Sports

Canadiens @ Red Wings game recap: Burn it down – Habs Eyes on the Prize

Published

5 years ago

February 19, 2020

“Tumultuous” may not even scrape the surface of the Montreal Canadiens’ last week or so. Shea Weber was originally ruled out on IR, then potentially having his career cut short, before somehow beating the medical odds and a sprained ankle to play in Detroit. Claude Julien was fined $10,000 for being very correct about recent officiating, and Brendan Gallagher was told off by an official — before missing Tuesday’s game with a lower-body injury.

Defenceman Marco Scandella was shipped to St. Louis just before game-time for picks, and the defence resumed its more normal shape with Weber alongside Ben Chiarot and the Jeff Petry–Brett Kulak tandem backing them up.

Also drawing in for the first time in several months was Paul Byron on the fourth line, and Jonathan Drouin also returned after missing the Dallas game. In short, minus Gallagher, this was the most complete Canadiens roster since opening night, and their bogeyman, the Detroit Red Wings, stood in the way of making the most of it.

The healthy Canadiens lineup finally looked like it should against a mostly hapless Red Wings squad to start. Drouin and Jeff Petry nearly found an opening goal just a few minutes in when Drouin spun off his defender to find his defenceman wide-open, but the defender’s shot was blockered away by Jonathan Bernier.

It was a returning player who sparked the opening goal though, as Byron picked the pocket of Andreas Athanasiou as the Red Wings forward tried to leave his zone. Byron dished it to Nick Cousins, who in turn slid a pass across the crease to Nate Thompson for the opening goal of the game.

A big sliding block from Brett Kulak denied the Red Wings their best chance of the period. Then a perfectly threaded pass by Nick Suzuki to Joel Armia led to the latter drawing a penalty as he wove through multiple defenders.

The Canadiens’ power play finally managed to find some power in the final seconds of their advantage. Suzuki kicked a pass out to Petry at the point, and the Michigan native walked along the line and wired his ninth goal of the year over Bernier’s shoulder to put Montreal up by a pair of goals late in the first.

That two-goal cushion took the teams into the intermission, with the Canadiens firmly in the drivers seat after 20 minutes.

The second period start was far less kind. The Red Wings scored under 90 seconds into the frame with Robby Fabbri beating Carey Price for his 13th of the year. Besides cutting into the Montreal lead, the early goal took the wind out of the Canadiens’ sails, requiring Price to be sharp as Detroit looked for a second goal.

The Habs didn’t have long to enjoy being mostly healthy. That changed in the second period with Mete hobbled in front of the Canadiens net. Alex Biega let a slapshot fly, and Mete took the full brunt of it on the inside of his foot or ankle, instantly dropping to the ice. After play stopped with a frozen puck, Mete needed the help of multiple teammates to get to the bench, then to the locker room.

Another highlight-reel penalty draw, this time by Max Domi at the expense of Gustav Lindstrom. Again the power play clicked, with Jordan Weal being the catalyst. Tomas Tatar fed Weal at the side of the net, and he then slid a backhand pass over to Suzuki, who uncorked a laser of a shot by Bernier to restore a two-goal lead.

With 21 seconds left in the second, Nate Thompson was sent to the box for tripping, and while Montreal escaped the period without surrendering a goal, they had to fend off another 90 seconds of power-play time to start the final period.

Dylan Larkin nearly cashed in on that abbreviated power play when a blocked pass trickled to his stick in front of the net. Larkin fired it at the open net, but a combination of Carey Price’s pads and Ben Chiarot’s skate denied the Red Wings’ star a sure goal, and kept the two-goal lead intact.

Detroit refused to go away quietly as Andreas Athanasisou used his speed to separate himself from a trailing Armia. Athanasiou then split the defenders and roofed his backhand shot over Price, suddenly making it a one-goal game with plenty of time left to play.

As it has gone in the games versus Detroit, another Red Wings goal seemed inevitable, and they proved that feeling correct again. Petry and Kulak both misplayed a puck, giving Mike Green a breakaway chance. While he fanned on his shot, it fooled Price enough to squeak through the five-hole and tie the game.

Montreal chose to follow up that goal by taking a tripping penalty, forcing them to kill another Red Wings power play. They managed to kill it off, but a turnover by Suzuki created a Tyler Bertuzzi break. Bertuzzi flung the puck to the front of the net, and Athanasiou chipped it in for the home side’s first lead of the night, completing another Canadiens collapse.

A late power play was negated by an Armia roughing penalty, and the best chance to tie things up went by the wayside as an inept Canadiens team lost for the fourth time to the historically bad Detroit Red Wings, a fifth consecutive defeat for the club.

The Habs play again on Thursday when maybe they will get our hopes up only to dash them in stunning fashion once more.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

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.

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AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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