If the blocker fits, you might as well attach it to the Winnipeg Jets goaltender.
At this stage of the proceedings, the Toronto Maple Leafs have probably muttered more than a few choice words under their collective breath in response to what they’ve seen so far from Connor Hellebuyck through two games of this mid-season series with the Jets.
Whether it’s Hellebuyck casually using the paddle of his stick to thwart a scoring chance off the left skate of William Nylander, or using his glove to snare a slapper off the stick of Joe Thornton, the highlight reel was full of saves like those on Thursday night in Toronto. Never mind the three breakaways Hellebuyck calmly turned aside.
But it wasn’t enough.
Auston Matthews made a lightning-quick move to his backhand 59 seconds into overtime to propel the Maple Leafs to a 4-3 overtime victory after the Jets narrowly missed winning the game at the other end of the ice.
Jets head coach Paul Maurice conceded that it was probably a just result, given how the ice was tilted heavily in the Maple Leafs’ favour in terms of chances created compared to chances allowed.
Sure, the Maple Leafs were able to exhale as they snapped a season-high three-game winning streak, happily putting the extra point into the piggy bank as they widened their cushion over the Jets in the North Division standings to six points (with the Jets holding two games in hand).
But as the Zoom calls were taking place, one of the emerging themes revolved around whether the Jets might actually be showing the Maple Leafs — and perhaps the rest of the North Division — that they could be emerging as a legitimate contender.
Make no mistake, this was not the template teams around the NHL are going to implement as a strategy to try and beat the Maple Leafs, who held a decisive edge in the play, and a wide disparity when it comes to the generation of high-danger scoring chances (21-5, according to Natural Stat Trick).
However, what seems obvious right now is that any team that is going to give the Maple Leafs a run for top spot is going to need to incorporate two critical components: elite-level goaltending and high-end finishing ability.
Let’s start with the former.
Hellebuyck was pulled Saturday in Montreal after surrendering four goals on 19 shots to the Canadiens, marking the first time this season he’d been given the hook.
Since that time, Hellebuyck was the first star in the series opener, then followed that up with another virtuoso performance, giving him 70 saves in the two games.
Jets captain Blake Wheeler channelled the 2.0 version of his “pump the brakes” quote from 2018 as he answered a question about whether a goaltending performance like the ones Hellebuyck’s delivered these past two games might plant a seed of doubt in the Maple Leafs’ minds should they meet when it matters most.
“We have to qualify for the playoffs before we can worry about who we’re playing in the playoffs. We play these guys again in a couple days,” said Wheeler. “Our goalie was outstanding, there’s no question. That should be the storyline. He stood on his head for us. But we also have a locker room full of guys who played their asses off, too.
“I don’t think Toronto is talking in their media that it was a cakewalk playing us tonight. I think we played our tails off. When we needed Helly, he certainly stood up to the task. We’re going to worry about Saturday’s game. I think we play these guys five or six more times in the regular season. If that all shakes out and we so happen to play them in playoff time, I think they’ll know what style of game we play, and we’ll know what style of game they play. And we’ll take it from there.”
Hellebuyck was indeed the story for the Jets, showcasing signs of the form he rode to his first Vezina Trophy win last season.
While the numbers haven’t been quite as tidy so far, Hellebuyck is tasked with handling a remarkably heavy workload when it comes to the type of quality opportunities he faces regularly.
Never mind the numbers, he’s giving his team a chance to win, even on the nights its not operating at an optimal level.
Hellebuyck wasn’t about to throw his teammates under the bus when asked if it felt like he’d been hung out to dry on a number of occasions.
“I’m never going to use those words. I did my job. The guys in front of me got us to OT, so they clearly did their job,” said Hellebuyck. “Not every night is going to be perfect. Not every night is going to be a defensive win, not every night you’re going to get the best goaltending. That’s what I love about this team. We have it all and we can do it all. Even when once, maybe it wasn’t our best defensive game, but we still got to OT. We did some good things and we have some things to improve on. Me, personally, I stole a lot of goals, so I’m happy with my performance and I’m just looking forward to the next one.
