WINNIPEG — The evidence was mounting and it was starting to get to the point where it was looking to be a matter of when, and not if, Logan Stanley was going to find the back of the net.
Given the high volume of shot attempts the Winnipeg Jets‘ towering defenceman had been able to generate during his first NHL season, it’s not a stretch to suggest Stanley was operating in the realm of being due.
But that’s part of the beauty of hockey: whether you’re a raw rookie or seasoned veteran, goals can often be tough to come by.
Some nights, a glorious chance rings off the iron or is quickly erased by an acrobatic save by the opposing goalie.
But sometimes, the stars align and magical milestones end up on national television.
After showcasing an uncanny ability to get his shot through from the point during the first 22 games of his career, Stanley found himself in the slot with the puck on his stick during the second period on Saturday night against the Calgary Flames.
When he ripped his shot bar-down on David Rittich, Stanley let out a guttural roar that told you all you needed to know about what it meant for the Kitchener/Waterloo product to deliver his first NHL goal.
“It’s a pretty good feeling to get that one. Something you dream of as a kid, playing your first NHL game and scoring a goal in the NHL,” said Stanley. “I’ve had some chances to score that haven’t went in. I try not to think about it that much. My primary job is to keep the puck out of the net. Just nice to get one past the goalie.
“My parents would say it’s because all the pucks I would shoot at the wall in the basement, maybe, working on that stuff. It’s just something I like to work on after practice and I like shooting the puck. When I get a chance, I like to shoot it. Sometimes, there’s other plays to be made.”
Stanley’s marker made the score 2-2, but the story took a twist and ended with the Jets suffering a 4-2 loss to a Flames team that played with the desperation required for a group trying to keep its fading playoff hopes alive.
Despite the defeat, the praise for Stanley was pouring in from his teammates.
Given the appreciation for the journey Stanley has been on to reach this point, the reaction was expected.
“It was just a matter of time. He gets so many pucks through, he’s got such a heavy shot,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “(Stanley’s) probably been our biggest pleasant surprise this year. We couldn’t be happier with him, so it was great to see him get rewarded.”
There’s nothing quite like the look on the face of a player after they score for the first time.
“Yeah, it’s awesome. That’s one of those things you can carry with you for life,” said Jets centre Adam Lowry. “It’s one of those great memories he’ll have. To see him come so close last game, ring one off the post. For him to get a nice one (Saturday), we’re all really happy for him. Hopefully it’s the first of many.”
Stanley was viewed as a long-term project when the Jets made a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers to move up to the 18th spot in the 2016 NHL Draft and selected him.
At a time when Jets first-rounders were routinely jumping into the lineup within a couple of seasons, let’s just say a portion of the fan base was beginning to grow impatient with the progress of the defence prospect.
Stanley went back for two more seasons in the Ontario Hockey League and spent the first two seasons of his pro career with the Manitoba Moose in the American Hockey League.
There were signs of growth during that rookie campaign and a couple of injuries to overcome last season, but Stanley was the first to admit he wanted more from himself.
He was determined to take a step forward and wasn’t afraid to share that opinion publicly during training camp.
Well, after Luca Sbisa was claimed off waivers by the Nashville Predators and Tucker Poolman tested positive for COVID-19 following the season opener, Stanley was thrust into the Jets lineup.
Stanley made his NHL debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 18 and suited up in 13 consecutive contests before he was replaced by Poolman.
Then, after sitting out for nearly a month, Stanley got another opportunity when Nathan Beaulieu suffered a hand injury.
Since returning to the lineup, Stanley is building confidence and showing signs of growing into a steady NHL regular.
Sure, Stanley is being sheltered to a degree on the third pairing, but that’s not uncommon for a player of his age and experience.
“Early on, you kind of, you have the tendency your first few games in the NHL, you don’t want the puck on your stick a whole lot,” said Lowry. “I think now he’s gotten used to the pace, he’s gotten used to the speed, he’s kind of gotten used to the positioning. He’s starting to use his body. You saw him in Vancouver, he steps up and kind of sets the tone for us with a good fight. He’s been real good at stopping the cycle in our zone and getting shots through from the point.
“So he’s continuing to get better every day. As the games progress, he’s looked more and more comfortable out there.”
Some of the subtle things Stanley does with the puck in tight areas have caught the attention of the Jets’ coaching staff and his teammates.
It’s tough not to stand out when you stand six-foot-seven, but Stanley is gaining trust and showing he’d love to secure his spot in the lineup even when the Jets are back to full health.
“You know what, he’s been so close. He’s had a couple of bars and he’s had a bunch of great shots,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “But I’ve really enjoyed watching his confidence grow and the quality of his game. There’s not a lot of big men that can go bar down like that, so we think we’ve got a good find here. Really happy with where he’s at.”
Stanley has taken some time to appreciate what he’s been able to accomplish so far, even though the compressed nature of the schedule doesn’t always allow a lot of time for reflection.
“It’s going by fast this year, lots of stuff going on,” said Stanley. “It is kind of hard to take a breath and kind of look at what’s going on. I’m just enjoying myself and trying to get better every day here and try and help this hockey club win hockey games.”
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Jets, who slipped to 21-11-2 and are now two points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs in the battle for top spot in the North Division.
