adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

Sports

Unlikely combo of Marincin, Gauthier lifts Leafs over Canucks – Toronto Sun

Published

 on


The presence of Frederik Gauthier and Martin Marincin on the roster is often cited as reasons the Maple Leafs aren’t to be taken seriously as playoff contenders.

Yet the big men loomed large at both ends in Saturday’s 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, with rare goals that put the Leafs a bit higher on the Florida Panthers in the close race for third-place seeding in the Atlantic Division.

“Everybody is stepping up right now,” said Zach Hyman, whose 12th career empty-net goal tied Dave Keon for the most in franchise history.

Despite another inexplicably static effort at home following a sweep of the Sunshine State, Gauthier struck for the first time in six weeks and, even more amazing, the stay-at-home defenceman Marincin had his first in nearly a calendar year.

Leaned on all the more by coach Sheldon Keefe since Jake Muzzin’s broken hand put the Leafs three regular blueliners down, Marincin and a group that includes rookie Rasmus Sandin and Calle Rosen, helped give the Leafs their third straight win.

With the score tied 2-2 at Scotiabank Arena to start the third period, Marincin, who was jumping into the rush a couple of times, took full initiative. He carried the puck in, clanked the puck directly off of the post and followed up to bury the rebound.

Painfully shy in front of camera lights and media, Marincin received plenty of encouragement from mates before being pushed to the podium.

“I can do that (score), I just have to be more active,” Marincin said. “I like this (rush) play. I always did that in junior and AHL. They trust me and I’m trying.

“We are missing three top defencemen, but I still feel we have a good team.”

Marincin, given the cool nickname ‘The Specialist’, by former assistant coach D.J. Smith for his penalty-killing, blocked six shots. He also had six giveaways, one of his weak spots that critics pounce on, though Keefe said his near disastrous gaffe late in the second was a product of being kept out too long on that shift.

Gauthier was in and out of the lineup the past few weeks, as Keefe experimented with new fourth line centre/wingers, but ultimately went back to him. He delivered a nice shot through traffic on one of two Tyson Barrie assists to open the scoring, but as Hyman noted, he also had a couple of nice tips and strong coverage in the trenches.

Of course, Keefe has a high level of trust in both Gauthier and Marincin from their time with the AHL Marlies and the 2018 Calder Cup title.

“The depth guys guys did a great job and carried the play for the most part when they were out,” said Keefe. “We’re asking a lot of our defence now, playing different roles than they have all season for most of them.

“With the Marlies, every time Marty scored it was memorable.”

As the Leafs came out for the third, the out-of-town board showed Florida getting a point in a shootout loss to Chicago, meaning Toronto’s win stretched the lead in the standings to five with the Cats holding a game in hand.

Now Toronto is going on to a three-game California road trip, with the unusual circumstance of the Ducks, Sharks and Kings all out of the playoffs and on paper, a possible six points.

Gauthier’s first goal since Jan. 14 was followed by a more frequent marksman, when Auston Matthews, took over. Starting with a great reverse by Travis Dermott in the Leafs corner to get open ice, the defenceman handed off to Matthews who came over centre and down the wing with speed. Expecting something low, Thatcher Demko had awkward positioning and Matthews had No. 45.

“We just hit the reset button,” Matthews declared on three wins in the week following the embarrassing SBA loss to emergency goalie David Ayres and the Hurricanes. “The coaches can’t do it for us, the fan can’t.”

Only nine Leafs have that 45 total and Matthews is now 10 from a Leafs single-season record. But he was among those in amazement that Marincin scored.

“Not every night you see a guy who is 6-foot-5 in the shutdown role do something like that,” Matthews said.

Dermott said he and Juston Holl “were in disbelief” watching the goal unfold.

Frederik Andersen wasn’t getting much early on help as Toronto goals were quickly answered, making it four on the first nine shots by both clubs. Grinder Tyler Motte and the Canucks’ fourth line manufactured the first one and then John Tavares’ line backed off too much when Tanner Pearson tied it.

Barrie, whose ability to fill the roles of the injured blueliners was questioned, added two assists to make it six in the past four games. Dermott also had two assists in a six-point night for the Toronto D.

lhornby@postmedia.com

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

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

Published

 on

 

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.

___

AP cricket:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

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

Published

 on

 

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.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

 on

 

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.

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending