“A lot better than our past two outings,” Auston Matthews said, following the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. “We can be more proud of the effort tonight.”
Which isn’t saying much, considering how low the bar had slunk against the St. Louis Blues and Montreal Canadiens over Family Day weekend.
But Matthews and the Leafs indeed responded with a more respectable defensive effort at Nationwide Arena Tuesday, saves for some costly lapses.
It was a good-news-bad-news night that resulted in Toronto’s first three-game losing skid since October but also some positive signs that the slump should be short-lived.
“Our guys competed hard today. The play was structured, and I thought we easily could have had two points here,” coach Sheldon Keefe said.
“They played hard against us, so it wasn’t any easy night for us, and I liked a lot of things about how we played.”
Another night dressing the second-best goalie
The question must be asked: Is Toronto simply regressing to the mean? Is this a natural dip in a long, 82-game haul? Or is goaltending going to be an issue here?
Once Petr Mrazek got healthy, we were expecting he and Jack Campbell to battle it out for the crease. But, lately, it seems neither wants to snatch it outright.
Since Dec. 1, the Maple Leafs rate 31st in 5-on-5 save percentage. The club’s overall save percentage spiked early but has tumbled to the middle ground of 11th overall (.909). Just OK.
The Jackets’ canon blasted at least once too often Tuesday.
The Leafs held a decided edge in scoring chances (30-16) and high-danger chances (10-3), yet emergency call-up J.F. Berube stopped 39 pucks and out-duelled Campbell.
“I thought we deserved two points,” Campbell said. “They just shot and beat me, and it’s not acceptable on my part. We should’ve won 3-0 or whatever.”
Yes, Campbell was screened at times. Yes, he had to deal with an elite spot-picker in Patrik Laine. But his team needed one more save.
Campbell has surrendered four or more goals in seven of his past 13 appearances. He also gave the puck away playing a dump-in and was luckily bailed out by Travis Dermott.
Keefe singled out this Adam Boqvist end-to-end, game-tying power-play rush early in the third that beat Campbell clean as the one he needed to save:
Marner, Matthews keep making magic
After going a couple of games without a point, Mitch Marner popped back on the board with one of the better assists you’ll see this month.
Marner’s gift to Michael Bunting gave the 26-year-old his 17th on the season, tops among all rookies:
Not to be outdone, centreman Matthews factored in on all three Leafs goals and ripped a game-high 11 shots.
His pair of assists and 34th goal resulted in his 21st multi-point night this season and sixth consecutive 60-point campaign.
Matthews is the only Leaf to start his career with such a productive run.
We got a flash of the old 2016 draft class duel, as Matthews and Laine traded goals less than 10 minutes apart.
Laine was supposed to be backchecking Matthews, who simply out-positioned the No. 2 pick and deked Berube off a pretty backhand feed from David Kämpf.
“I was screaming for it, and Kämpfer made an unbelievable pass,” Matthews said of the defensive centre. “His playmaking ability is pretty underrated.”
Lyubushkin takes baby steps in debut
No practice. Just directly into the fire.
Keefe first met with Sunday’s trade acquisition, Ilya Lyubushkin, Tuesday morning to gauge his readiness for action.
“There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to get right in, so that speaks to his character,” Keefe said. “We got to understand that it’s going to be a process for him to really adjust to our team and his teammates.”
The coach scratched righty Justin Holl, who’s had a rough go lately, paired the Russian Bear with Rasmus Sandin, and sheltered his minutes.
The former Coyote stuffed some plays in the D-zone, skated 15:28 (lowest among all Toronto defenders), threw a solid hit, drew a tripping penalty on Jakub Voracek, missed a bouncing puck that led directly to a rush goal, and (over?)played the pass when Laine sniped a puck past Campbell on an all-day 2-on-1 rush.
“When you’re a big, stay-at-home defenceman like that, it’s gotta be hard to play on a team that loses a lot and has different objectives, that is rebuilding and stuff like that,” Jason Spezza said.
