The Maple Leafs practised at Ford Performance Centre on Sunday.
The Leafs held the Oilers to just 20 shots on Saturday night, but a couple moments of brilliance from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl forced them to chase the game.
“Two really good players and then put them together and,” defenceman Jake Muzzin said before pausing and starting to laugh, “it’s a lot. They look for each other. They find each other. You can’t make a mistake. You can’t let up. You just got to be on every second they’re on the ice, because they can make you pay. So, it is what it is, man.”
On Edmonton’s second goal, McDavid jumped on a loose puck after Justin Holl failed to knock down a clearance at the offensive blue line. The Toronto defenceman did a good job of skating back hard and keeping McDavid to the outside, but the National Hockey League’s scoring leader still managed to find the reigning Hart Trophy winner for a one-timer goal. Muzzin was back in time, but couldn’t get his stick on the pass. McDavid took a peek back during the rush up ice, but didn’t look at Draisaitl when he fired the pass.
“I don’t know if there’s many players in the league that can make that pass and I don’t know if there’s many players in the league that can make that shot,” said Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe. “I’m not sure if people appreciate just how difficult that shot is. There’s maybe less than five players in the world that will make that shot. So, you got the combination of the pass and the shot together and it just goes to show you how dangerous it is and how good you got to be.”
Saturday was the first time this season that Edmonton deployed their two top weapons consistently together on the same line against the Leafs.
“We got to be better,” said Keefe. “When you make a mistake when they’re out there, they’re that much more dangerous. It’s not just one guy that you got to contend with.”
On the third Edmonton goal, Draisaitl knocked down a Muzzin pass behind the Leafs’ net and fed Tyson Barrie at the opposite point. The Oilers defenceman sent the puck back to Draisaitl, who made a no-look, backhand pass from behind the net back to the ex-Leaf, who had moved into the slot. Holl was at the side of the net looking to deny a pass to McDavid.
The Leafs eventually pulled off a comeback win to improve to 6-1-1 this season against the high-octane Oilers, including four straight wins. Toronto’s only regulation loss to Edmonton this season was the first game between the two teams way back on Jan. 20. Three of the victories by the Leafs came without the league’s leading goal scorer, Auston Matthews, in the lineup.
“We know we’re going against another highly skilled, top end skill-set over there so maybe we’re a little more dialled in defensively,” Muzzin mused. “We’re a little tighter. Our back-checks are a little harder. We’re not giving free ice out there so maybe it’s something to do with that.”
The Oilers are averaging two goals per game against the Leafs this season and 4.4 goals per game against the rest of the North Division.
“How dangerous their best people are, it really challenges us to be really focused and very committed defensively and taking care of the puck,” Keefe noted, “and just having so much respect for the opponent.”
NHL: Oilers 3, Maple Leafs 4 (OT)
Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid combined for five points in the second period to give the Oilers a 3-1 lead but the Maple Leafs battled back to tie it in the third before Auston Matthews sealed the comeback victory for Toronto in overtime with his 22nd goal of the season.
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On Saturday night, Jack Campbell allowed more than two goals in a game for the first time this season.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it, I just didn’t have it,” he admitted afterwards. “Didn’t like my game one bit. We won the hockey game so it makes it a little bit easier. I’ll have a good practice and we’ll go from there.”
But Campbell didn’t get a chance to take the ice at practice. He was held out for a maintenance day. The team is being cautious with Campbell’s workload since he returned from injury on March 20. He twice hurt his leg this season and now, with Frederik Andersen sidelined, is playing a string of games in a row.
“He’s a tough critic on himself but, if you guys know Soup, that’s just kind of the way he is,” said Muzzin, who also played with Campbell in Los Angeles. “He put it on himself, but it’s definitely a team thing and not just Soupy, obviously.”
Saturday was Campbell’s third straight start and the schedule is starting to get really busy. How big is the adjustment?
“Honestly, it’s normally pretty easy, because you get in a nice rhythm and you’re not thinking so much and you just go out and play,” Campbell said. “That’s typically when everybody’s at their best is when you’re just having fun and playing and, for whatever reason, I was thinking a little bit [on Saturday night] but I’m not too worried about it. I didn’t like my game, but I know what to do to fix it.”
Keefe suggested the goalie, who is a perfect 6-0-0 this season, was being a bit too hard on himself.
“You got to be even keel, especially the more you play,” the coach said. “You got to recognize there’s going to be ups and downs. Jack definitely feels like he wasn’t at his best last night.”
Keefe pointed out that Campbell made key stops late in the third period to keep the Leafs in the game.
“It was 3-2 and McDavid is basically in all alone on Campbell and he makes a huge save for us,” the coach noted. “At 3-3, two and a half minutes left, [Darnell] Nurse is in basically alone on a two-on-one, we get a huge save. Those are game-saving saves and he stood tall on those and gave us a chance. If one of those goes in, we’re leaving the game without any points and we’re disappointed here today … There’s something to be said about that, when it’s time to make a save, you make it no matter how you’re playing and he did that for us last night. He’s got no reason to be hard on himself today.”
Andersen, again, was not on the ice and hasn’t skated since March 19 as he deals with a nagging lower-body injury. There was no further update on his status.
Veini Vehviläinen skated with the team for the first time since being acquired in a trade from Columbus.
“We’ve been through a lot with our goaltenders this season and the more guys we have available to us the better,” Keefe said. “We’ll just take it a day at a time and let the organization get more familiar with him and allow him to get more familiar with his surroundings.”
Leafs Ice Chips: Maintenance day for ‘tough critic’ Campbell
Jack Campbell was not impressed with his own play in the win over the Oilers on Saturday and was eager to get back on the ice at practice to work on his game. Instead, Sheldon Keefe opted to give Campbell a maintenance day as the team tries to manage his workload with Frederik Andersen still out with a nagging injury.
