Ice hockey: Draisaitl scores in Oilers home win
Led by German ice hockey star Leon Draisaitl, the Edmonton Oilers secured a much-needed home win in the NHL. The 28-year-old scored the first goal (34th) in the title candidate’s 4-0 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and it was Draisaitl’s fourth goal of the season. With only three wins from eight games, the Oilers still fall short of expectations.
However, Tim Stützle, who lost 4:6 to the Vegas Golden Knights with the Ottawa Senators, suffered a defeat. Stützle (22) provided his sixth assist of the season for the 4-3 lead, but Ottawa conceded three more goals in the last four minutes. For the Senators it was the third loss in the seventh game.
Lukas Reichel also recorded an assist, but with the Chicago Blackhawks they lost 2-3 against the Nashville Predators and is still waiting for their third win of the season.
Basketball: Wagner brothers shine against Schröder
The basketball brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner have inflicted their next defeat in the NBA on their world champion colleague Dennis Schröder. In the Orlando Magic’s 116:101 win against the Brooklyn Nets, Franz (29 points) and Moritz (18) were the best scorers on their team, which also won its second game of the season. Schröder’s 20 points didn’t help the Nets, who were still winless.
The game was open until 65:65 in the third quarter, then Franz Wagner started a 13-0 run with two free throws. National team captain Schröder and Brooklyn chased the deficit until the end.
Daniel Theis achieved his second win in the second game with his new team, the New Orleans Pelicans. Theis scored five points in the narrow 105:103 win against the Portland Trail Blazers. With five seconds left, Brandon Ingram made the decision.
Baseball: Freeman writes baseball history at the start
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the first game in the battle for the American baseball crown with a furious finale. In a 6-3 win against the New York Yankees, Freddie Freeman hit the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history. This means that when he hit a home run in the last inning, all the bases were occupied by teammates, which brought in four points – the game was over.
“That’s pretty cool,” said the 35-year-old Freeman when he learned of his entry into the history books: “When you’re told that you’re doing something like that in this sport that’s been around for a long time – I love the history of this game. To be a part of it is special.”
For Freeman, it was the next emotional turn in a year of injuries marred by a serious illness for his three-year-old son, Max. In July, his son suddenly found himself unable to walk and was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome – a rare autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its nerves. Max later recovered after immunotherapy and was discharged from the hospital in August.
Freeman was correspondingly relaxed after the win: “I’ve been playing this game for a long time, and being involved in these moments is something you dream about, even if you’re 35 and have been playing in the league for 15 years. The last few months have been tough, but things have been going so well at home – Max is doing great,” Freeman said.
After celebrating his walk-off with his teammates, Freeman sprinted to the seats behind home plate to share the moment with his father. “He’s helped me with batting practice for as long as I can remember,” Freeman said. “My swing is thanks to him. I am who I am because of him.”
The second game is also scheduled for Saturday in Los Angeles. Four wins are needed to win the title.