“He’s probably pretty excited to come to a team that’s trying to contend, get some playoff experience, and he’s going to help.”
It helps that Lyubushkin already knows Ilya Mikheyev.
“I’m so excited to play here,” he said. “It’s big experience for me. It’s, like, unbelievable.”
Later that night, Spezza was the one to drop his gloves and stick up for Justin Holl when the D-man got steamrolled (cleanly, mind you) by Nick Suzuki.
Then, on Tuesday, as a 38-year-old making minimum wage and playing the tired half of a back-to-back, he’s the one tapped to be the extra attacker with Campbell pulled.
He goes and scores the tying goal on a maybe kicked in but definitely foot-directed goal to salvage a standings point.
The world would be a better place if we all fight for our dreams so hard.
How’s Muzzin doing?
Considering Jake Muzzin has a recent concussion history and was laying down on the Bell Centre ice for nearly two minutes Monday night after a fluke collision with Chris Wideman, Tuesday was a positive day for the tough D-man.
Muzzin went to a Montreal hospital for observation and tests after Monday’s loss, slept at the hotel, then flew home to Toronto Tuesday.
He is resting with his family and will undergo concussion protocol for the second time in 2022.
The Maple Leafs will exercise caution and patience here and are not placing a timeline on return.
“The head stuff is scary. It’s scary when you see a guy that you’re close with go down,” Spezza said. “It definitely puts guys a little more on notice than a normal injury.”
Marner has been checking in with Muzzin regularly since he skated off the ice. Just as he did when Muzzin was at home dealing with January’s concussion.
“Probably the guy I’m closest with on this team, realistically speaking, just hanging out with and stuff like that,” Marner said.
“I think it gets lonely at times, because you’re kinda sitting at home some days and not feeling great. You just gotta be by yourself and being in quiet spots.”
Laine is on a heckuva heater
The NHL is a more fun league when Patrik Laine is relevant.
Over the pending RFA’s current 10-game point streak, he has scored 12 goals, 20 points and ripped three game-winners, including Tuesday’s clock-freezer 20 seconds into the fourth period.
Laine also drew a critical hooking penalty on Morgan Rielly with 11 seconds left in the second period that helped set up Columbus’s game-tying power-play strike early in the third. Keefe highlighted that penalty and goal as the night’s turning point.
The winger has flipped from a minus-29 skater last season in Columbus to a plus-5.
“This year, I’ve gone back to my old days, how I used to play. I feel like I’m better than I used to be, but there’s so much more — so much more — there. I’m not even close to hitting the ceiling.” Laine told The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline
There is much consternation in Ohio over whether Laine would be willing to ink a long-term deal with the Jackets.
“Of course,” Laine said. “I’ve got nothing bad to say about this place, the organization, the city, the players.
“I don’t think about (the contract). It’s pretty much up to them. What are they thinking? I do what I do on the ice, and the rest is in their hands.”
Tavares shows frustration
John Tavares is the posterboy for even keel. But a rare 10-game(!) goal drought is eating at him.
Tavares and William Nylander, the offence drivers of Toronto’s second line, came into Columbus averaging 2.2 and 2.7 shots, respectively, in February. Too many nights the ice has been tilted against them.
So, although neither found the net Tuesday, it was at least a positive that that duo combined for nine shots, played solid defence, and generated a number of good looks.
When the captain couldn’t get anything to fall, however, he wore it on his face more than usual, and slammed his stick in annoyance.
“The offensive stuff is going to come,” Keefe assured. “My focus was how they defended, and I thought they did a good job today.”
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.
The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.
Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.
He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.
Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.
Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.
The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.
Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.
Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.
Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.
WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).
Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.
“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.
“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”
Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.
Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.
Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.
Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.
The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.
Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.
The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.
WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.
The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.
Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.
Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad
Forwards
Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);
Backs
Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.
The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.
He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.
Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.
He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.
Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
