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Brazil lost the lead when it failed to cope with Chiles aggressive pressure in a throw-in situation deep inside Brazils half of the field.
More changes in Edmonton, Bobby Ryan rolling, a strong game from Vermette, lineup news, Fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. OIL CHANGE Derek Roy – The 31-year-old centre’s production has tailed off dramatically since he suffered a quad injury in the 2010-2011 season. Over the past couple seasons, in St. Louis last year and Nashville so far this season, Roy has been more of a depth player, averaging 13:35 of ice time per game after years playing 18-19 minutes per game in previous seasons. Further, Roy has been playing in a much more sheltered role, with a career-high 70% offensive zone starts this season, but he has fared okay with more defensive zone starts in previous years. Good thing, because in Edmonton the Oilers need Roy to provide some legitimate two-way play. It’s too late for the Oilers to be relevant this season, but they could at least be competitive over the second half and Roy ought to be an upgrade as the second-line centre for as long as he sticks around. Mark Arcobello – The 26-year-old centre has produced 30 points (11 G, 19 A) in 78 career NHL games, and while he’s been an adequate possession player (49.1% Corsi) for his career, he’s been doing that with more starts in the offensive zone starts (54.6% career, 61.6% this season). Arcobello gives the Predators depth, but may have to spend his time in the AHL because Nashville is already plenty deep down the middle, with Mike Ribeiro, Mike Fisher, Calle Jarnkrok and Paul Gaustad already in place. Arcobello’s inclusion in the deal, as opposed to the Oilers simply claiming Roy on waivers the day before, was more about getting Nashville to take on some salary, and a contract, since Arcobello is on a one-way deal, for $600,000 this season and the Oilers are sitting at 49 players under contract (50 is the limit). Matt Fraser – The Oilers scooped up Fraser off waivers from Boston. He’s a Red Deer, Alberta native and is a winger with good size (6-foot-1, 204 pounds), some finish around the net and questionable speed. While the 24-year-old has all of eight points (6 G, 2 A) in 51 career NHL games, he’s also scored 90 goals in 181 career AHL games. He’s worth a look and, if the Oilers are prepared to give him more than fourth-line ice time, they might find out if he can keep the pace enough to score in the NHL. Leon Draisaitl – With word that Draisaitl’s Western Hockey League rights have been traded, from Prince Albert to Kelowna, rumours abound that the Oilers will send him back to junior. By doing so before the 40-game mark, the Oilers will push back the free agency timetable by a year and Draisaitl would play a more significant offensive role in junior. He has seven points (2 G, 5 A) in 35 games with the Oilers, with positive possession (52.1% Corsi) that is severely inflated by his (78.6%) offensive zone starts. Anton Lander – If the Oilers do send Draisaitl to junior, there will be an opening for this perennial prospect, who has done little in the NHL, scoring eight points (2 G, 6 A) in 95 career games, but has been tearing up the AHL the past couple seasons, scoring 81 points (26 G, 55 A) in 74 games since the start of last season. He’s still only 23-years-old, so Lander could have a chance to establish that he’s a bona fide NHL player. HEROES Bobby Ryan – The Senators winger tallied a hat trick, with eight shots on goal (his most in a game since January 23, 2010) and dominant possession (31 shot attempts for, 8 against, 79.5%) in Ottawa’s 5-2 win over Buffalo. He has 12 points (5 G, 7 A) in his past 11 games, thriving with linemates Mika Zibanejad and Mike Hoffman. Antoine Vermette – Arizona’s centre accrued two goals and an assist in a 4-2 win over Philadelphia. One of the top potential trade targets – a top-six forward on a team on the outside looking in at the playoffs – Vermette has 11 points (5 G, 6 A) in the past 14 games. Vermette is getting more offensive zone starts (56.4%) this year, but he continues to play high quality of competition. David Rundblad – Battling for playing time on Chicago’s third pair, Rundblad had Chicago’s best possession stats (20 shot attempts for, 4 against, 83.3%) in the Blackhawks’ 5-4 shootout win over Nashville. Rundblad has also put up three points (1 G, 2 A) in the past four games. ZEROES Darren Helm – The Red Wings centre managed one shot attempt (missed) against Boston and was crushed (5 shot attempts for, 20 against, 20.0%) in possession, despite starting 57.1% of his shifts in the offensive zone. Brian Flynn – It’s not unusual to end up on the wrong end of the possession battle with the Sabres, but the Buffalo centre didn’t register a shot attempt and had 11.1% of even-strength shot attempts (3 for, 24 against) at Ottawa. Brad Stuart – This might be the first time that I’ve hammered a single player for back-to-back games, but Stuart is