The Canadian women’s hockey team opened its Olympics with a 12-1 victory over Switzerland on Thursday in Beijing, but the win came with a cost.
Melodie Daoust, a key part of Canada’s second line that combined for three goals in the first period, left the game and did not return following an awkward hit into the boards during the second period.
The 30-year-old, who won tournament MVP at the 2018 Olympics, appeared to favour her shoulder as she immediately exited to the dressing room following the collision.
The injury put a damper on Canada’s fast start which was led by Daoust’s linemate, the dynamic 21-year-old Olympic rookie Sarah Fillier.
WATCH | Daoust exits with injury:
Melodie Daoust injured in Canada’s win over Switzerland
8 hours ago
Duration 0:42
Forward Melodie Daoust left the game during the second period of Canada’s 12-1 win over Switzerland, in their opening game at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. 0:42
“Just to step on that ice, see the [Olympic] rings, be in a building with Beijing 2022 written all over it and in this black jersey, it’s really cool,” Fillier told CBC Sports’ Kenzie Lalonde during second intermission.
Fillier opened the scoring just over one minute into the game, knocking a rebound out of midair and into the back of the net for her first career Olympic goal at the Games.
The Georgetown, Ont., native was forced to wait an additional 10 minutes for confirmation as officials went to video review, but the goal ultimately stood as Canada’s icebreaker in Beijing.
Defender Renata Fast said the team was “pumped” for Fillier after she scored.
“Talk about making an entrance to the Olympics. To score on her first shift, to bat the puck out of the air, that is so skillful,” she said.
Fillier made sure to leave no doubt when she scored her second minutes later, ripping a slot shot over the blocker of Swiss goalie Andrea Braendli, who stopped 58 of a whopping 70 Canadian attempts on net.
“I circled out in front and the seas just seemed to part and I took my shot,” said Fillier, who completed her three-point period with the primary assist on linemate Natalie Spooner’s goal.
WATCH | Fillier pots pair:
Olympic rookie Sarah Fillier scores twice in win over Switzerland
7 hours ago
Duration 1:56
21-year-old Sarah Fillier from Georgetown, Ont., shines in her Olympic debut as she scores two goals and adds an assist in Canada’s 12-1 victory over Switzerland. 1:56
While Daoust was held off the scoresheet, she was on the ice for all three first-period goals as the “FillDaSpoon” line kept up the momentum it built at the world championships in August. Spooner finished the night with four points, including two goals and two assists.
Canada extended its lead over Switzerland with two goals in 15 seconds in the middle frame. First, Rebecca Johnston buried her own rebound to put Canada up 4-0 before Laura Stacey fired home her first of the tournament from below the goal line after an Ashton Bell dump-in caromed off the end boards.
Canada then capitalized on the power play stemming from the hit on Daoust as Spooner potted her second of the game. Blayre Turnbull scored her first of two goals soon after.
After Laura Stacey made it 8-0, Canada had more goals than Switzerland had shots on net (seven).
“I felt we were not ready and we have to learn from that,” Braendli said. “It was a hard game but it was fun to play against a bunch of great players.”
The Swiss quickly corrected that with a power play, testing Canadian goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens in the dying seconds of the frame. But the 27-year-old netminder was up to the task, sliding across her crease and stacking her pads to make her best save of the game.
WATCH | Desbiens robs Swiss player in dying seconds of 2nd period:
Desbiens stacks the pads for early ‘save of the Olympics’ candidate
9 hours ago
Duration 0:23
Ann-Renée Desbiens stacked the pads to make an incredible save in Canada’s 12-1 win over Switzerland, in their opening game at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. 0:23
Switzerland finally got on the board in the third period after Canadian forward Sarah Nurse was sent to the penalty box as forward Lara Stalder slid the puck under Desbiens’ pads and into the back of the net.
The Canadian goalie finished with 13 saves.
Turnbull, Bell, Erin Ambrose and Claire Thompson, who also added four assists, replied for the Canadians in the final frame.
The Swiss did manage to succeed in limiting Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who was held to a single assist. On Wednesday, Poulin, 30, was named Canada’s flag-bearer for the opening ceremony alongside short track speed skater Charles Hamelin.
Canada returns to the ice Friday against Finland, and wraps up the round robin with contests on Sunday against the Russian Olympic Committee and Monday against the U.S. All games begin at 11:10 p.m. ET on CBC.
Czechs win Olympic debut
Michaela Pejzlova scored on a breakaway with 13:33 left in the third period, and the Czech Republic capped its women’s hockey Olympic debut with a 3-1 win over host China.
Tereza Radova became her nation’s first female to score in the Olympics by redirecting defender Aneta Tejralova’s pass into the slot to open the scoring 10:38 into a game the Czech Republic never trailed. Denisa Krizova also scored and Klara Peslarova stopped 13 shots in a Group B preliminary round game.
China was out-shot 36-14 in its fourth Olympic appearance, and first since finishing seventh of eight teams at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Mi Le scored and Canadian-born goalie Tiya Chen stopped 33 shots for a Chinese national team made up of mostly members of the Russian-based Women’s Hockey League’s Vanke Rays.
The defending champion United States opens the tournament later in the day against Finland.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
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