TSN Toronto Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Maple Leafs, who held an optional practice at the Ford Performance Centre on Friday ahead of the 2022 Heritage Classic against the Buffalo Sabres at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton on Sunday.
It may have been an obvious decision, but it was not an easy one to make.
“We thought a lot about it,” Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We talked a lot about it.”
Ultimately, the Leafs tabbed embattled goalie Petr Mrazek to start on Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres in the Heritage Classic at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton.
“You want to give Petr an opportunity to get back in and respond,” Keefe explained. “There’s the fact it’s an outdoor game and Petr has experience playing outdoor games in the NHL. There’s a lot of stuff going on that makes it obvious to give Petr another chance to go back in.”
Mrazek started and won a Stadium Series game for the Detroit Red Wings against the Colorado Avalanche back on Feb. 27, 2016 at Coors Field in Denver.
With Jack Campbell sidelined with a rib injury, this should be Mrazek’s chance to establish himself in the Leafs net. But on Thursday night, he allowed four goals on 12 shots before being pulled in the second period against the Arizona Coyotes. Erik Kallgren, 25, made his National Hockey League debut in relief stopping 10 of 11 shots before taking the loss in overtime.
“With it being an outdoor game, I don’t want to put Kallgren in that spot,” Keefe said, “especially when you have a guy who has experience and a little something to prove.”
Mrazek has played 291 NHL games over 11 seasons. This isn’t his first taste of adversity at this level.
“Those things happen,” the 30-year-old Czech native said after Thursday’s game. “I’ve been in this situation before and I’m not worried about it … My mentality is pretty good with those things so just forget about that.”
Mrazek has posted an ugly .884 save percentage over 16 games during his first season in Toronto.
“He’s won 10 games for us,” Keefe pointed out. “He hasn’t played nearly to his ability, but he’s won games for us this season and we need to win a game on Sunday.”
Mrazek spent 45 minutes on the ice working with goalie coach Steve Briere on Friday.
“He just said he was committed to coming in and working,” Keefe said. “Petr came in today and had a good work day and the reports were all really good and positive and that was the last thing I was looking for towards making a decision.”
‘He’s got something to prove’: Mrazek gets the nod for the Heritage Classic
After a tough outing that saw him surrender four goals on only 12 shots, Petr Mrazek will get the nod in goal for the Maple Leafs when they take on the Buffalo Sabres in Hamilton on Sunday. Head coach Sheldon Keefe spoke about the decision to go back to his veteran netminder after a tough stretch of games.
—
Keefe described the first goal Mrazek allowed on Thursday as “maybe as tough of a goal as we have given up all season.” Mrazek misplayed a harmless shot with the rebound landing in front for Alex Galchenyuk to tap in.
“It hit the inside of the blocker instead of outside,” Mrazek said. “It can’t happen. Those saves are easy.”
Mrazek was overly aggressive on the second Arizona goal, which came off the rush. He committed to Phil Kessel, who then passed it across the ice to Jakob Chychrun. The Coyotes defenceman fanned on the shot, but Mrazek was so far out of position that he couldn’t get back in time.
Keefe wanted to pull Mrazek at that point, but the coach was reluctant to put Kallgren in a tough position. Keefe felt he had no choice after the Coyotes extended their lead to 4-1.
“It was obvious we needed a change,” Keefe stated bluntly. “With the third and fourth goals, I don’t think there was a lot Petr could do on those. When you give up the first two like that, you can’t give up three and four. You have to find a way to make the saves for us in that case.”
Kallgren, who helped Vaxjo win a Swedish Hockey League title last season, appeared unfazed in his first taste of NHL action. What was he thinking?
“Not much, to be honest,” he said. “Tried to keep the head clear and go out there and embrace the moment. It was a big moment for me to play my first minutes in the NHL so, yeah, just try to have fun … I tried to prepare like I was playing. So, I was trying to mentally be in the game all the time.”
“Kallgren showed very well,” Keefe said, “showed us that he can go in if we need him to and we like a lot of what he did last night.”
Petr Mrazek and Erik Kallgren get back to work with goalie coach Steve Briere pic.twitter.com/jANfPNVZpi
John Tavares and William Nylander, who had been split up to start Thursday’s game, were reunited on a line with Alex Kerfoot in the third period and helped spark Toronto’s comeback bid.
“I thought both guys, when they were not together, had good legs early in the game,” Keefe said. “I liked the way they worked and competed. Once you get down in the game, I felt the need to shorten the bench and go with fewer guys to try to get a smaller group really going.”
Nylander and Kerfoot both scored in the third period.
“I did like it when they were back together, but I think that trust was earned by how they were playing apart from one another,” Keefe said. “It was good to see. Willy had his best legs in a while. I thought John really worked and competed. That line was good for us.”