getting destroyed. After managing 10.7% of the shot attempts against Chicago Saturday, he was even worse (2 for, 24 against, 7.7%) against St. Louis Monday. Two games: on the ice for five shot attempts for and 49 against (9.3%). LINEUP NEED TO KNOW Jordan Staal – Made his season debut for the Hurricanes, picking up an assist while skating on a line with brother Eric and either Nathan Gerbe or Elias Lindholm. Marian Gaborik – The Kings winger missed Monday’s game in Calgary due to illness. Dwight King joined Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter on the top line in Gaborik’s absence. Patrice Bergeron & Milan Lucic – The Bruins were missing two of their top forwards in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over Detroit. Seth Griffith and Matt Lindblad were inserted into the Boston lineup. Erik Haula – Minnesota scratched their second-year forward, who has four points (3 G, 1 A) in 30 games this season, disappointing production after he had seven points (4 G, 3 A) in 13 playoff games last season. Evander Kane – The Winnipeg winger is out until February with a lower-body injury, leaving the Jets short up front. Kane is one of four Jets forwards averaging more than 19 minutes per game this season. SHORT SHIFTS Bruins RW Loui Eriksson picked up a pair of assists in a 5-2 win over Detroit; he has eight points (4 G, 4 A) in the past six games…Bruins C Carl Soderberg had a goal and two assists and has seven points (2 G, 5 A) in the past six games…Along with Chris Kelly, Soderberg and Eriksson had better than 74% possession against Detroit…Devils C Travis Zajac had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over Pittsburgh; he gets more ice time than any New Jersey forward yet had one point in the previous 13 games…Capitals C Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and an assist in Washington’s 4-3 overtime loss at the Islanders and has 11 points (7 G, 4 A) in the past eight games…Lightning RW Ryan Callahan had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win over Toronto, giving him seven points (1 G, 6 A) in his past six games…Predators RW James Neal scored a pair of goals in a 5-4 shootout loss at Chicago; he has eight points (4 G, 4 A) in the past eight games…Predators LW Colin Wilson had a couple of assists at Chicago, giving him seven points (4 G, 3 A) in the past four games…Flyers C Sean Couturier assisted on both of Philadelphia’s goals (both scored by R.J. Umberger) in a 4-2 loss at Arizona; he has 12 points (5 G, 7 A) in the past 13 games…Flames RW Jiri Hudler assisted on both Flames goals in a 2-1 win over Los Angeles. Hudler has 21 points (7 G, 14 A) in the past 17 games…Blues C Paul Stastny had a pair of assists and an impressive possession game (16 shot attempts for, 3 against, 84.2%) facing his old team in Colorado...Four Senators – Patrick Wiercioch, Colin Greening, Eric Gryba and Erik Condra – had better than 80% possession against the Sabres…Flyers C Vincent Lecavalier had 11 shot attempts (6 SOG) in 14:56 of ice time at Arizona. Canadiens G Carey Price stopped 28 of 29 shots in a 3-1 win over Carolina. In his past seven games, he’s allowed nine goals, stopping 194 of 203 shots against (.956 SV%)…Devils G Cory Schneider had 27 saves on 28 shots in a 3-1 win over Pittsburgh…Blues G Martin Brodeur had a 16-save shutout at Colorado, the 125th of his career…Flames G Jonas Hiller stopped 26 of 27 shots in a 2-1 win over Los Angeles, giving him a .917 save percentage this season, his best since 2010-2011. FIRSTS Tyler Graovac – A seventh-round pick of the Wild in 2011, Graovac, a 6-foot-4 centre, made his NHL debut in Winnipeg Monday, playing 9:02 against the Jets, primarily with Matt Cooke and Justin Fontaine. He had 24 points (12 G, 12 A) in 31 AHL games before getting promoted. Tyler Gaudet – An undrafted free agent signed out of Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL, Gaudet is a 6-foot-3 centre who played 9:20 in his NHL debut, skating on a line with Brandon McMillan and Lauri Korpikoski. Colin Greening – The Senators winger scored his first goal of the season – his first point of the season – in his 16th game. Jeff Schultz – The 28-year-old veteran blueliner made his season debut for the Kings, playing 13:28 at Calgary. It was his first regular season game for the Kings (after seven playoff games last season). FANTASY TIPS Only four games on the schedule tonight, so here are a few players to pop into your lineup: Jimmy Hayes – The Panthers’ winger has four goals in his past five games and has averaged 15:45 time on ice in December, up from 13:35 in November. Colin Wilson – Though he started the year with only four points in 15 games, Wilson has since put up 16 points (9 G, 7 A) in the past 18 games and is a possession beast for the Predators. Justin Schultz – He’s much-maligned – like most Oilers these days – but still has four points in the past five games and has played more than 20 minutes in eight of the past nine games. Much of the data included comes from