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Canucks being tested by Golden Knights’ defence, special teams – Sportsnet.ca

Published

4 years ago

August 30, 2020

EDMONTON – The Vegas Golden Knights are so deep and strong, with size, speed and firepower throughout their lineup, it’s easy to overlook how well they defend.

The Vancouver Canucks got a reminder on Saturday when they fell behind by a couple of goals early and rarely threatened before losing 3-0 to the Knights, who shut down the neutral zone while opening a 2-1 lead in their Stanley Cup Playoffs series.

It was the second time in three games that goalie Robin Lehner has shut out the Canucks, who had one of the National Hockey League’s top-10 offences during the regular season. Vancouver managed only 14 five-on-five shots Saturday and trying to chase down a two-goal deficit against Vegas felt a little like trying to chase down a freight train.

The Canucks’ best chances were all early, when the team’s three power plays in the first 11 minutes included a 78-second five-on-three.

There is so little margin for error for the Canucks in this series that getting out-goaltended and out-special-teamed creates a gulf between the teams. Vancouver’s marvellous and unexpected playoff run will be a game away from ending if the Canucks don’t execute and finish better on Sunday when the teams play for the second time in 25 hours.

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“I thought we were unlucky to be down 2-0,” Canucks coach Travis Green said. “That happens in playoff hockey. I think our team, sometimes when we get down we tend to overpass the puck a little bit. I thought we had a few too many east-west plays in the offensive zone, especially in the second period. I really liked our first period. Skated well, drew some penalties. Give their goalie credit.

“I think we easily could have been up after the first period, but that’s all part of playoff hockey. Sometimes you have a good period but you don’t win it. Sometimes you’re going to play well and it doesn’t go in the net.”

At one stage in the opening 20 minutes, shots were 15-5 for the Canucks while the score was 2-0 for the Knights.

Between those early power plays, when the Canucks tested Lehner nine times but couldn’t get a puck past him, the Knights managed to build its two-goal lead as Alex Tuch and Zach Whitecloud scored on top-corner shots 83 seconds apart, starting at 4:05.

Tuch blew past flat-footed Canucks defenceman Jordie Benn to skate on to Nicolas Roy’s bounce pass, then deftly controlled the puck before burying a rolling forehand over goalie Jacob Markstrom’s left shoulder.

Two shifts later, struggling Vancouver defenceman Quinn Hughes had the puck bounce away from him along the boards for a defensive-zone turnover. Hughes recovered to prevent an initial scoring chance, but Whitecloud swooped in from the blue line to collect the loose puck and shoot far side as Markstrom was being screened by Chris Tanev, Hughes’ partner.

It looked more like bad luck than a bad play by Hughes, but the 20-year-old struggled again to find or create any room at even-strength against the physical Knights.

When the Canucks eliminated the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues last series, Hughes looked like the best defenceman in the NHL. He hasn’t been the best in any of the games against the Knights, who have stapled the five-foot-10 defenceman more in three games than the Blues managed to tag him in six.

The Knights aren’t letting Hughes skate the puck up ice and at times the rookie looks less confident than he did last week when trying to beat a defender one-on-one.

“He’s a young guy finding his way through another round of the playoffs,” Green said of his franchise player. “I think he’s fine; I’m not worried about him at all. That (Vegas) team can chew up ice and take away time and space. They’ve got a lot of speed on their team. He’s adapting to it. He’s still doing a lot of good things on the power play. I’m not worried about him one bit. He’ll be fine.”

Hughes had two shots on goal in 26:22 of ice time and Vancouver was outshot 8-3 when he was on the ice at five-on-five. It was his best game of the series, but the Canucks need something special from their special player to be able to take down the Knights over seven games.

Also disconcerting for Vancouver was the lack of shots, hits and faceoffs for power forward J.T. Miller, who had only one shot in 23:30 of ice time — second only to Hughes’ time on ice. One of the best faceoff men in the NHL this season, Miller took only three draws, possibly indicating the hand or thumb he hurt blocking a shot early in the playoffs is becoming a bigger hindrance.

He’ll have little time to heal or rest in a playoff schedule further compressed by the two-day, player-driven shutdown this week to focus attention on racism and social justice.

Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said Saturday morning that he believes the hectic schedule favours the Knights.

“I’ve said from Day 1, I think that’s advantage to us,” DeBoer said. “The tighter the schedule, the more back-to-backs, the more your depth comes into play. And that’s at all positions. I think we welcome that. It tests your depth, it tests your character and we like where we are on those things.”

The Canucks are being tested now.

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

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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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