TORONTO — Members of Canada’s world junior hockey team were greeted by dozens of friends, family and supporters at Pearson International Airport on Monday afternoon after winning gold a day earlier in the Czech Republic.
With gold medals hanging around their necks and smiles on their tired faces after a long day of travel, several players said the 4-3 victory over Russia had yet to really sink in.
Akil Thomas scored the winning goal with 3:58 left in regulation on Sunday after captain Barrett Hayton, who was nursing a shoulder injury, had tied the game earlier in the period.
Thomas, who’s from Toronto, had over 30 supporters on hand to greet him at the airport.
“It’s pretty overwhelming obviously,” Thomas said. “A lot of friends and family are here. The last 24 hours have been pretty crazy. I’m just thankful.”
The win gave Canada its third world junior crown in the last six years.
It was the first time Canada had won U20 gold in a European venue since 2008. Canada was eliminated in the quarterfinals last year when it hosted the tournament.
Joining Thomas and Hayton on the nine-hour flight from Vienna were teammates Nico Daws, Ty Dellandrea, Jamie Drysdale, Aidan Dudas, Liam Foudy and Connor McMichael.
Other players were scheduled to arrive at various destinations around the country over the coming days as they resume play with their respective junior teams.
“I just had a good feeling about the game,” Thomas said. “We were obviously playing well. I grew up watching those type of games. Things happen quick in those types of games. You can win in a blink of an eye.
“I just got an opportunity and I made the most out of it. Luckily I scored.”
Supporters at the airport, many waving flags and sporting Canada hockey jerseys, let out a roar as the players walked through the arrival doors.
Hayton had the tournament trophy in tow and proudly raised it in the air to a cheer from the crowd. The team captain helped guide his club to the podium after an uneven start to the tournament.
“I think there was some adversity early on,” he said. “I think from the start we wanted to get better every day. I thought we did that extremely well.”
Alexis Lafreniere, a favourite to go first overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, was named tournament MVP and top forward. Joel Hofer, who backstopped Canada to five straight victories, was named top goaltender.
Canada looked suspect at times in the opener of the preliminary round, a 6-4 comeback win over the United States. That game was followed by a deflating 6-0 loss to Russia.
However, Canada built some momentum and shone when the games really mattered, outscoring opponents 15-4 in the playoff round. Sweden beat Finland for the bronze medal.
The 2021 event will be held in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta.
Canada has reached the podium 32 times at the world juniors since 1977. Canada has won 18 gold, nine silver and five bronze.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2020.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro has agreed to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.
Okoro’s new deal is worth $38 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed or announced by the team.
ESPN.com first reported the agreement, citing Okoro’s representation.
The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Okoro is Cleveland’s best perimeter defender, often drawing the assignment of guarding the opponent’s top scorer. Okoro also has worked to improve his offensive game.
The 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 69 games — 42 starts — last season for the Cavs, who beat Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to eventual champion Boston.
Okoro shot a career-best 39% on 3-pointers, forcing teams to come out and guard him.
His agreement caps an extraordinarily busy summer for the Cavs that began with coach J.B. Bickerstaff being fired and replaced by Kenny Atkinson. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension in July, ending months of speculation that he wanted out of Cleveland.
Also, power forward Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 deal and center Jarrett Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.
Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.
In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.
Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.
Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.
He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.
The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.
Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.
He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.
George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.
Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.
In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.
St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
ON DECK
Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.
The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