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While Campbell kept the Leafs in the game down the stretch, the second line stepped up in a big way at the other end.
Alex Galchenyuk, who started the game on the fourth line, was promoted to the left wing spot with John Tavares and William Nylander and picked up a pair of assists.
“They just looked really committed to making a difference,” Keefe said. “Galchenyuk, in a lot of ways, really drove the line with the speed and work ethic he had off the puck and [gave] those other guys a little more space with it.”
“He’s been flying around out there,” said Nylander. “I mean, heavy forecheck, getting pucks back and obviously making some great plays on the goals last night.”
Galchenyuk owns a deadly shot of his own, but has impressed his new teammates the most with a positive attitude and determined approach. The 27-year-old is eager to make things work in Toronto after bouncing around between teams the last few years.
“He’s the hardest-working guy on the team right now,” said Muzzin. “It’s contagious. When you see a guy working like that you want to continue working. He’s done a great job for us and we’re going to need him to continue.”
Galchenyuk played three straight games with Tavares and Nylander before Wayne Simmonds took that spot to start Saturday’s game.
Tavares, Nylander growing in confidence as Galchenyuk provides a spark
It hasn’t been the smoothest season for John Tavares and William Nylander, but on Saturday night, Toronto’s second line came to life, sparking a third period comeback against the Oilers. Tavares scored his fourth goal in five-on-five play this season, while Nylander snapped a four-game drought and newcomer Alex Galchenyuk deserves a lot of the credit. Mark Masters has more.
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Tavares, Nylander and Galchenyuk stayed out late after Sunday’s practice to fine tune their skills and have some fun. Tavares won a shootout game and the normally reserved captain raised his arm in celebration as he skated off the ice.
The line was all smiles throughout Sunday’s workout.
“I think the confidence for us scoring those goals is going to help our line a lot,” said Nylander.
Saturday’s goal was just the fourth in five-on-five play for Tavares this season.
“Nice to get one, obviously,” Tavares said. “It’s a big part of my game and this year it hasn’t seemed to be as consistent as I’d like. I’m doing some good things and just trying to stay with it.”
What’s been missing?
“I’m still trying to figure some things out,” Tavares said. “It’s not a perfect science. Some of them I just have to bear down on my opportunities. I’m good around the net, finding rebounds and plays in-tight, and I haven’t seemed to get as many of those as I’d like so I think that’s one area.”
Keefe has repeatedly pointed out that Tavares has made strides defensively. He finished last season at minus-seven and has improved to plus-12 so far this year.
“I know I can’t sacrifice that part of the game and only worry about producing,” the 30-year-old said. “I want to be, in all facets, relied upon so just continue to work at it and find my balance and hopefully you’re able to really connect those two parts of your game. That’s always the goal.”
‘It’s not a perfect science’: Tavares seeks to be a more consistent goal scorer
John Tavares scored just his fourth five-on-five goal of the season on Saturday night. “It’s a big part of my game and this year it hasn’t seemed to be as consistent as I’d like,” the Leafs captain admitted. “It’s not a perfect science … I’m good around the net, finding rebounds and plays in-tight and I haven’t seemed to get as many of those as I’d like.” Tavares, however, is playing better defensively this season.
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Tavares has scored five of his 10 goals this season on the power play despite spending a lot of time on the second unit. But, at practice on Sunday, Tavares was promoted to the bumper spot on the top unit, which features Matthews and Mitch Marner on the flanks, Simmonds in front of the net and Morgan Rielly up top.
“A way to get John a little more involved and have that option available to us,” Keefe explained. “There’s a lot of positive signs there with our power play and I think we’re on the verge of getting it back into the net.”
The Leafs are 1/22 on the power play over the last 10 games.
“We need to get some more action around the net,” said Simmonds. “Teams have tried to take away Mitchy and Auston a little bit more. Not a little bit more, a lot more, and we need to find ways to counteract that and that’s what we’ve been working on. That’s why you see Johnny go in the slot there so we have another great shooting option in the middle.”
Joe Thornton moved to the second unit at practice.
‘It’s not a perfect science’: Tavares seeks to be a more consistent goal scorer
John Tavares scored just his fourth five-on-five goal of the season on Saturday night. “It’s a big part of my game and this year it hasn’t seemed to be as consistent as I’d like,” the Leafs captain admitted. “It’s not a perfect science … I’m good around the net, finding rebounds and plays in-tight and I haven’t seemed to get as many of those as I’d like.” Tavares, however, is playing better defensively this season.
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Simmonds has one assist and five shots on net in four games since returning to the lineup. He missed six weeks with a broken wrist and hasn’t shaken off all the rust yet.
“It’s coming along,” he said. “Obviously, I don’t think I’ve been playing the greatest at the moment, but every day my wrist is getting better and I’m able to do different things. I need to be a lot better. I’m going to be a lot better. I need to start contributing now that I’m back in the lineup.”
Simmonds had been heating up before the injury with five goals in six games.
“It’s not about points to me,” he stressed. “It’s being able to shoot as hard as I can, go into the boards and be able to dig and have one hand on my stick and just be strong and confident with the wrist. Every day that is going to another level [as] it’s healing more. My first two games I probably wasn’t able to shoot the puck, but I was able to do other things to contribute to the team and the last couple games were a lot better. But I got to find my timing here and be better.”
As wrist gets stronger, Leafs’ Simmonds vows to be better
Wayne Simmonds admitted to the media on Sunday that his wrist still doesn’t feel 100%, but he continues to make progress with each passing day. Simmonds recognized that his game isn’t where he wants it to be and vowed that he will be a lot better as he inches closer to full strength.
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.
