mayhew is the winner of the Willie Marshall Award for the league's top goal scorer.

"Some of the guys gave me crap for not getting to 40 goals," he said with a laugh. "But it was a special season for me. Getting to play in my first NHL games [with the Minnesota Wild]. Having so much success in the American League. It's a surreal moment. And that's why we're pretty bummed we couldn't finish what we started."

The Iowa Wild were second in the Central Division, looking very much like a playoff team that could do some damage. Instead, their season is over.

"My coach [Tim Army] was bummed. The players were bummed. We were such a close team, and you don't get those teams often. You get a couple of chances to win it, and I think this could have been one of those teams to do it. So this sucks," he said.

Mayhew remembers watching NBA highlights from when Rudy Gobert was pulled from a Utah Jazz game due to COVID-19 symptoms on March 11. "We knew right away this isn't going to be good. The NBA suspended their league. The NHL followed suit. We knew about the virus, but we didn't know it was that serious," he recalled.

AHL players, including Mayhew, have received their last two paychecks due to them. The 27-year-old forward is under contract for another season at $700,000 with the Minnesota Wild. A number of his teammates are pending free agents, and Mayhew said the lack of a postseason in the AHL hurts them from a bargaining perspective.

"Teams love when players win. So this actually hurts our guys for next season. You could tell they were bummed. A lot of heartfelt messages," he said.

The message from Mayhew on the day the season was canceled was one of frustration. It starts with the great unknown that is the NHL's 2019-20 season. Typically, players like Mayhew would be called up to join NHL teams once their AHL season ended. These "Black Aces" were at the ready if postseason injuries necessitated that they join the parent team's lineup.

But the NHL hasn't announced anything regarding a season restart, including whether it'll expand the playoffs to include the Minnesota Wild. If the plan to quarantine players around centrally located arenas comes to pass, there might be a limit on how many AHL players can quarantine with them, as the NHL tries to keep the number of individuals it needs to test for COVID-19 at a minimum.

"[The Wild] are sending us workouts to do to keep in shape. But nobody has any idea," Mayhew said. "It hasn't moved closer to being able to play. They've talked about facilities being open so players can work out. I don't know how that'll work if the whole team isn't there. It's a guessing game. I don't know what Gary Bettman is thinking. I know he wants the season to keep going and not lose money. But it's just taking forever. And everyone is getting kind of frustrated."

Mayhew said AHL players have "no idea what's happening" in the NHL right now. He's also pessimistic the season can restart under some of the proposed plans.

"They say a bunch of stuff, and I can't see it happening. Everyone pretty much went home. A bunch of guys left the country. How is it going to work? Is there going to be a vote? If it's a vote for players on playing at neutral sites in front of no fans, I can't see players wanting to do that," he said. "And then there's the money. Do you defer it to next year so escrow doesn't go up? It's a huge debacle. It's not fun."

So Mayhew will wait. Perhaps until he's a reserve player for the Minnesota Wild this summer. Perhaps until he's an offensive star again for the Iowa Wild next season -- whenever that season starts.

"We don't know when next year's going to start," he said. "I think they'll have to wait. If you're playing games without fans, you're losing money. I can't imagine that the league is playing games before the fans can come back. It's a huge guessing game. I'm not a fan of the guessing game. I'm going to guess no one is."

The general manager

During his 13-season NHL career, Scott Nichol played through two significant work stoppages. While a global pandemic certainly dwarfs the economic pangs of professional hockey owners in terms of "reasons to cancel your season," the general manager of the Milwaukee Admirals has experienced some familiar feelings from his days watching the calendar in 2004-05.

"I remember as a player hearing the season would start Nov. 1. And then you get all geared up for that date, and then two weeks before that it gets pushed back to Dec. 1. So there's a mourning period for about a week, and then it's like, 'Well, I better get going.' Then it goes to Jan. 1, and you feel the same way," he recalled. "You can't ride every emotion on the roller coaster. You have to be prepared."

Nichol got on that roller coaster on March 12 when the AHL season was paused.

"It wasn't looking very good, was it? Our league is so gate-driven, and we're half independent owners and half NHL owners. They always had around May 1 as the deadline. Anything that went after that wasn't going to look very good," he said. "It's disappointing. Very, very disappointing, considering the group that we had."

The Nashville Predators' affiliate had the best record in the AHL when the season was paused, leading in points (90) and points percentage (.714). The league said that since there is no postseason, it would not crown a 2019-20 Calder Cup champion.

But since they led the league standings, did the Admirals perhaps deserve to win the Cup?

"No," Nichol said. "I think you have to go through those battles. You have to go through the playoffs. You just can't be entitled to get a trophy. I would have never thought we'd be crowned Calder Cup champions. No ... they did it right."

(This is probably for the best, given the franchise's infamous relationship with championship banners.)

Nichol held a Zoom meeting with his players and staff on Monday morning before the announcement. "We wanted to get ahead of it. I wanted to tell them that the season was canceled, and that we would start our individual exit meetings this week," he said. "They knew as well. Reading it and saying it out loud really hits home. Especially for some of our older guys. You don't get to play on teams like this very often."

Nichol has made it a point to stay in communication with his players during the pause. "We've talked to them about three times as a group," he said. "They're young kids. They drop everything, leave Milwaukee, they're quarantined in Mom and Dad's basement. We wanted to make sure they're mentally healthy and physically healthy. It's good to see the guys, and how they're reacting."

