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Panthers Now 2 Wins From The Stanley Cup, Top Oilers 4-1 For 2-0 Lead In Title Series

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Panthers | AP News Image

SUNRISE, Florida – Leon Draisaitl of Edmonton knocked out Florida’s Aleksander Barkov. The Panthers were sure to reply by landing the greater blow.

And the Stanley Cup Final heated up Monday night.

Evan Rodrigues scored twice in the third period, Niko Mikkola and Aaron Ekblad also scored, and the Panthers used another close finish to defeat the Oilers 4-1 and take a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final.

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 18 shots for Florida, which had a 1-8 record in Cup final games prior to this series and is now two wins away from its first championship. The score in the two games was Florida 7, Edmonton 1.

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Panthers | AP News Image

Panthers Now 2 Wins From The Stanley Cup, Top Oilers 4-1 For 2-0 Lead In Title Series

“A six-man job against the best players in the world,” Ekblad stated.

But the victory came at a cost for Florida, as the Panthers lost captain Barkov after Edmonton forward Draisaitl rushed at him midway through the third period and smacked him in the head. Barkov stayed down for some time, required assistance getting to the bench, and then went down the tunnel to the Florida locker room for additional evaluation.

Florida coach Paul Maurice provided no update on Barkov’s status and was significantly more reserved than he usually is after a win.

“This isn’t The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Maurice commented about the Barkov hit. “My feelings don’t matter.”

Mattias Ekholm scored, and Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for the Oilers, who now must overcome some heavy history.

Edmonton has only once overcome a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series against San Jose in Round 2 of the 2006 playoffs. In 54 previous Stanley Cup Finals, teams that have fallen 2-0 have won only five times.

“I think we believe we came here and played well enough to deserve a split,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “It doesn’t always happen.”

The series will resume with Game 3 in Edmonton on Thursday night.

“We can certainly do better,” Draisaitl added. “It begins with me… I surely have a lot more to offer. Not my greatest night. Of course, I’m taking responsibility for that.”

Draisaitl received only a minor penalty for roughing on the hit that removed Barkov from the game. Rodrigues scored on a tip-in to make it 3-1, the first power-play goal Edmonton has allowed in its previous 34 man-down situations.

With around 6 minutes remaining, Connor McDavid had a breakaway opportunity to pull Edmonton within one. Bobrovsky stopped him, and he and Matthew Tkachuk tussled a bit along the boards after the play, with the Panthers still upset about the hit on Barkov.

“I have no response or comment on that,” Tkachuk said when asked what he thought of Draisaitl’s hit on Barkov and whether he was concerned that Florida’s captain would miss time.

McDavid said of the hit, “I thought it was part of the game.”

Ekblad added: “We’re hoping he’ll be fine.”

Emotions were intense all night. Edmonton’s Warren Foegele was ejected in the first period for a knee-on-knee hit that briefly took Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen out of the game; that ejection, along with an injury to Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, left the team with only 11 forwards and five defensemen for much of the game.

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Panthers | AP News Image

Panthers Now 2 Wins From The Stanley Cup, Top Oilers 4-1 For 2-0 Lead In Title Series

Rodrigues scored early in the third period following a turnover, giving Florida a 2-1 lead and setting the tone for another comeback. The Panthers, who trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes, are now an NHL-best 5-2 when trailing after one period in the playoffs.

With 2:28 remaining, Ekblad sealed the deal with an empty netter.

“It’s intended to be hard. “It’s supposed to be difficult,” McDavid explained. “I’m excited to see what our group’s made of.”

Just as in Game 1, one team capitalized on its first shot. On Saturday, it was Florida, and now it’s Edmonton.

There wasn’t much to it: Ekholm skated nearly the whole length of the ice as the teams played 4-on-4, taking a harmless-looking shot that went between Bobrovsky’s leg pads and into the back of the net. McDavid, playing in the same venue where he was selected in 2015, assisted on the goal, giving him 27 assists this playoffs.

The Panthers tied the game halfway through the second period. Mikkola had two shots in a shift; one was at the wrong net and the other more than made up for that near-miss.

Moments after clumsily wheeling a backhand toward Bobrovsky, who was alert enough to spare his teammate from the shame of an own goal, Mikkola handled an Anton Lundell delivery and blasted it past Skinner to level the game at one.

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Panthers | AP news Image

Panthers Now 2 Wins From The Stanley Cup, Top Oilers 4-1 For 2-0 Lead In Title Series

“Bob was awake,” Mikkola explained.

Shots were 22-7. After 40 minutes, Florida leads the league in shots on goal, while the Oilers are kept to a season low entering the third. Bobrovsky was put to the test far more in the third period than in the first two, but he rose to the occasion, allowing two goals or fewer for the 12th time in 13 games.

And, for the first time, Florida is two wins away from the Cup.

“It’s special,” Rodrigues stated. “I’m trying to embrace it. Trying to stay present. That’s two significant wins for our team, but I believe we’ve already turned the page and are preparing for Game 3.”

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Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

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Trudeau, Montreal

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.

Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”

The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”

“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.

On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”

Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.

Pro-Palestinian protests

Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.

Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.

Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.

On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.

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Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

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The zookeeper's negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla

The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.

The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.

The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.

“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”

According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.

Calgary Zoo Questioned

It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.

An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.

Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.

The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.

“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.

“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.

While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”

Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.

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Canada’s Lotto Max Jackpot Climbs to $80M

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Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.

Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.

The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.

While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.

Lotto Max History

Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.

The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.

Let’s have a look at the rules:

  1. Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
  2. Numbers cannot be repeated
  3. Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
  4. Each play buys 3 lines
  5. Each play costs $5

Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)

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