The Edmonton Oilers came out hard and mustered an impressive amount of offensive thrust, but a series of horrendous defensive miscues, most notably by veteran Darnell Nurse on Vancouver’s third goal, plagued them and led to a 4-3 loss.
Vancouver’s goalie Casey DeSmith also outplayed Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner by a wide margin.
The Grade A shots (which go in 25 per cent of the time on average) were 21 for Edmonton, just six for Vancouver, with the subset of 5-alarm shots (which go in 33 per cent of the time on average) was ten for the Oilers, six for the Canucks (running count).
Leon Draisaitl, 8. The Oil’s best layer by far. He made 12 major contributions to Grade A shots, not one major mistake on a Grade A shot against. The big man set the tone early on. Great start, pushing Vancouver d-man Tyler Myers off the puck to set up RNH in the slot, but no goal. A moment later he failed to score on a 5-alarm shot off his own at the side of the net but in that same battle, he finally forced the puck in. He almost made it 2-0 a few minutes later, but Casey DeSmith got a frantic glove on his Executioner’s Shot, his deadly one-timer where he lashes his stick at the net. He picked off Noah Juulsen’s horrendous pass on the PK, leading to Edmonton’s second goal. He drew a penalty leading his line on another fierce forecheck. He failed to cash in a glorious rebound opportunity off a Bouchard snapper in the second. Had three wicked power play shots, one a backhander, two others harpoons, mid-way through the third but failed to drain them. Grade A shots: ES +6, -0: ST, +6, -0.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 7. Much more good than bad. Failed to drain Drai’s brilliant pass in the first minute. But he won the puck back and helped set up Drai’s early 5-alarmer, then got another shot with Drai finally cashing in on the rebound. He failed to block off the outside shot on Vancouver’s second goal. He fired a hard outside wrister on the power play in the second that DeSmith somehow missed for his third point of the game. Grade A shots: ES +4, -1: ST, +3, -0.
Zach Hyman, 7. Solid work. Huge effort on the first Edmonton goal, bashing around until he and his linemates finally scored. He got handsy on a forecheck and took an early penalty, which the Canucks cashed in. His d-zone turnover kicked off the Sequence of Pain on Vancouver’s second goal. He helped win the puck battle on Edmonton’s second goal. Almost drained a rebound off a Bouchard outside shot. Grade A shots: ES +5, -1: ST, +1, -0.
Connor McDavid, 7. Good game, but needed to orchestrate more goals. Held back by two linemates still not up to speed. He moved fast on an early power play and set up Drai’s first harpoon of a one-timer. He fished out the puck on the net front scrum to score early in the second on the power play. He almost tipped a Ceci shot in. Grade A shots: ES +3, -0: ST, +7, -1.
Evander Kane, 3. He looks a step behind and with iffy hands just now. Brutal but legal body check on Filip Hronek in the first. But not making enough of a positive impact on the game. Grade A shots: ES +0, -0: ST, +0, -0.
Ryan McLeod, 7. At least his line has some jump. He puck protected well to help set up a Foegele Grade A in the second. He made a smart play to get the puck deep for a necessary line-change. He broke in early in the third for a Grade A rush shot, then set up Holloway in the crease for another Grade A. He charged up ice to set up Holloway for a dangerous shot a few shifts later. Grade A shots: ES +4, -2: ST, +0, -0.
Warren Foegele, 5. His aggressive forecheck on Myers led to a battle won and dangerous shot in the first. He completely missed the net on his shot, kicking off the Sequence of Pain jailbreak on Vancouver’s third goal. A moment later he went hard to the net to for a Grade A shot. Grade A shots: ES +3, -1: ST, +0, -0.
Mattias Janmark, 4. He failed to contain Quinn Hughes’ outside shot on Vancouver’s first goal but that’s no easy play. Grade A shots: ES +0, -0: ST, +0, -1.
Adam Erne, 4. Barely played, just 6:13. Grade A shots: ES +0, -0: ST, +0, -0.
Derek Ryan, 4. Barely played, just 5:27. Grade A shots: ES +0, -0: ST, +0, -0.
Darnell Nurse, 2. Just a horrendous play by Nurse on the third Vancouver goal as he wandered aimlessly up ice on an Edmonton break, allowing a 2-0 Vancouver breakaway. The Oilers already had four men on that rush, but Nurse decided to go all-on for some reason. That may be the worst play he’s ever made in the NHL, mainly because he’s a veteran now and can’t make this kind of mental error. He was bumped down to his low grade due to that play, as it was so significant. Grade A shots: ES +3, -1: ST, +0, -0.
Cody Ceci, 2. He wandered too far out of the defensive slot, allowing two 5-alarm slot shots from Connor Garland early in the second. Terrible play by Ceci. Like Nurse, he made a colossal mistake charging up and getting caught out of position on Vancouver’s third goal. Just awful. Grade A shots: ES +1, -3: ST, +0, -0.
Evan Bouchard, 7. Moved the puck wel; and bounced back defensively after a rancid first game. Hammered an outside shot in the second that Hyman almost jammed home. He did well quarterbacking the power play, moving the puck well. Grade A shots: ES +1, -0: ST, +0, -0.
Mattias Ekholm, 4. A bit rusty with some of his puckmoving in the first but looked sharp as the game progressed. Then came Sam Lafferty’s rush goal in the third, where he simply blew by Ekholm, still in pre-season form obviously. Grade A shots: ES +0, -1: ST, +0, -0.
Philip Broberg, 6. Solid game for the young defender. He played his off-side on the right and did well. Maybe a bit late to stop Kuzmenko’s tip goal on Vancouver’s first period power play. He charged in from the blueline to set up a Foegele rush and shot in the second. Grade A shots: ES +1, -0: ST, +0, -1.
Brett Kulak, 5. Like Ekholm, still shaking off the rust of his preseason injury, with some iffy puckmoving. He failed to take Nils Hoglander’s stick on Vancouver’s second tipped goal. But some good plays as well. Grade A shots: ES +1, -1: ST, +0, -0.
Stuart Skinner, 4. He didn’t let in any stinkers, but he failed to make big saves when needed. He let in four goals on six Grade A shots, not close to what you’d like to see. Made his first big save stopping a Pius Sutter break-in shot five minutes into the game. He had little chance on Kuzemenko’s tipped in goal, nor on Hoglander’s goal, two goals that we like to call the Californian, in honour of Brett Burns and Joe Pavelski combining on so many such goals against the Oilers over the years. Two huge saves on Garland early in the second. A save would have been nice on Lafferty’s third period rush goal, but not to be.
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:
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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.
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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