Page 2B
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Winter Olympics
No thoughts of Sochi agony as US chases gold once again
By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer
GANGNEUNG, South Korea
— Dani Cameranesi watched on
TV when the Americans blew a
2-0 lead with less than a minute left
before losing the gold medal game
to Canada four years ago at the
Sochi Olympics.
She uses the word “devastating”
to sum up the 3-2 overtime loss .
Now the Americans are back
with another chance at the Olympic
gold that has eluded them since they
won it all in 1998, when women’s
hockey made its debut at Nagano.
And their archrival is in the way
again. The showdown with Canada
is Thursday and the Americans
know exactly what this moment
means.
Canada has won 24 consecutive
Olympic games and four straight
gold medals. Only the United
States in basketball has dominated
a women’s team sport more thor-
oughly with a streak of six straight
golds.
The Canadians haven’t lost even
a single Olympic game since the
1998 Nagano final — won by the
United States. Their streak stands
at 24 consecutive games, including
a 2-1 win over the United States to
cap pool play a week ago. They’ve
also won five straight over the
Americans including four exhibi-
tion victories in December prepping
for the Olympics.
“It’s awesome, on the world’s
biggest stage, to have two power-
houses going for it at the end,”
AP Photo/Julio Cortez
United States’ Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson (17) celebrates with her teammates after scoring a goal
against Finland during the women’s hockey semifinal in Gangneung, South Korea on Monday.
Canada coach Laura Schuler said.
Yet the Americans have owned
the world championships, winning
the last four and eight of the last
10. That has only made the U.S.
drought at the Olympics all the
more noticeable and making this
game even more special.
“It’s been something I’ve been
dreaming about since I was little,
Cameranesi said. “So it means a
lot, and to be here with this group
of girls and to be with them all year
has really been an honor.
She is one of 13 players on the
U.S. roster who know the Sochi
loss only as history, not something
they lived through.
Winter Olympics
Defenseman Kacey Bellamy,
among the 10 Americans who did,
thinks the newcomers will be key in
keeping the Canadians from a fifth
straight gold medal.
“They don’t know the heart-
break, Bellamy said. “We’ve tried
to explain to them what it felt like,
but think it’s great that they haven’t
felt that. And they bring us a lot of
energy to the team, and we trust
every single one of them.”
Two-time U.S. captain Meghan
Duggan said the Americans looked
at themselves in the mirror after the
Sochi loss to learn what they needed
to take away from it. She sees Sochi
as a long time ago.
“We’re focused on this Olym-
pics,” she said. “It’s four years later.
We got a new team. We got ... a lot
of youth, excitement, energy, fresh
blood, and we’re ready to go.”
Under U.S. coach Robb Stauber,
the Americans studiously have
avoided looking at the big picture
of chasing gold. Instead, they’ve
focused on the old cliche of one day,
one practice, one shift on the ice at
a time. They’ve also made sure to
enjoy the experience of being at the
Winter Games more, too.
Monique Lamoureux-Morando
said the Americans tried to act like
they had been there before in Sochi.
This time around, they’ve made
sure to enjoy the games as if this
was their first Olympics.
“There’s that balance of
knowing when to shut it down, take
it in and go see events and enjoy
being a spectator at the Olympics,
Lamoureux-Morando said.
MLB
Czechs eliminate US in shootout in quarterfinals Mariners’ Healy making
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
GANGNEUNG, South
Korea — Pavel Francouz
stopped all five shooters
and Petr Koukal scored the
shootout winner as the Czech
Republic eliminated the
United States from the Olym-
pics with a 3-2 victory in the
quarterfinals Wednesday.
Jan Kovar and Tomas
Kundratek scored in regula-
tion for the Czech Republic,
which was fresher after
winning its group and getting
a bye into the quarterfinals.
The U.S. looked fatigued
after facing Slovakia in the
qualification round a day
earlier and was outshot 29-20.
Ryan Donato and Jim
Slater scored for the U.S,
which again was led by its
youngest players, including
speedster Troy Terry. U.S.
goaltender Ryan Zapolski
allowed three goals on 29
shots and one in the shotoout,
while Francouz stopped 18 in
regulation and overtime.
“It’s tough when it comes
down to the shootout,” U.S.
captain Brian Gionta said.
“It’s tough to swallow.”
Koukal was the only
player to score in overtime.
Chris Bourque, Ryan Donato,
Marc Arcobello, Terry and
Bobby Butler couldn’t beat
Francouz. Just before the
shootout, Sochi Olympics
shootout hero T.J. Oshie of
AP Photo/Matt Slocum
Brian O’Neill (9), of the United States, and Adam Po-
lasek (61), of the Czech Republic, battle for the puck
during the third period of the quarterfinal round of the
men’s hockey game at the 2018 Winter Olympics in
Gangneung, South Korea on Wednesday.
the U.S. tweeted his support
for Terry, but Francouz was
able to save a multiple-fake
try by the University of
Denver player.