Will the Jets view this as a missed opportunity, a chance to perhaps leave the reeling Flames in the rearview mirror, since the cushion would have expanded to 13 points (instead of nine) with another regulation victory?
Maybe, but for a team that responded to consecutive regulation losses to the Edmonton Oilers with three wins in a row, this looks more like a minor bump in the road going into the finale of this three-game series on Monday.
Goaltending has been at the foundation of the Jets’ success this season, but this was a rare off-night for Jets backup Laurent Brossoit.
Although two of the four goals changed direction off the sticks of teammates, including one in the opening minute of the third period, Brossoit directed the final goal into his own net when he misplayed a shoot-in from Sam Bennett that appeared to be going wide.
The Jets certainly weren’t pointing the finger in the direction of the crease, since Brossoit is still sporting a .914 save percentage in his nine appearances so far this season and has done his part to instill belief with his body of work.
“You learn over time that these guys are really proud professional athletes, so you wouldn’t say anything to anybody after a game like that,” said Maurice. “You’d wait, slap him on the pads the next time you’re on the ice and have a chuckle about it and move on.”
Part of the Jets moving on is staring at another opportunity to regroup.
As the Jets get set to close out a season-high seven-game road trip against the Flames, it’s sure to be another test.
The Jets are 8-1-1 in games following a regulation loss and that bounce-back ability has become their calling card, a critical part of their identity.
Leaning on that foundation piece is something the Jets plan to do with regularity during the stretch run, since it’s the only way they’ll be able to remain in the race for first place.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.
Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.
In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.
Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.
Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.
He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.
The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.
Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.
He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.
George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.
Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.
In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.
St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
ON DECK
Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.
The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
CALGARY – Mired in their first four-game losing skid in 20 years, the Calgary Stampeders are going back to Jake Maier at quarterback on Saturday after he was benched for a game.
It won’t be an easy assignment.
Visiting McMahon Stadium are the Eastern Conference-leading Montreal Alouettes (10-2) who own the CFL’s best record. The Stampeders (4-8) have fallen to last in the Western Conference.
“Six games is plenty of time, but also it is just six games,” said Maier. “We’ve got to be able to get on the right track.”
Calgary is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
“I do still believe in this team,” said Stampeders’ head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson. “I want to see improvement, though. I want to see guys on a weekly basis elevating their game, and we haven’t been doing that.”
Maier is one of the guys under the microscope. Two weeks ago, the second-year starter threw four interceptions in a 35-20 home loss to the Edmonton Elks.
After his replacement, rookie Logan Bonner, threw five picks in last week’s 37-16 loss to the Elks in Edmonton, the football is back in Maier’s hands.
“Any time you fail or something doesn’t go your way in life, does it stink in the moment? Yeah. But then the days go on and you learn things about yourself and you learn how to prepare a little bit better,” said Maier. “It makes you mentally tougher.”
Dickenson wants to see his quarterback making better decisions with the football.
“Things are going to happen, interceptions will happen, but try to take calculated risks, rather than just putting the ball up there and hoping that we catch it,” said Dickenson.
A former quarterback himself, he knows the importance of that vital position.
“You cannot win without good quarterback play,” Dickenson said. “You’ve got to be able to make some plays — off-schedule plays, move-around plays, plays that break down, plays that aren’t designed perfectly, but somehow you found the right guy, and then those big throws where you’re taking that hit.”
But it’s going to take a team effort, and that includes the club’s receiving corp.
“We always have to band together because we need everything to go right for our receivers to get the ball,” said Nik Lewis, the Stampeders’ receivers coach. “The running back has to pick up the blitz, the o-line has to block, the quarterback has to make the right reads, and then give us a catchable ball.”
Lewis brings a unique perspective to this season’s frustrations as he was a 22-year-old rookie in Calgary in 2004 when the Stamps went 4-14 under coach Matt Dunigan. They turned it around the next season and haven’t missed the playoffs since.”
“Thinking back and just looking at it, there’s just got to be an ultimate belief that you can get it done. Look at Montreal, they were 6-7 last year and they’ve gone 18-2 since then,” said Lewis.
Montreal is also looking to rebound from a 37-23 loss to the B.C. Lions last week. But for head coach Jason Maas, he says his team’s mindset doesn’t change, regardless of what happened the previous week.
“Last year when we went through a four-game losing streak, you couldn’t tell if we were on a four-game winning streak or a four-game losing streak by the way the guys were in the building, the way we prepared, the type of work ethic we have,” said Maas. “All our standards are set, so that’s all we focus on.”
While they may have already clinched a playoff spot, Alouettes’ quarterback Cody Fajardo says this closing stretch remains critical because they want to finish the season strong, just like last year when they won their final five regular-season games before ultimately winning the Grey Cup.
“It doesn’t matter about what you do at the beginning of the year,” said Fajardo. “All that matters is how you end the year and how well you’re playing going into the playoffs so that’s what these games are about.”
The Alouettes’ are kicking off a three-game road stretch, one Fajardo looks forward to.
“You understand what kind of team you have when you play on the road because it’s us versus the world mentality and you can feel everybody against you,” said Fajardo. “Plus, I always tend to find more joy in silencing thousands of people than bringing thousands of people to their feet.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