Before the game, Keefe said his patience had run out with the Tavares-Nylander combination. Not only were they not producing at their regular rate, but that line was allowing a lot of goals. Why was the chemistry lacking?
“It’s hard to pinpoint exactly,” Tavares admitted. “There’s probably opportunities where we just haven’t capitalized. We got to do better consistently game in and game out and being better defensively, too.”
Tavares, who didn’t register a shot on goal against the Coyotes, was among the 10 players to hit the ice on Friday. Keefe was surprised to see the team’s 31-year-old captain out there.
“Rest is important at this time of year,” Keefe said. “We just finished playing three games in four nights. That is why we didn’t want the full practice today. Of all the players that I trust to know their bodies and know what they need, John is at the top of the list.”
Why is Tavares at the top of the list?
“Just through his experience, how he takes care of himself, how in tune he is with how he is feeling, and how closely he works with our medical and strength teams,” Keefe said. “He is dialed in and doesn’t miss a beat with regards to anything that relates to his own preparation … If he felt he needed that work today, we trust him.”
Keefe says he saw ‘encouraging signs’ from Nylander, Tavares against Coyotes
While they started the game apart against the Arizona Coyotes, ultimately head coach Sheldon Keefe reunited William Nylander and John Tavares as they game progressed. Keefe said he saw encouraging signs from both players when they were apart, and that they “earned the right” to be reunited in the end.
—
Prior to Chychrun’s overtime winner, the Arizona defenceman appeared to hold Auston Matthews in the neutral zone. The Leafs superstar was furious that no penalty was called.
“I felt what I felt,” Matthews fumed afterwards. “There’s really nothing I can change now so there’s no sense really talking about it, I guess. No comment.”
Matthews, the league’s top goal scorer, has only elicited seven calls in 55 games.
“It is strange,” said Tavares. “Someone who is that difficult to defend and that good and has the puck and is threatening a lot and playing a majority of his game offensively, you would think there would be more.”
Keefe has a theory.
“He is, in a lot of ways, unstoppable,” the coach said of the 6-foot-3, 205-pound centre. “His feet keep moving. He plays through obstruction, traffic, sticks and holds. A lot of players can’t do that. They don’t have that ability. While you see a stat like that and you might focus on the officiating, it is also a lot more challenging to call penalties against Auston because he plows through it like there is nothing there. That is part of it.”
Referees Kendrick Nicholson and Brandon Blandina didn’t call any penalties on Thursday night.
“Auston has the puck a lot,” veteran forward Jason Spezza said. “Should he draw more penalties? Probably, but it’s not a topic that we really need to get into. We have to, game to game, assess how the game’s being called and adjust.”
The Leafs rank 31st in drawn penalties this season. Division rivals Florida (third), Tampa (sixth) and Boston (14th) are all in the top half of the league in this category.
“Each official has their own personality,” noted Keefe. “Ultimately, our message to the players is that we have to play through these things. You can’t impact the way the game is called. You can’t control that. You just have to play through it … I don’t spend very much time focused on penalties or non-penalties or whatever.”
‘It is strange’: Tavares, Leafs react to Matthews’ inability to draw penalties
Auston Matthews scored his league-leading 44th goal of the season against the Arizona Coyotes, but there is one stat where he hasn’t shown well: penalties drawn. Leafs’ captain John Tavares admitted it’s strange that Matthews has only drawn six or seven penalties on the year, while head coach Sheldon Keefe attributes it to Matthews’ ability to drive through obstruction.
—
Spezza sat out the last two games as a healthy scratch.
“I take it as I got to play better,” the 38-year-old forward said. “I want to be in the lineup every night and if I was playing better I’d be in the lineup.”
Toronto’s fourth line has gone cold. Since the team’s COVID pause in mid-December, Wayne Simmonds is goalless in 27 games. Spezza has just two goals in five-on-five play over his last 26 games.
“I’m the leader of the line,” Spezza said, “and it’s important we’re able to be trusted by the coach to go out there and give positive shifts. We also have the capability to chip in with big goals here and there and that’s an area I want to focus on.”
Keefe confirmed that Spezza will be in the lineup on Sunday. Despite playing in the NHL for two decades, Sunday will only be his second outdoor game. Spezza also suited up for the Ottawa Senators at the 2014 Heritage Classic in Vancouver.
“I love playing outside,” he said. “I still get outside and skate quite a bit and I think it’s great. It will be a cool atmosphere.”
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.
Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.
The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.
Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.
There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.
Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.
But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.
The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”
The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.
Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.
Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.
Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.
Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.
“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”
“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.
Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.
Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.
The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.
Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.
Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.
Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.
Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.
Canada Roster
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).
Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).
Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).
Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).
—
Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