“Sorry to let him down on
that on,” Terry said. “But the
goalie made a good save..”
Said Francouz: “He kind of
lost the puck so I got lucky.”
Terry continued skating
around opponents as he has
done all tournament, and 6:20
in gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead.
Terry sliced down the left
wing and dished it to Donato,
who used a double Czech
screen to beat Francouz.
“He’s always been someone
that can raise his game in the
big games,” Chuck Terry,
Troy’s father, said. “That
part’s not that surprising. Just
the overwhelming thing of
him being at the Olympics, it’s
pretty cool.”
The goal was Donato’s
fifth in five games, passing
his father and Harvard coach,
Ted, who scored four for the
U.S. at the 1992 Olympics.
The Czechs tied it at 1
at 15:12 after 39-year-old
U.S. captain — and natural
winger — Brian Gionta lost
the faceoff clean and Jan
Kolar got it back to Kovar,
who beat Zapolski from long
range with a screen in front
for the kind of goal that been
common at this tournament.
A parade to the penalty
box by the U.S. beginning
with a boarding call on John
McCarthy at the end of the
first made the opening half
the second a one-sided game.
On the power play and at even
strength, the Czechs tilted
the ice on the Americans and
hemmed them in the zone,
scoring a goal from Kundratek
8:14 in to go up 2-1.
Just over two minutes
later with the U.S. on another
penalty kill and looking in
serious trouble, Brian O’Neill
flashed his speed once again
and found Slater on the
rush for the former Atlanta
Thrashers forward’s first goal
of the tournament. The short-
handed tying goal 10:23 in
was the Americans’ first shot
of the second period.
The teams traded chances
in the third period, none
better than O’Neill clanking
a shot off the cross bar with
just under three minutes left
on an odd-man rush. The U.S.
got a power play at the end of
regulation and into overtime
but never got a shot on net.
With 35 seconds left in
overtime, U.S. defenseman
Bobby Sanguinetti’s shot
hit Francouz and sat in the
crease, but the goalie was
able to cover up.
“We couldn’t get the
bounces,” Donato said.
best of delayed start
some teammates and form
some relationships before
I even step on the field,”
PEORIA, Ariz. — Ryon Healy said.
Healy has a bandage
Healy joined his new
teammates Tuesday for the on the top of his hand to
cover stitches from
Seattle Mariners’
the surgery. Last
first scheduled full-
December when
squad workout of
he
commenced
spring training. But
offseason hitting,
all he could do was
he felt discomfort
stand around and
in his hand.
watch.
He
informed
Healy
had
the Mariners, took
surgery
last
a five-week break
Wednesday
to Healy
and upon hitting
remove a bone
spur in his right hand and again, the pain returned.
“I kind of just expected
cannot take part in drills.
His prognosis for recovery it to go away and it never
is four to six weeks before did,” Healy said. “That was
the Mariners hope he can get the most frustrating part.
There was no initial thing
into games.
That wasn’t the plan that I did that really irritated
when the Mariners acquired it. I didn’t fall on it. I didn’t
the 26-year-old Healy in lift or drop a weight on it, it
a trade with the Oakland was literally just picking up
Athletics last November. He a bat and hitting. ... It wasn’t
is Seattle’s projected starting even something I felt last
first baseman after batting season.”
Healy said he has
.271 with 25 home runs and
78 RBIs last year, his first regained some strength and
range of motion. Mariners
full major league season.
But the start to his manager Scott Servais said
Mariners tenure has been last week that surgery and
the relatively short recovery
delayed.
“I can’t sit here and dwell time was the best-case
on the negativity about it. I scenario for the team.
Daniel Vogelbach and
really have to find a positive,
and that’s that my body is Mike Ford will get long
going to get some rest and looks at first base in spring
I get an opportunity to meet training.
By JOSE M. ROMERO
Associated Press
BLAZERS: Went into All-Star Break last year 10 games under .500, still made playoffs
Continued from 1B
three games is the best such
run in franchise history.
Afterward,
Lillard
sounded like he was taking it
upon himself to improve the
Blazers’ playoff position.
“Each season, it’s always
a few teams that fall by the
wayside and we’ve just got
to make sure we’re not one
of them,” he said. “As a
leader, I’ve got to be the guy
to lead that charge.”
In 2015-16, Portland was
27-27 at the All-Star break
after winning eight of nine
games going into it. The
Blazers finished the regular
season 44-38 and in fifth
place in the West. They got
past the Clippers in the first
round of the playoffs before
falling to the Warriors in the
conference semifinals.
Last season, Portland
lost three straight games to
go into the break at 23-33.