www.war-on-ice.com, www.puckalytics.com, www.hockeystats.ca and www.naturalstattrick.com Scott Cullen can be reached at scott.cullen@bellmedia.ca Allen Iverson Jersey . Appearing on TSN 690 Monday afternoon, Mike Babcock said he had conversations with both P.K. Subban and Carey Price about those on-ice traits during Hockey Canadas summer orientation camp. Mike Babcock: McGill experience, P. Allen Iverson Grizzlies Jersey . He managed to save par, and went on to put together his best opening round of the year. Calcavecchia and Wes Short Jr. http://www.grizzliesbasketballpro.info/Dillon-Brooks-Grizzlies-Jersey/ . Fans holding laudatory signs started showing up at Yankee Stadium when the gates opened at 4 p.m. Monday, an hour early in order to give them a chance to watch the New York captain take batting practice. Kyle Anderson Jersey . Blackhawks RW Patrick Kane came up big when it counted, tallying two goals and an assist. He scored the game-winner with 4:45 remaining in the third period, stopping on the right hashmarks, carrying the puck up through the top of the Kings zone, then firing a wrist shot from the top of the circles past Jonathan Quick, who had his view obstructed by Andrew Shaw. Lorenzen Wright Jersey .Manager Brendan Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo on Friday that Sturridge pulled his calf muscle in training as he prepared to return from a five-week layoff due to a thigh strain.BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -- Brazil advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday with a 3-2 shootout win over Chile following a tense and thrilling battle that ended 1-1 after extra time. Neymar, David Luiz and Marcelo scored in the shootout, and Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar saved two penalties before watching Gonzalo Jaras final attempt hit the post. "My teammates are giving me a lot of strength on the field so I give my best," Cesar said. "Were just three steps away and I hope to give another interview with Brazil partying." Brazil, which extended its 39-year unbeaten streak in home competitive matches to 61, will next face either Colombia or Uruguay in the quarterfinals. Neither team managed to score at the Mineirao Stadium after first-half goals from Luiz and Sanchez, but Brazil came close to an early exit when Mauricio Pinillas shot hit the crossbar in the final moments of extra time. Chile also had the best chance in the second half, when Cesars spectacular save on Charles Aranguizs shot kept the score even. Brazil has reached the quarterfinals of each World Cup since Argentina eliminated it in the second round in 1990. Getting knocked out at that stage in its own World Cup would have been a disaster. But the Brazilians overcame their nerves in the shootout, with Neymar scoring the final penalty after Cesar stopped spot kicks from Pinilla and Sanchez. When Jara hit the post, some of Brazils players celebrated wildly while others fell to the ground, exhausted and emotionally drained. Willian, who missed a penalty for Brazil, sobbed uncontrollably, as Fred helped him to his feet. As the crowd roared, the Brazilian players joined hands in a human chain. The Chileans stood still, staring into the ground, wiping the sweat off their faces. "We tried to give everything, we tried to fight for a dream, and we didnt achieve it," Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal said.dddddddddddd "But we gave all our effort on the pitch." Calling it a "harsh" loss, Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli said he had been convinced his team would come out the winner. "Do you think I can be satisfied with the result?" Sampaoli said. "Weve played a hard 120 minutes even if everybody was against us in the stadium." Brazil went ahead in the 18th minute after Thiago Silva deflected Neymars corner kick toward the far post. Luiz was given the goal but replays showed Chile defender Gonzalo Jara may have touched the ball before it went in. Brazil lost the lead when it failed to cope with Chiles aggressive pressure in a throw-in situation deep inside Brazils half of the field. Eduardo Vargas intercepted Hulks pass and found Sanchez on the right side of the area. The Barcelona striker scored easily with a shot toward the far post. Neymar, Fred and Dani Alves had chances in the first half while a second-half goal from Hulk was disallowed when referee Howard Webb ruled he handled the ball. Chile has never beaten Brazil in Brazil but was hoping for another upset after eliminating defending champion Spain in the group stage. "We played the toughest opponents in the tournament, Spain, Holland, Brazil, and we never played like a team that was weaker than anyone else," said Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who blocked Hulks attempt in the shootout and watched Willians shot go wide. "The truth is that we are very sad because we could have won the match before, we should have taken advantage of some good chances," Bravo said. "We felt we could win and we didnt." ' ' '