It’s only Game 3, but it feels like this game is do-or-die for Edmonton. The Oilers did get some good news when the Panthers’ plane got delayed, but that’s about all they have going for them in this series.
These Panthers understand that cheap penalties are suicidal against Edmonton. When this team takes a penalty, it’s for a purpose to prevent a scoring opportunity. And if the Oilers can’t find space and can’t break through the Florida penalty kill, this series isn’t going to take long.
It’s difficult to see West Virginia bouncing back after making the mistakes that cost it the first game. On lineup talent alone, the Mountaineers have the ability to compete with the Tar Heels. But the Mountaineers really made some critical errors that might have damaged their chances to come back.
West Virginia has been on this path since the day the school moved into the Big 12 and decided it was going to play baseball with the big boys. Here’s a look at how West Virginia got here and why the Mountaineers have staying power as they head into a matchup with North Carolina.
Can Borussia Dortmund finish off the storybook ending? It’s pretty unlikely, especially given the teams’ respective forms this year. While Real Madrid rolled to another LaLiga title in Spain, Dortmund finished fifth in the Bundesliga.
Unfortunately for the Rangers, the issues they showed in the Carolina series have shown up here. New York looks tired and is facing an opponent that can match Igor Shesterkin. The Hurricanes ran out of games; the Panthers obviously won’t have that problem.
Suddenly, the Tucson Regional has swung wide open for West Virginia to win. The Mountaineers didn’t look great at the Big 12 tournament, going two-and-out. But they won Friday, and now they have a rested bullpen to boot.
If you’re not up on Division I baseball, you might see this matchup and think the Mountaineers are facing a small directional school that’s happy to be here. Dallas Baptist is anything but.
Edmonton came up with its best showing of the series so far. The Oil basically flipped Game 3 on its head, overcoming a two-goal deficit to win going away with five unanswered. That’s what Edmonton can do at its best, and seeing it happen should be a confidence boost.