While the season was paused, Nichol started to shift his attention to the offseason. He signed defenseman Alexandre Carrier to a new three-year deal, among other business.

"When is free agency going to start? I think everybody is a bit concerned about what the landscape is going to look like," he said. "You plan for every situation. You have your plan on who you want, but the free-agent period might be really short. You can't wait for what's entailed with the NHL's schedule. You have to plan for everything."

He has told some of his top players to stay in shape for a potential restart of the NHL season. The Predators sit in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference via points.

"I told the guys to be ready. I know their internal clocks are saying to start their summer program. You can't just wait to see what happens. It all depends on the NHL," he said. "No one's skating right now. In the training camp, they can bring in a few [AHL] players. But they're going to have to expand the rosters a little bit due to the injuries."

When it comes to next AHL season, Nichol said there's a lot of uncertainty, ranging from when it can happen to what the financial impact of the COVID-19 cancellation will have on teams.

"I think there's a financial impact for every league. I think we'll find a way. There's going to be some bumps in the road for sure, but the great thing is that the NHL and the AHL work together," he said.

"It's tough. No one's been through this. Not the players or the agents or the owners."

The owners

Every few weeks, Syracuse Crunch owner and president Howard Dolgon would drive up from his South Florida home to Tampa to meet with Lightning officials about their AHL affiliate. On March 12, he made that drive before their home game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

"I got there around 3 p.m. and [Tampa Bay GM] Julien BriseBois meets me and says, 'We're done. The season is suspended.'"

The AHL hadn't suspended their season yet, but Dolgon felt it was inevitable. While others hoped it could be a temporary pause, he was convinced otherwise. "My brother-in-law is a very well-respected infectious disease doctor. I asked him in layman's terms what we were looking at here. And the way he laid it out for me is pretty much what we're experiencing right now. And even back then he said not to expect [games] until the end of June or July. I was hopeful, but realistically I didn't expect to play again," he said.

The AHL Board of Governors meeting on Friday was a rubber stamp on the executive committee meeting earlier in the week, which had decided the fate of the season. "It wasn't really a punch in the gut, because we were preparing for this for two months," Dolgon said. "We can't play in front of no fans."

The NHL has been labeled a "gate-driven league" because it doesn't have the TV-rights contracts or strong additional revenue streams like the NFL and NBA have. But the AHL is almost a purely gate-driven league. An NHL executive estimated to the Ottawa Sun that "75-to-85% of the revenues for AHL teams are generated by ticket sales, and the rest come in from sponsorships."

The Crunch lost eight regular-season games and other potential playoff games. After Monday's announcement, the Crunch released their ticket refund policy to fans and had sales staff calling fans all day to offer different options: from full refunds, to rolling over balances to next season, to a package that gives them additional ticket vouchers or merchandise credits if they apply that refund money to 2020-21 season tickets.

But what does next season look like in the AHL?

"There are four options out there," said Robert Esche, team president of the Utica Comets, the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. "Not just for the AHL, but for any sports league. From a scheduling perspective, what does it look like if we start on time? What does it look like if we have to push the season back one month or two months? What does it look like if we play half a season? And what does it look like if we cancel the season?"

For Esche, the start time of next season is perhaps the biggest question facing his franchise. First, because it could determine his staffing levels.

Esche made waves in March by selling a "Puck The Virus" shirt to help raise funds for his employees. While other teams trimmed staff through layoffs and furloughs, he was determined not to lose any of his employees. That remains the goal, heading into next season.

"My goal is to get through the summer and the fall with the same amount of employees as we had heading into [the pause]," he said. "If we get into a situation where we play half a season, we'll have some significant challenges. But our game plan is keep everybody whole and on staff. I know that's not what every team is doing, but it's what we're doing here in Utica. It's what the fans expect of us."

The bigger question when it comes to next season is about those fans, and in particular when they can and will return.

"I'd be a fool to say that things aren't going to change. Now you have to earn people's trust. It's not about just putting on a good product on the court or on the field. Now it's also a huge trust factor. People want to be feel safe," Esche said.

That includes coronavirus-proofing his arena as effectively as possible, from additional hand sanitizer to potential temperature checks on those entering the building to the kind of testing gear you might see at an airport.

"Is human behavior going to be that people are going to stay away or do they come back?" he asked. "I feel that you're going to have a demographic shift in attending live sports."

Esche estimates that the majority of his fan base is between the ages of 45 and 65. "Right now, one of the things we do really well is listen to the chatter on social media," he said. "There's a huge level of interest in live sports for younger fans. They want to come back. And then there are others that are looking to wait maybe a month or two months to see what happens. And then there are others that are saying that until there's a vaccine and 100% certainty, that they're not coming back."

Dolgon also sees the potential for a demographic shift. "Certainly the older fans and the ones that have conditions that make them susceptible to any kind of illness may stay away," he said. "They may stay away forever until we have a vaccine, because the condition is life-threatening."

Both owners said they're confident that the AHL's teams will all return next season -- Dolgon suggested that the NHL could subsidize AHL teams if the league returns to play in empty buildings. But what's the likeliest scenario for the AHL next season, after canceling this one?

"There's no crystal ball. But if you said to me what my gut feeling is, it would be to start with fans in December or January, and then playing a shortened season for one year. That would be my gut," Dolgon said. "Safety is paramount. The last thing we need to do is play in front of fans when we're not ready. When people feel it's safe to come back, they'll come back in droves. But why risk it?"

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