“Any time you can take a team to OT, it closes the gap a little bit more. It’s a small victory, but, obviously, in this league, we want to win. We’re not cherishing the point, but it’s better than not getting one.”
The other thing that any team that wants to try and beat the Maple Leafs in a seven-game series is going to have to do is find ways to score.
Enter Nikolaj Ehlers, whose dynamic play is finally gaining him some of the recognition he deserves while spending a bit more time under the microscope in this all-Canadian division.
His high-end shooting talent was once again on display, rifling a perfect shot off the post and in to open the scoring late in the first period.
Ehlers followed that up by banging home a one-timer after a perfect feed from linemate Kyle Connor.
If scoring twice to regain the team goal lead with 13 markers wasn’t enough, Ehlers set up Paul Stastny for a redirection that allowed the Jets to score with the extra attacker on the ice to send the game to overtime and secure a point.
This was easily the best offensive game for the Jets’ second line, which features Pierre-Luc Dubois between Ehlers and Connor.
But on a night they created plenty, they were also on the ice for three even-strength goals against — and that didn’t sit well with Ehlers.
“Yeah, you know what, I think our line was great offensively. We got chances, we scored on them,” said Ehlers. “And defensively we weren’t strong enough. We were on the ice for all three of those goals and that sucks. That doesn’t feel good. And that’s something that I’ve got to change.”
That level of accountability was music to the ears of Maurice.
“That’s growth, right? That’s major growth for a young player,” said Maurice. “He scores two, on the ice for a bunch, and that’s what he takes home with him. He didn’t like the way that went. That’s a good thing. He’s not in a bad mental state. He’s putting pucks in the net, but at the same time, he knows that he was on the ice when they were, so that doesn’t make him very happy.
“We’re not going to individualize blame on those goals, so he’s on the ice and that’s the way he takes that. He takes it as a line. Nikolaj really this year, we saw it in the bubble where he took a step forward for us. You look at his play in terms of his compete and his battle and being hard on pucks and obviously the skill that comes out on those two goals that he scored. But this guy’s playing some great, great hockey for us. That’s the maturity there. He wants the win more than the stats. That’s a great thing.”
The Jets were quick to downplay the measuring-stick element of this series going into it — and that hasn’t changed with two more head-to-head games already in the books.
“We don’t judge ourselves by the other team. We’re focused on our game,” said Wheeler. “Obviously, Toronto has had a great season and they’re a really good team, they play really hard. There’s not a lot of free ice out there for either side, as you can see. Pretty good, hard-fought battles, both of these games.
“I think we’re a glass-half-full type of team. We’re down a goal with a couple minutes left. Anytime you’re down a goal, you pull your goaltender and you tie the game up, you feel like you stole a point.”
With seven games still to play in this 10-game season series, there’s plenty of time to see whether or not the Jets can provide a true push for the Maple Leafs.
What’s become abundantly clear is that the entertainment value is high when these teams get together and the intensity level figures to once again be on the rise with the rubber match of this series set for Saturday night.
“It’s definitely going to be a high-flying game. These are two really good teams,” said Hellebuyck. “You can feel it, you can feel the energy, you can just see in everyone’s eyes that everyone knows that this isn’t going to be an easy one. We can’t just walk through this team and we have to fight for every inch of ice. They might have got it (Thursday), but the next one, it’s going to be on.”
VANCOUVER – As the Major League Soccer season ticks down, Vanni Sartini wants his Vancouver Whitecaps to make a declaration — the team is ready to compete.
“The time of hiding ourselves, I think it’s over,” the coach said after the ‘Caps earned a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
“We need to really say that we are here to try to be at the ball until the end and trying to shoot for the highest position. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to make it, but we have the quality to do it.”
With seven games left on their regular-season schedule, the ‘Caps (13-8-6) sit in fifth spot in the congested Western Conference, just two points out of fourth.
Saturday’s loss officially eliminated the last-place Earthquakes (5-21-2) from post-season action.
