26 Established 1961 Sports Thursday, November 22, 2018 St Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers fire coaches after woeful NHL starts Oilers have dropped six of their past seven games NEW YORK: Todd McLellan was fired Tuesday as Oilers to their first playoff berth in 10 seasons. coach of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers and replaced by Hitchcock, 66, ranks third on the all-time NHL Ken Hitchcock only hours after the rival St. Louis Blues coaching win list at 823-506-119 with 88 drawn over dumped coach Mike Yeo. The latest ousters raised the 22 seasons with Dallas, Philadelphia, Columbus and St. number of axed coaches this season to four after seven Louis. He guided Dallas to the 1999 Stanley Cup. weeks, following a campaign in which no coaches lost “I know what’s wrong but it’s not going to get fixed their jobs. overnight,” Hitchcock said. “I think I can clear the The Oilers have dropped six of their past seven deck. I think I can help this team turn it around.” games, falling to 9-10 with one over-time loss for 19 Hitchcock had retired from coaching last season after points, sixth in the Pacific division. Edmonton’s frustra- Dallas went 42-32-8 and missed the playoffs. tions come despite having one of the NHL’s top young stars in 21-year-old Canadian Connor McDavid, who MIDNIGHT STRIKES ON YEO ranks third in the league in total points with six goals Yeo was fired just before midnight after a 2-0 and 12 assists. Monday home loss to Los Angeles, leaving both teams “Obviously disappointed,” Oilers captain McDavid level at the bottom of the NHL with only seven wins, said. “Todd was a guy that everyone liked, but ulti- and replaced by associate coach Craig Berube on an mately we’re a team that’s underachieving right now interim basis. and no one likes where we’re at, so the change is Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said necessary.” Tuesday he might hire a new full-time coach before Edmonton’s 3.3 goals a game ranks 24th in the 31- the end of the season. “I’m going to throw my full sup- team league while the penalty-killing unit ranks 27th. port behind Craig and his staff right now as we try and “It’s tough to pinpoint what we need, but we’re all to cauterize the wound and get back into the playoff pic- blame here,” McDavid said. “This obviously isn’t on ture,” Armstrong said. Todd at all. It’s on us as players. That’s just how the “Ultimately it comes back to our record,” business works sometimes. We got to wake up here.” Armstrong said. “Mike is paying for the sins of our col- Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli began pon- lective group.” Yeo, 45, went 73-49-11 as St. Louis dering the move after Edmonton’s 6-3 home loss coach after he replaced Hitchcock in February 2017. Sunday to Vegas. “I felt like it was time,” he said. “I He exited after three shutout losses in four games. saw levels of flatness and levels of non-responsiveness Berube, 52, coached Philadelphia to a 75-58-28 GLENDALE: In this file photo taken on January 12, 2018, head coach Todd McLellan of the Edmonton Oilers watches and when that happens, the radar goes up.” record from 2013-15. McLellan and Yeo departed fol- from the bench during the first period of the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes in Glendale, Arizona. McLellan McLellan, 51, was named Oilers coach in May 2015 lowing John Stevens of the Los Angeles Kings and Joel was fired on Tuesday, as coach of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers and replaced by Ken Hitchcock only hours after the after seven seasons with the San Jose Sharks. He was Quenneville of the Chicago Blackhawks being dropped rival St. Louis Blues dumped coach Mike Yeo. —AFP 123-119-24 with Edmonton and in 2017 guided the earlier this season. — AFP Anderson out of final S Lanka Test Bangladesh’s Shakib doubtful COLOMBO: England have left record- breaking fast bowler James Anderson out of for first West Indies Test the final Test against Sri Lanka starting CHITTAGONG: tomorrow to give match practice to fellow Bangladesh suffered but said the two sides are closely paceman Stuart Broad. “Yes I’m not playing a blow yesterday after skipper Shakib matched. “I think both the teams will this game, Broady’s going,” Anderson said Al Hasan said he was not sure if he have equal chances. The wicket may Wednesday, expressing frustration over a would be fit in time for the opening get spin... (but) sometimes the wicket tour in which he has taken just one wicket in Test against the West Indies. Shakib, starts behaving well after a few days two Tests where spinners have dominated. 