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Toronto Maple Leafs look to stay connected and finally take the next step – TSN

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The Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets held limited media availabilities on Sunday ahead of Game 5.

The Leafs had a 2-1 series lead against the Washington Capitals back in 2017. Toronto had the lead entering the third period of Game 7 in 2018 in Boston. And they had a 3-2 series lead on the Bruins last year. Those three golden opportunities turned into bitter losses and, hopefully for the Leafs, important lessons. Tonight, the young core has a chance to change the narrative and earn the franchise’s first series win since 2004.

“We have more than enough guys that have been in these types of situations before as a group,” said coach Sheldon Keefe, “although it’s changed a lot over the years, there are enough guys who’ve been through this together that are looking to leave it all out there to take the next step.”

The Leafs showed great resilience to survive on Friday, but it will mean very little if they fall short in Game 5. And the coach and the captain aren’t shying away from just how significant tonight’s game is for the maturation of the group.

“The continued experience our young core gets in these opportunities and these moments to continue to learn about themselves, find ways to grow and get better and continue to try and rise to the occasion [is important],” said John Tavares. “Obviously, through times of adversity [you] look back and reflect on how you can be better and do a better job and I think we’ve had a lot of that this season.”

Keefe noted that the joy around the team after the Game 4 comeback was unlike anything he’d seen before with this group, but no one is getting carried away.

“A lot of yesterday was trying to turn the page and realize we’ll have a real test again today,” said Tavares, “and know they’ll be prepared and we’​ll have to be at our best and continue to find ways to get better.”

It’s been a series of swings with the Jackets scoring the first two goals, the Leafs countering with six straight, Columbus going on a seven-goal run before Toronto potted the last four. When it has been Toronto on the front foot, what is the team doing well?

“We just seem very connected,” said Tavares, who has two goals and an assist in the series. “You know, the level of execution is very high and that comes from all three zones. We’ve done a much better job, especially coming out of training camp with some of the emphasis we’ve put on things defensively, and that has led to a lot of other positives in our game and just being connected through all three zones.”

The ice has been choppy at times during this mid-summer tournament and the pressure is growing. Right now, it’s all about mental strength.

“That’s what it’s about,” agreed Keefe. “I mean, especially as you get to this point in the series where you really know your opponent, you know what the games are going to be like in terms of the structure and different pieces and it really just comes down to staying with it.”

—

Despite the devastating way Game 4 ended, Jackets coach John Tortorella doesn’t think there will be any emotional hangover for his group.

“We feel we have the momentum no matter what happened there,” the veteran bench boss said. “You know, momentum’s a funny thing, if you want to give it back to them you lose it, if you don’t want to give it to them you keep it on your side so that’s kind of a psychological thing. So, we’re good. We’re good and ready to play.”

The Jackets have reason to feel confident. They have outscored the high-octane Leafs 8-3 in five-on-five play in the series. In fact, they haven’t given up a five-on-five goal since Nick Robertson snuck a puck past Joonas Korpisalo in the second period of Game 3. So, that’s a stretch of 122 minutes and 46 seconds where the Leafs have been held in check at even strength.

“We’re not changing,” Tortorella said. “We thought we played a good game. You know, we pissed it away on a couple of bad plays and just within a couple of minutes, but we thought we played a good game. We’re going to go play the same way.”

Tortorella wasn’t willing to say, specifically, what his team has done well.

“Sorry, man,” he said. “I know I haven’t given you guys a bunch. I’ll talk to you guys about what I think about the series when the series is over, but not during.”

While most of the Leafs have gone through series-deciding games the last couple of years against Boston, this is the first such situation in the history of the Jackets franchise. ​During an interview with Jackets play-by-play voice Bob McElligott this afternoon, Tortorella revealed that the four guys with Game 7 experience on his roster addressed the group about what to expect.

“If you feel pressure now, you’re an idiot, because this is where you should try and enjoy yourself,” Tortorella told McElligott. “I’m anxious to see who’s tall and who shrinks. The playoffs are where your legacies are made and Game 7s it’s just doubled.”

—

Pulled in Game 3 and on the bench for all of Game 4, Korpisalo will start tonight for Columbus. Tortorella told McElligott that Elvis Merzlikins is hurt and won’t dress. Matiss Kivlenieks, who only has six games of NHL experience, will be the back-up goalie.

There was some good injury news for the Jackets on Sunday as defencemen Ryan Murray, who missed Game 4, and Zach Werenski, who left Game 4 in the third period, are both well enough to play.