Vancouver has been on a hot streak since returning from the Leagues Cup break and is unbeaten (3-0-1) in its last four outings across all competitions. The team has not allowed a goal in those matches.
“It’s the fact that we play really well,” Sartini said of the clean sheets. “We have the ball a lot, we finish our attack most of the time in their box. So it’s really hard for the other team to attack us. And then when they attack us, in the rare times that they arrive in the final third, we’re very solid.”
Recent additions have bolstered the team’s ranks, including the club’s newest designated player, Stuart Armstrong. The 32-year-old Scottish midfielder scored his first MLS goal Saturday.
Three minutes after coming on as a substitute for Alessandro Schopf, Armstrong gave Vancouver a two-goal cushion in the 87th minute.
Midfielder Pedro Vite dished a short pass to ‘Caps captain Ryan Gauld, who tapped it toward Armstrong. The former Southampton FC player then blasted a shot into the top of the net for his first strike in a Whitecaps’ jersey.
He was mobbed by teammates in the corner of the field.
“I think everyone was happy. Also for the first goal, but also that it was an important three points,” said Armstrong, who signed with the ‘Caps on Sept. 3.
“It kind of felt a little bit like last week, when we had a lot of chances and we didn’t get the three points. So today, I think everyone was just relieved to have that two-goal cushion.”
Vancouver was the dominant team from the outset Saturday and did not relent, outshooting the visitors 19-5 and controlling 54.1 per cent of possession.
Fafa Picault also found the back of the net for Vancouver, while Gauld contributed a pair of assists.
Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped both shots he faced to collect his seventh clean sheet of the year, while Daniel made nine saves for the Quakes.
Gauld and Picault teamed up in the 22nd minute when Gauld curled a cross in and the Haitian striker headed it down toward the net, only to see Daniel catch a piece of the shot with his forearm and redirect it out of harm’s way.
The duo connected again in the 35th minute on a Vancouver corner. Gauld swung a ball in and Picault jumped up from the pack to send a glancing header in past Daniel for his ninth MLS goal of the season.
San Jose briefly appeared to level the score in the 68th minute when an unmarked Ousseni Bouda collected the ball, froze Takaoka and tapped a shot into the Vancouver net. An official quickly raised the offside flag and waved off the tally.
Daniel kept San Jose’s deficit to a single goal with a pair of solid stops in the 82nd minute.
First, the Brazilian ‘keeper dove sideways on his line to tip away a bomb from Alessandro Schopf. He was tested again on the ensuing corner and jumped up to send a header from Picault over the crossbar.
“I think we created a lot of chances again,” Gauld said.
“We probably should have put the game out of their reach sooner. But we’d be more worried if we weren’t creating the chances. Three clean sheets in a row in the league, I think it’s a big thing for us. And it gives us a good platform to go forward.”
NOTES
Vancouver played without leading scorer Brian White for a third consecutive game as the American striker works his way back from a concussion. … Gauld’s second assist marked his 15th goal contribution (six goals, nine assists) in his last 15 Whitecaps games across all competitions. … An announced crowd of 21,309 took in the game at B.C. Place.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps kick off a two-game road swing Wednesday against the Houston Dynamo. The Earthquakes host the Seattle Sounders the same night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Not good enough. That was Arne Slot’s verdict after his first defeat as Liverpool manager on Saturday.
A shock 1-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League ended Slot’s perfect record since succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Anfield at the end of last season.
“We had a lot of ball possession but only managed to create three (or) four quite good chances, so that is by far not enough if you have so much ball possession,” said the Dutchman, who suggested his team should not be losing to the likes of Forest.
“If you lose a home game it’s always a setback, especially if you face a team … we never know, maybe they will go all the way to fight for Champions League tickets, but normally this team is not ending up in the top 10, so if you lose a game against them that’s a big disappointment.”
Slot won his first three games in charge, including a memorable 3-0 victory against Manchester United before the international break.
But that run came to an end after Callum Hudson-Odoi struck in the 72nd with a curling effort from the edge of the box and beyond goalkeeper Alisson.
