It’s my Parting Shot for my Monday Musings…..

Count me as being very surprised that Kris Knoblauch chose to go with Calvin Pickard in goal in Saturday’s 5-2 Florida victory over Edmonton in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final. I know that Stuart Skinner hadn’t been great – or equal to Sergei Bobrovsky in the Panthers’ net through the first four games – but the Oilers’ biggest problem is decision-making when they don’t have the puck! It’s as if it takes Edmonton skaters a period to get mentally focused and by then they’ve made the mistakes that put Florida in front! That’s not the goaltender’s fault!! I would’ve only used Pickard now, when down three games to whatever in the series because now that the Oilers have used both guys, and they’ve both lost, who do you go with in Game 6 tomorrow?! I’d start Skinner, but have him on a very short leash!!

I’ll talk more about the whole N-C-A-A raid on Major Junior hockey talent that is below the age of 20 thing some more tomorrow in this commentary. In the meantime, check out the “X” account of “Hockey Commitments,” which has all the names of players making the move to the U-S College game from wherever they played this past season. I saw just this morning that former Prince Albert Raiders and Medicine Hat Tigers’ forward this past season Ryder Ritchie was making the move to Boston University for the fall. Add him to Cayden Lindstrom and, apparently, Gavin McKenna and I’m happy I never boldly said what I wanted to about a month ago that Med Hat and Spokane would have to be the favourites to meet again in the W-H-L final based on the returning talent they have! Not so much so now for the Tigers – and there’s still a couple of recruiting months left to go!!

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are 2-0 to start the season. That should be enough to satisfy Rider Nation – but I know, without listening to any call-in shows, that the inability to pass for more than 300 yards on offence and Brett Lauther missing four place-kicks will have the wolves howling! Thank goodness A-J Ouellette and his 47-yard touchdown scamper and 96 yards rushing shut a few of them up – for now!!

That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!