The Edmonton Oilers took a tight-checking game to overtime and beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 on a great goal by scoring ace Zach Hyman.
In total the Grade A shots were 15 for the Oilers, 16 for the Jets, with the subset of 5-alarm shots eight for the Oilers, five for the Jets.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 7. He watched his missed shot a moment too long late in the first, leading to a 3-on-2 rush and Sean Monahan’s breakaway. He was puck-watching, as opposed to covering off the danger man, Mason Appleton, on Winnipeg’s first goal. He went hard to the net and slammed home McDavid’s pass for Edmonton’s third goal. making up for previous mistakes. He got a late penalty on a missed call by the refs, getting blame when a Winnipeg player got his stick into a teammate’s face. But he got some justice, taking the puck up ice, then going to the net on Hyman’s winning goal. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST +1/-1.
Leon Draisaitl, 6. High event game, some good on the attack, but some bad on defence. He slammed a cross-seam pass on net early in the second. GAS: ES +3/-3; ST +1/-0.
Adam Henrique, 6. Quiet but no major mistakes in tough game. He led the forwards with 2:50 on Edmonton’s solid PK. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.
Ryan McLeod, 5. Quiet game but did his job well enough, including on the PK. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.
Evander Kane, 6. He was out to hit and hammered Nate Schmidt with a hard one late in the first. He got a breakaway in the second but could not drain his shot or the rebound. He tied for Nurse and Hyman with the shot lead for the Oilers, with six. GAS: ES +3/-0; ST +0/-0.
Corey Perry, 6. He took a fight with Mount Logan Stanley, elevation 12-feet, 11-inches, early to drag his team into the game. He got a hard shot on net on a scramble play in the second. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.
Mattias Janmark, 5. Part of Edmonton’s winning PK effort, quiet otherwise. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.
Derek Ryan, 7. Came up big in a game just as he is battling for a spot in the line-up. He chased the puck around the boards early on the PK, leading to Mark Scheifele’s 5-alarm harpoon. He charged the net and caused confusion on Brown’s goal. Brown hit him with a pass early in the third and on his net drive he drew a penalty. GAS: ES +2/-0; ST +0/-1.
Mattias Ekholm, 5. Lots of mistakes, a few good plays. He fell down at the blueline, causing a 3-on-2 early on and a flurry of dangerous Jets shots. He let in Ehlers breakaway early in the second but the Jets forward missed the net. He set up Brown for his goal. GAS: ES +2/-4; ST +0/-0.
Evan Bouchard, 5. He leaked a few Grade As in the first, giving up too much space, then failing to cut out a pass. Excellent stretch pass to kick off the rush on Edmonton’s first goal. GAS: ES +2/-4; ST +0/-0.
Darnell Nurse, 7. Plenty to like from Nurse in this one, many solid attacking plays. He got called on a soft penalty early on. He made a thrilling stretch pass to set up Kane’s breakaway in the second. He stood up for Perry in the second, taking on Brendan Dillion after the Jet hit Perry hard. He did great work killing off Edmonton’s four-minute penalty, blocking one key slot pass, then charged up ice for a Grade A shot off his own. He led the team with five hits. GAS: ES +6/-4; ST +0/-0.
Vincent Desharnais, 6. He executed an unintentional Total Eclipse of the Sun screen on Skinner on Winnipeg’s second goal. but was otherwise sound. He led the team with 4:42 on the PK. GAS: ES +1/-2; ST +0/-0.
Brett Kulak, 5. His iffy pinch early in the game led to a 2-on-1 and 5-alarm Ehlers shot. But generally got the job done. GAS: ES +1/-2; ST +0/-0.
Stuart Skinner, 6. Strong start to the game, but could not make the saves to hold the lead in the third. Super save two minutes in on a streaking Ehlers, then another on Scheifele a few shifts later. Stopped a nasty Ehlers tip late in the first. He kicked out a rebound that was cashed in on Winnipeg’s first goal. He was screened by Desharnais on the second goal and had little chance on Sean Monahan’s goal, Winnipeg’s third.
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.
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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