“Our defensive depth is a big part of our team and happy that they’re back in,” said Seth Jones, who’s averaging a league high 30 minutes and 12 seconds of ice time in the playoffs. “They’re big pieces offensively and defensively and in all situations so they should play a key part in the win.”

—

Auston Matthews came through in the clutch picking up a pair of assists in that frantic finish to regulation on Friday night. The big centre then completed the crazy comeback with the overtime winner. But, for Keefe, the biggest thing that stands out about the 22-year-old’s playoff progression is how he’s been a factor on the defensive side of the puck. 

“His commitment defensively has really been off the charts,” Keefe gushed. “How competitive he’s been, his tracking, coming back to our end and blocking shots and getting in lanes and doing a lot of little things that don’t necessarily show up on the scoresheet or anything like that and he’s not doing it for recognition or anything, he’s just doing it because it’s what’s required to win. He’s really taken a massive step in that regard not just now, but it was really starting to come even before the pause in that regard and he’s carried it forward and, in fact, found another level.”

Matthews has seven blocked shots in the series (1.75 per game), which is tied for second on the team behind only defenceman Justin Holl. Matthews blocked 0.86 shots per game in the regular season.

Leafs Ice Chips: Matthews’ defensive play ‘off the charts’

Auston Matthews has had a tremendous series against the Blue Jackets so far, highlighted by his late game heroics in Game 4. His offensive production has been there, but as Mark Masters reports, his defensive play in the series is what has really caught Sheldon Keefe’s attention.

—

The Leafs got a psychological boost this morning as defencem​an Jake Muzzin is out of quarantine for the first time since going to the hospital following that scary injury on Tuesday night.

“Jake is doing well in the sense that he’s finally got a little bit of freedom,” Keefe said. “He left his hotel room this morning for the first time and he actually got out on the ice and got a little skate in this morning so that’s obviously very positive considering what he had been through. We’re happy to see that. We’re happy to see him around our team today and certainly we’re very fortunate that he’s recovering quickly in comparison to what we were fearing in terms of him being on the stretcher and all that sort of stuff. So, it’s great to see him around our team and moving around today.”

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NHL roundup: Hurricanes beat Flyers 6-4 for seventh straight win

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11 hours ago

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November 6, 2024

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Martin Necas scored a go-ahead goal with 29 seconds left and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-4 on Tuesday night.

It was the seventh straight win for the Hurricanes, who also got goals from Jack Roslovic, Jordan Martinook, Eric Robinson and Jackson Blake. Seth Jarvis added an empty-net goal in the final seconds.

Necas typically saves his game-winners for overtime, with nine in his career, but he was able to take care of business in regulation with his team-best seventh goal of the season.

Travis Konecny scored two goals and had two assists for the Flyers. Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett also scored for Philadelphia.

Aleksei Kolosov made 28 saves for the Flyers, who trailed 2-1, 3-1 and 4-3 but kept coming back. Carolina’s Pyotr Kochetkov struggled in net allowing four goals on just 16 shots.

Elsewhere in the NHL on Tuesday:

—

SABRES 5 SENATORS 1

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Bowen Byram and Tage Thompson scored 16 seconds apart to open the third period, and Buffalo snapped a three-game skid with a win over Ottawa.

Byram scored twice, JJ Peterka had two goals and an assist and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 37 saves.

Ridly Greig converted his own rebound in cutting Buffalo’s lead to 2-1 with 7:31 left in the second period. Linus Ullmark made 29 saves in dropping to 1-4 in his past five starts.

Buffalo went up 3-1 on Byram’s second goal 21 seconds into the third period. The defenceman’s shot from inside the blue line sneaked through Ullmark, with the puck rolling down the goalie’s pad, dropping into the crease and trickling across the line. Thompson scored when he crashed the net, was knocked over by defender Jake Sanderson and was lying in the crease when Alex Tuch’s shot went in off his shoulder.

—

MAPLE LEAFS 4 BRUINS 0

TORONTO (AP) — Anthony Stolarz made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season in Toronto’s 4-0 victory over Boston.

Morgan Rielly had a goal and two assists as Toronto connected three times on the power play. William Nylander and Matthew Knies added a goal and an assist each. Mitch Marner had two assists of his own. Steven Lorentz rounded out the scoring into the empty net.