Liverpool’s defeat leaves Manchester City as the only team with a 100% record in the league after a 2-1 win against Brentford kept the defending champion at the top of the table.
United won at Southampton 3-0 to end its two-game losing streak.
Unstoppable Haaland
Erling Haaland moved to 99 goals for City after scoring twice against Brentford.
The Norwegian’s double came after Yoane Wissa fired Brentford ahead with just 22 seconds on the clock.
Haaland scored his 98th and 99th goals in his 103rd City appearance in all competitions. And he was the width of the post away from his third consecutive hat trick after trebles against Ipswich and West Ham.
“He’s been really, really good. Yeah, I would say he’s the best (he’s been), but it’s only four fixtures (this season),” City manager Pep Guardiola said.
Haaland, who has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, has nine goals in four league games. He has topped the league scoring charts in each of his two seasons at City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for $63 million.
Haaland’s first goal after 19 minutes evened the game following Wissa’s opener, which stunned the Etihad Stadium crowd. Haaland turned and swept a shot past goalkeeper Mark Flekken after a slight deflection off Ethan Pinnock.
He was then too strong for Pinnock when shaking off the defender and running through for his second in the 32nd.
He was inches away in the 81st; the shot came back off the post after beating the keeper.
Rashford snaps run
Marcus Rashford snapped a 12-game barren run in front of goal as United beat Southampton.
Rashford doubled United’s lead at Saint Mary’s after Matthijs de Ligt’s scored his first for the club. Substitute Alejandro Garnacho scored a third in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
The win came after back-to-back defeats for United.
Rashford hadn’t scored since March in United’s win over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals. He curled in a shot from the edge of the area to put Erik ten Hag’s team 2-0 up at Southampton in the 41st minute.
Ten Hag said it could be a turning point for the forward.
“For every striker, they want to be on the scoring list. Once the first is in, more is coming. Like a ketchup bottle, once it’s going, it’s coming more,” he said.
De Ligt, who joined United from Bayern Munich in the offseason, headed in from Bruno Fernandes’ cross in the 35th.
It could have been a different story if Cameron Archer converted a penalty for Southampton in the 33rd. Instead, his effort was saved by goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Newly promoted Southampton was reduced to 10 men when Jack Stephens was sent off in the 79th for a high challenge on Garnacho.
Villa comeback
After three straight defeats to start the league, Everton looked set for its first win when leading Aston Villa 2-0.
Goals from Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put Sean Dyche’s team in control until Ollie Watkins struck twice to even the game.
Jhon Duran completed Villa’s comeback and sealed a 3-2 win in the 76th to leave Everton rooted to the bottom of the table and the only top flight team without a point.
Late drama
Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a stoppage time penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw for Crystal Palace against Leicester.
Leicester led 2-0 at Selhurst Park after goals from Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi.
But Mateta sparked Palace’s response with a goal in the 47th, a minute after Mavididi doubled Leicester’s advantage.
Conor Coady fouled Ismaili Sarr in the box right near fulltime and Mateta was cool enough to convert.
West Ham left it even later to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw at Fulham.
Danny Ings struck in the fifth minute of added time after Raul Jimenez’s goal looked like earning Fulham the win.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, the manager of the month for August, was frustrated as his team was held to 0-0 at home by Ipswich.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro has agreed to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.
Okoro’s new deal is worth $38 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed or announced by the team.
ESPN.com first reported the agreement, citing Okoro’s representation.
The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Okoro is Cleveland’s best perimeter defender, often drawing the assignment of guarding the opponent’s top scorer. Okoro also has worked to improve his offensive game.
The 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 69 games — 42 starts — last season for the Cavs, who beat Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to eventual champion Boston.
Okoro shot a career-best 39% on 3-pointers, forcing teams to come out and guard him.
His agreement caps an extraordinarily busy summer for the Cavs that began with coach J.B. Bickerstaff being fired and replaced by Kenny Atkinson. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension in July, ending months of speculation that he wanted out of Cleveland.
Also, power forward Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 deal and center Jarrett Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension.