31, missed the recent Test series of playing,” he said of the Anderson, who has taken more Test wick- against Zimbabwe because of surgery Chittagong venue. “As both the ets than any other fast bowler in history, said on an injured finger in September. teams are very close in rankings- that while Broad was “delighted” at getting a The batsman was declared fit by eighth and ninth, I think the series chance he was feeling like a “spare part”. the team’s physio and included in the will be a very important one. I am “The thinking is that with the series sewn up squad for the two-Test West Indies hopeful we will perform well.” it’s an opportunity to rotate.” series starting today in Chittagong. West Indies captain Kraigg “I think the feeling is they want Broady to “We know how challenging it is to Brathwaite said they must not rest on COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s coach Chandika Hathurusingha talks with Nishan Peiris (R) during a play a five-day match. So still there their success during the home series get some Test cricket under his belt,” added practice session at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo yesterday. The third and final the 36-year-old. England go into the third is confusion whether I have reached against Bangladesh. “Pitches are obvi- Test between England and Sri Lanka will be played tomorow, at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) that level (to play),” Shakib told ously different to what we played on and final Test in Colombo with a 2-0 lead and international cricket stadium in Colombo. — AFP gunning for a whitewash. reporters in Chittagong. “I have (in the Caribbean). Whatever we do, “So it’s going to be a week off. It’s been a trained only in four sessions. Among whether fast bowling or spin, we have frustrating trip for me really because you been part of a squad that has played so well Ben Foakes, Rory Burns and Keaton Jennings them, two sessions were optional. to do it well,” he said. want to contribute to the wins. “But I feel like away from England. The veteran of many as well as England’s spin trio Moeen Ali, Adil Let’s see, I may have to wait till the “We can’t think about the past I’ve tried my best but it’s not really been a highs and lows in England’s fortunes said the Rashid and Jack Leach. end.” series. We have to stick to our plans, series for the seamers,” he added. tour under captain Joe Root had been “a real “I certainly feel like in the past previous Shakib’s return was a big boost and I think we will go on top.” The “I feel like a bit of a spare part but I think big stepping stone for us as a team.” teams might not have played as positively for the home side, who have strug- West Indies have never lost a Test that’s just the nature of playing cricket here.” “We’ve been good in parts over the past as we have with the bat,” said Anderson. gled in recent Tests. They were match in Bangladesh, winning six and England sewed up the series-a first away 18 months but a bit inconsistent. I think the “The message from Joe is to go out, be thrashed 2-0 by the West Indies in drawing one. The second Test will be series win since beating South Africa in 2015- improvements we’ve made and continue to confident. We’ve played positively, tried to July, and then salvaged a 1-1 home played in Dhaka from November 30 16 — on Sunday in Kandy. make have really shown this trip.” He high- take the attacking option and I think that’s series draw against Test minnows to December 4. The visitors will also And Anderson said he was happy to have lighted the batting of stand-in wicketkeeper why we’re 2-0 up.” — AFP Zimbabwe earlier this month. play three one-day internationals Shakib acknowledged playing the and three Twenty20 internationals West Indies would be more chal- during their month-long tour of lenging than the Zimbabwe series, Bangladesh. — AFP Win over Woods worth more than won more races than I dreamed of when I F1 farewells came here and this part of my career is done - it was a success,” the 37-year-old $9 million, says told ESPN. abound as Abu “I have ticked the box. I need to go for Mickelson another tick and find another box to fill.” Dhabi wraps The winner of 32 grands prix, including Monaco twice, Alonso won the 24 Hours of LAS VEGAS: Bragging rights will be worth Le Mans this year with Toyota and is now more than the $9 million prize money to Phil up 2018 season targeting the Indianapolis 500 with McLaren to complete the ‘triple crown of Mickelson when he takes on Tiger Woods in an LONDON: Champions Fernando Alonso 18-hole winner-takes-all pay-per-view show- motorsport’.