The Leafs played without captain Auston Matthews, who is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Jeremy Swayman made 23 stops for Boston, which was coming off consecutive weekend shutouts of the Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken.

Toronto’s porous 31st-ranked power play scored for the second time in as many games at 8:44 of the second period when Rielly fired through a screen. Nylander banked in his team-leading 10th goal of the season on another man advantage 1:14 later for a 2-0 lead.

The Bruins entered the game 8-0-0 in the regular season against their Atlantic Division rival dating back to Jan. 14, 2023.

—

FLAMES 3 CANADIENS 2 (OT)

MONTREAL (AP) — Matt Coronato scored twice as Calgary came back to defeat Montreal in overtime.

Coronato tied the game with 2:46 remaining in regulation when he cruised into the slot and went off the post and in. He then buried the winning goal seven seconds into the extra period.

Connor Zary also scored for Calgary, which won its second game in seven outings. Dustin Wolf stopped 21 shots.

Joel Armia — with a short-handed goal — and Brendan Gallagher scored for Montreal (4-7-2). Armia also provided an assist, while Sam Montembeault made 32 saves as the Canadiens’ losing streak extended to four games.

Zary opened the scoring with his third 4:20 into the second period when he pounced on a loose puck in the slot and fired a shot past Montembeault.

Gallagher then slipped the puck between Wolf’s pads at 16:23 to level the score with his fifth of the season.

—

BLUES 3 LIGHTNING 2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Kyrou, Alexey Toropchenko and Oskar Sundqvist scored to help St. Louis beat Tampa Bay 3-2.

Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington made 21 saves for his 149th career win moving him past Jake Allen for second place in franchise history, just two wins behind Mike Liut’s 151.

Nick Perbix and Victor Hedman scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves for the Lightning who have lost three straight games.

Kyrou scored his fourth goal of the season 8:51 into the third period to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead.

Toropchenko scored his first goal of the season with 1:35 remaining in the second period to put St. Louis ahead 2-1 after Sundqvist tied the game with his first of the season 7:47 into the period.

—

ISLANDERS 4 PENGUINS 3 (SO)

NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Horvat scored the only goal in a shootout and New York rallied past Pittsburgh 4-3.

New York goalie Ilya Sorokin denied Rickard Rakell, Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang in the shootout and finished with 32 saves. Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who trailed 3-1 midway through the third period.

Simon Holmstrom and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored in the third for New York. Horvat had two assists.

Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist to lead Pittsburgh. Crosby got his 598th career goal, and Michael Bunting also scored. Rakell added two assists.

Alex Nedeljkovich stopped 23 shots for the Penguins, who have lost seven of nine. They won their previous two following a six-game skid.

—

KINGS 5 WILD 1

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Trevor Lewis scored twice, Kevin Fiala added another on the power play and Los Angeles beat Minnesota 5-1.

Warren Foegele and Quinton Byfield also scored for Los Angeles, which was playing the second night of a back-to-back after a 3-0 win in Nashville a night earlier. David Rittich made 23 saves for the Kings.

Fiala, who was traded to Los Angeles in 2022 by Minnesota for a first-round pick draft pick and defenceman Brock Faber, scored his seventh goal of the season. He now has three goals and six assists in his last seven games against the Wild.

Minnesota, which had won three in a row, opened the scoring in the second period on Zach Bogosian’s first goal of the season. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped 23 shots for the Wild.

—

JETS 3 UTAH 0

WINNIPEG, Man. (AP) — Nino Niederreiter scored twice in his 900th NHL career game and Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves to help Winnipeg defeat Utah 3-0.

It was Hellebuyck’s second shutout of the season and 39th of this career.

Gabriel Vilardi also scored for the Jets. Adam Lowry assisted on both goals by Niederreiter.

Utah ended a run of picking up points in three consecutive games (1-0-2).

Karel Vejmelka stopped 25 shots for Utah in its second stop on a four-game road trip.

Jets winger Kyle Connor had his franchise-record, season-opening points streak end at 12 games.

—

AVALANCHE 6 KRAKEN 3

DENVER (AP) — Arturri Lehkonen scored the go-ahead goal on a power play in his season debut and Nathan MacKinnon had five assists as Colorado beat Seattle 6-3.

Mikko Rantanen added two goals for the Avalanche, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Ivan Ivan, Nikolai Kovalenko and Chris Wagner also scored for Colorado.

Cale Makar had two assists but the star defenceman barely played in the second half of the game and appeared to be slowed by an apparent injury during a brief shift.