Shortly thereafter, an over-
time loss at Detroit put them
11 games under .500.
But in March, Portland
caught fire and went 13-3,
best in the NBA. Lillard
was named the conference’s
Player of the Month,
averaging 29.1 points, 4.4
rebounds, 6.0 assists and
Basketball
Florida at No. 19 Tennessee, 6 p.m.
(ESPN2)
San Jose State at No. 20 Nevada, 7 p.m.
(ESPN3)
1.4 steals in 16 games. Terry
Stotts was named Coach of
the Month.
Center Jusuf Nurkic, who
came to Portland in a trade
a handful of days before the
All-Star break, went on to
average 15.2 points, 10.4
rebounds and 1.9 blocks in
20 games with the Blazers.
Portland was 14-5 with
the 7-footer in the starting
lineup.
Portland
made
the
playoffs for the fourth
straight season, but fell in
the opening round to the
Warriors.
This season, Portland is in
the thick of the race. Lillard
leads the team with 26.1
points per game, sixth in
the league, while also aver-
aging 6.6 assists. Backcourt
teammate CJ McCollum is
averaging 21.7 points, and
Nurkic is at 14.1 points and
8.2 rebounds.
Stotts was asked just
before the break whether he
was happy with the team’s
position.
“We’ve got a lot of work
ahead of us. We’ve got a lot
of teams out there fighting
for playoff spots,” the coach
said. “It’s not about where
we are. It’s about where
we’re headed.”
SCOREBOARD
Local slate
PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
Wednesday
Joseph at Condon/Wheeler (1A First
Round), 5:30 p.m.
Arlington at Grand View Christian (1A First
Round), 5:30 p.m.
Saturday
No. 16 Stanfield at No. 1 Western Menno-
nite (2A First Round), 2:30 p.m.
No. 12 Umatilla at No. 5 Horizon Christian
(3A First Round), 4 p.m.
No. 10 Kennedy at No. 7 Pilot Rock, 4:30
p.m. (2A First Round), 4:30 p.m.
No. 9 Catlin Gabel at No. 8 Irrigon (3A
First Round), 6 p.m.
No. 5 Nixyaawii vs. TBD (1A Second
Round), TBD
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
Friday
No. 13 Weston-McEwen at No. 4 Grant
Union (2A First Round), 6 p.m.
No. 2 Nixyaawii vs. TBD (1A Second
Round), TBD
Saturday
No. 9 Central Linn at No. 8 Heppner, 1
p.m.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Wednesday
EOU at Southern Oregon (CCC Tourna-
ment), 7 p.m.
North Idaho at BMCC, 8 p.m.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Wednesday
North Idaho at BMCC, 6 p.m.
NBA
Tuesday’s Games
No games scheduled.
Wednesday’s Games
No games scheduled.
Thursday’s Games
Brooklyn at Charlotte, 4 p.m.
New York at Orlando, 4 p.m.
Philadelphia at Chicago, 5 p.m.
Washington at Cleveland, 5 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Sacramento, 7 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Golden State, 7:30 p.m.
NCAA Men’s Basketball
Top 25 Schedule
Tuesday
No. 2 Michigan St 81, Illinois 61
No. 16 Ohio St 79, Rutgers 52
No. 18 Rhode Island 95, LaSalle 93, OT
No. 21 West Virginia 71, Baylor 60
Wednesday
No. 4 Xavier at Georgetown, 3:30 p.m.
Georgia Tech at No. 1 UVA, 4 p.m.
(ESPN2)
No. 15 Clemson at Virginia Tech, 4 p.m.
(ACCNE)
No. 10 UNC at Syracuse, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 17 Michigan at Penn State, 4 p.m.
(BTN)
No. 6 Texas Tech at Oklahoma State, 4
p.m. (ESPNU)
Tulane at No. 13 Wichita State, 4:30 p.m.
(CBSSN)
Alabama at No. 12 Auburn, 5:30 p.m.
(SECN)
DePaul at No. 3 Villanova, 5:30 p.m. (FS1)
Louisville at No. 5 Duke, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
Pac-12 Schedule
Tuesday
No games scheduled.
Wednesday
USC at Colorado, 7:30 p.m. (FS1)
NCAA Women’s Basketball
Top 25 Schedule
Tuesday
No games scheduled.
Wednesday
Northwestern at No. 14 OSU, 4 p.m.
Houston at No. 18 USF, 4 p.m.
No. 23 Belmont at Jacksonville St., 4 p.m.
No. 25 Oklahoma State at Knasas, 5 p.m.
(ESPN3)
No. 1 UConn at Tulane, 5 p.m. (ESPN3)
Pac-12 Schedule
Tuesday
No games scheduled.
Wednesday
No games scheduled.
Thursday
Utah at USC, 6 p.m.