MacKinnon and Makar extended their season-opening point streaks to 13 games.

Lehkonen played for the first time since off-season shoulder surgery.

Jared McCann, Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Montour scored for the Kraken.

—

CANUCKS 5 DUCKS 1

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Brock Boeser, Danton Heinen and Kiefer Sherwood had a goal and an assist apiece, and Quinn Hughes recorded his 300th career assist in Vancouver’s victory over Anaheim.

Jake DeBrusk and Elias Pettersson also scored and Hughes had three assists for the Canucks, who have won six of eight. Kevin Lankinen made 21 saves in Vancouver’s sixth consecutive win over the Ducks.

Olen Zellweger scored a power-play goal early in the first period for Anaheim, which has lost seven of nine. Lukas Dostal stopped 31 shots.

Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko took shots from teammates again after the morning skate, and he could return to practice this week. The Southern California native and 2023-24 Vezina Trophy finalist hasn’t played this season due to a knee injury incurred late last season.

—

SHARKS 2 BLUE JACKETS 1 (OT)

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Alex Wennberg scored 3:11 into overtime and San Jose celebrated the return of No. 1 overall draft pick Macklin Celebrini with a win over Columbus.

Defenceman Jack Thompson scored his first career goal for the Sharks (4-8-2), who entered the night with the worst record in the NHL. San Jose has won four of five.

Celebrini, the top pick in the 2024 NHL draft, missed 12 games with a hip injury he sustained in the season opener Oct. 10 — an injury first incurred during the pre-season. Celebrini didn’t score and missed a shot early in overtime.

San Jose goalie Vitek Vanacek was fantastic in net, making 49 saves.

Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko scored for the second consecutive game. Columbus (5-6-1) has lost three straight.

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Canada’s Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Routliffe pick up second win at WTA Finals

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November 5, 2024

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe remain undefeated in women’s doubles at the WTA Finals.

The 2023 U.S. Open champions, seeded second at the event, secured a 1-6, 7-6 (1), (11-9) super-tiebreak win over fourth-seeded Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in round-robin play on Tuesday.

The season-ending tournament features the WTA Tour’s top eight women’s doubles teams.

Dabrowski and Routliffe lost the first set in 22 minutes but levelled the match by breaking Errani’s serve three times in the second, including at 6-5. They clinched victory with Routliffe saving a match point on her serve and Dabrowski ending Errani’s final serve-and-volley attempt.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will next face fifth-seeded Americans Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk on Thursday, where a win would secure a spot in the semifinals.

The final is scheduled for Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 5, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Allen nets shutout as Devils burn Oilers 3-0

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2 days ago

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November 4, 2024

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EDMONTON – Jake Allen made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season and 26th of his career as the New Jersey Devils closed out their Western Canadian road trip with a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.

Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier also scored for the Devils (8-5-2) who have won three of their last four on the heels on a four-game losing skid.

The Oilers (6-6-1) had their modest two-game winning streak snapped.

Calvin Pickard made 13 stops between the pipes for Edmonton.

TAKEAWAYS

Devils: In addition to his goal, Bratt picked up his 12th assist of the young season to give him nine points in his last eight games and now 15 points overall. Nico Hischier remains in the team lead, picking up an assist of his own to give him 16 points for the campaign. He has a point in all but four games this season.

Oilers: Forward Leon Draisaitl was held pointless after recording six points in his previous two games and nine points in his previous four. Draisaitl usually has strong showings against the Devils, coming into the contest with an eight-game point streak against New Jersey and 11 goals in 17 games.

KEY MOMENT

New Jersey took a 2-0 lead on the power play with 3:26 remaining in the second period as Hischier made a nice feed into the slot to Bratt, who wired his third of the season past Pickard.

KEY RETURN?

Oilers star forward and captain Connor McDavid took part in the optional morning skate for the Oilers, leading to hopes that he may be back sooner rather than later. McDavid has been expected to be out for two to three weeks with an ankle injury suffered during the first shift of last Monday’s loss in Columbus.

OILERS DEAL FOR D-MAN

The Oilers have acquired defenceman Ronnie Attard from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenceman Ben Gleason.

The 6-foot-3 Attard has spent the past three season in the Flyers organization seeing action in 29 career games. The 25-year-old right-shot defender and Western Michigan University grad was originally selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Attard will report to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

UP NEXT

Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.

Oilers: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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