Colorad oat No. 10 UCLA, 8 p.m.
Hockey
NHL
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
GP W
L OT Pts GF GA
Tampa Bay 60 40 17
3 83 215 161
Boston
58 37 13
8 82
Toronto
62 37 20
5 79
Florida
57 26 25
6 58
Detroit
59 24 26
9 57
Montreal
59 22 29
8 52
Ottawa
58 21 28
9 51
Buffalo
60 17 32 11 45
Metropolitan Division
GP W
L OT Pts
Washington 60 34 19
7 75
Pittsburgh 61 35 22
4 74
Philadelphia 60 31 19 10 72
New Jersey 60 31 21
8 70
Columbus 60 30 25
5 65
Carolina
60 27 23 10 64
N.Y. Islanders 61 29 26
6 64
N.Y. Rangers 60 27 28
5 59
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central Division
GP W
L OT Pts
Nashville
59 36 14
9 81
Winnipeg 60 35 16
9 79
Dallas
59 34 21
4 72
St. Louis
61 34 23
4 72
Minnesota 59 32 20
7 71
Colorado
59 32 23
4 68
Chicago
60 25 27
8 58
Pacific Division
GP W
L OT Pts
Vegas
59 39 16
4 82
San Jose
60 33 19
8 74
Los Angeles 60 33 22
5 71
Anaheim
61 30 20 11 71
Calgary
60 30 21
9 69
Vancouver 60 23 30
7 53
Edmonton 59 24 31
4 52
Arizona
59 17 32 10 44
———
Tuesday’s Games
Philadelphia 3, Montreal 2, OT
191 142
205 172
166 186
157 177
151 188
158 204
143 198
GF GA
187 180
195 180
181 174
181 183
159 170
162 180
203 219
173 191
GF GA
185 154
199 161
179 157
173 156
177 169
184 177
170 173
GF GA
202 160
178 163
174 149
169 170
169 175
161 194
164 194
143 197
Tampa Bay 4, Washington 2
Columbus 2, New Jersey 1
Toronto 1, Florida 0
Nashville 3, Detroit 2
San Jose 3, St. Louis 2
Los Angeles 4, Winnipeg 3
Boston 3, Edmonton 2
Colorado 5, Vancouver 4, OT
Wednesday’s Games
Ottawa at Chicago, 5 p.m.
Dallas at Anaheim, 7 p.m.
Calgary at Vegas, 7:30 p.m.
Golf
PGA TOUR
HONDA CLASSIC
Site: Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Course: PGA National. Yardage: 7,110.
Par: 70.
Purse: $6.6 million. Winner’s share:
$1,188,000.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. (Golf
Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:45 p.m.
(Golf Channel); 3-6 p.m. (CBS Sports).
Defending champion: Rickie Fowler.
Olympics
Pyeongchang Winter Olympics
Wednesday TV Schedule
NBC
12 p.m. — Speedskating: Team Pursuit
Gold Medal Finals; Cross Country Skiing:
Men’s Team Sprint Gold Medal Final
5 p.m. — Alpine Skiing: Women’s
Combined, Downhill (LIVE), Men’s Slalom,
First Run (LIVE); Freestyle Skiing: Men’s
Halfpipe Gold Medal Final (LIVE); Bobsled:
Women’s Gold Medal Final Runs; Cross
Country Skiing : Women’s Team Sprint Gold
Medal Final
7:35 p.m. — Alpine Skiing: Women’s
Combined, Downhill (LIVE), Men’s Slalom,
Gold Medal Final Run (LIVE)
NBCSN
2 a.m. — Men’s Curling: United States
vs. Britain
4 a.m. — Ice Hockey: Men’s Quarterfinal
(LIVE), Canada vs. Finland; Bobsled:
Women’s Gold Medal Final Runs
7:45 a.m. — Speedskating: Men’s &
Women’s Team Pursuit Gold Medal Finals;
Cross Country: Men’s & Women’s Team
Sprint Gold Medal Finals
10:30 a.m. — Men’s Curling: United
States vs. Britain; Medal Ceremonies
2 p.m.— Hockey Game of the Day (replay)
4 p.m. — Olympic Ice; Women’s Curling:
Canada vs. Olympic Athletes from Russia
7:45 p.m. — Ice Hockey: Women’s Gold
Medal Game, United States vs. Canada
(LIVE)
11 p.m. — Snowboarding: Men’s &
Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom; Nordic
Combined: Men’s Team Large Hill Gold
Medal Final (LIVE); Curling: Men’s & Wom-
en’s Tiebreaker
USA
2 a.m. — Men’s Curling: Sweden vs.
Norway
4 a.m. — Ice Hockey: Men’s Quarterfinal
(LIVE), Sweden vs. Germany
CNBC
2 p.m. — Women’s Curling: United States
vs. Sweden