What is Devon Levi feeling on the eve of Canada’s semifinal showdown with Russia?
“Goosebumps,” the goalie said with a smile. “Can’t wait. I can’t wait to play.”
Levi, a freshman at Northeastern University, earned an invite to Canada’s World Junior camp thanks to a stellar performance at the 2019 World Junior A Challenge in Dawson Creek, B.C. Levi was named tournament MVP as Canada East fell to Russia in double overtime of the championship game. Shakhir Mukhamadullin, who’s also at the World Juniors, scored the winner on the power play.
“It was heartbreaking,” said Levi, who made 39 saves in the final. “I still remember exactly how I felt and hopefully we can do something about it tomorrow … I’m just looking forward to getting a second chance.”
Levi owns the best save percentage at the World Juniors (.967) and shut out the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. Afterwards head coach Andre Tourigny admitted he wasn’t sure Levi had this type of performance in him.
“I won’t say I knew him and had no doubt,” Canada’s head coach told TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. “We’ve liked him since the beginning. Since he was with us, we love what he brings. We love his energy. We love his focus. We love his attention to detail. We love everything about him, but if I’m telling you, ‘Yeah, I knew before,’ that is not true.”
Canada’s staff wasn’t sure Levi’s play would translate from Junior A to the World Juniors, but the Florida Panthers seventh-round pick has silenced all the questions about the team’s goaltending situation.
On Monday, Levi will see Yaroslav Askarov, the 11th overall pick in October’s NHL Draft, at the other end of the ice and it says a lot about his ascent that Russian head coach Igor Larionov was unwilling to say his team had an edge in net.
“Both teams are equal and there are no advantages,” Larionov insisted. “We don’t underestimate anybody.”
Levi made 23 saves when Canada shut out the Russians 1-0 in a pre-tournament game on Dec. 23. Askarov stopped all 22 shots he faced in two periods of work that night.
Askarov, who has a .918 save percentage in four games in Edmonton, was at the World Juniors last year, but lost the starting job to Amir Miftakhov and didn’t see the ice in either game against Canada. Levi, meanwhile, re-watched the entire gold-medal game between Canada and Russia as part of his preparation for camp.
“I took a lot of things from it,” he said. “They’re high-intensity games and there are a lot of momentum changes and I’m just ready for highs and lows throughout the game. I’m just excited.”
Levi paid special attention to how Joel Hofer kept Canada in the game even as they trailed throughout much of the tension-filled encounter.
“He was rock solid,” Levi observed. “He did a real good job of managing his emotions. The team went down and he did a good job of shutting the door and giving them a chance to get back in.”
‘Goosebumps, can’t wait’: Levi hyped up for clash with Russia
Canadian netminder Devon Levi discusses the excitement of taking part in the Canada/Russia rivalry as he gets set to face the Russians in the semifinals.
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Only three Russian players – captain Vasili Podkolzin, Maxim Groshev and Askarov – are back from last year’s team, but the sting from the defeat was felt throughout the country’s hockey community.
“They’re going to be coming out for revenge,” noted Connor McMichael, one of six returning players on Canada’s roster. “We’re going to be up for the task.”
Is last year’s loss on the minds of the Russians?
“No doubt about it,” said Larionov. “No doubt.”
McMichael says Tourigny is a similar coach to Dale Hunter, who ran Canada’s bench last year in Ostrava, Czech Republic. But Larionov has implemented a much different style than his predecessor Valeri Bragin.
“It’s day and night,” said Tourigny. “It’s totally different. Different style, different philosophy, different objective in their game. They like to possess the puck. They regroup a lot. They have a good stretch on their breakouts. They got a few breakaways out of it. They still are really stingy defensively, still defend really well. They’re strong on puck. They’re fast. They’re a good team.”
“My coaching philosophy is to bring Russia hockey back to the top,” said Larionov, “and make the players play the game, not work the game. It’s about collective play and about moving the puck quick. That’s the game I want them to enjoy. That’s the game they have to play as little kids when they have no pressure and just go out and have fun.”
So, what are the keys for Canada against Larionov’s system?
“Probably the biggest difference is their patience with the puck,” said defenceman Jamie Drysdale, who scored the only goal in the pre-tournament game. “So, we’ll need to adapt to that and make sure we have a really good forecheck.”
Drysdale admitted it can be tricky staying on your toes as a defenceman when the Russians are constantly regrouping with the puck.
“It’s definitely a challenge to get your gaps right,” said the Anaheim Ducks first rounder. “We need to make sure we’re sharp with that and making sure we always have our feet moving when we gap up so we never get caught flat-footed. I think that happened to us a couple times in the exhibition game and we have to sharpen up on that.”
Larionov believes his team is up for Canada test: We’re ready for the big challenge
Russia head coach Igor Larionov spoke to TSN’s Mark Masters about what’s at stake for Monday’s semifinal match against Canada, what the keys to the game will be and admitted that his players undoubtedly have last year’s loss on their minds.
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Injured centre Alex Newhook skated for about 50 minutes on Sunday as he continues to nurse an upper-body injury. The Boston College product often conferred with Dr. Barry Wiens, the team physician, as he tried out some shots and jumped into the glass a couple times to test his shoulder.
Newhook continues to be listed as day-to-day and his status for the semifinal against Russia is still up in the air, Tourigny said.
Larionov confirmed that Yegor Chinakhov is good to go for Team Russia after missing the last two games with a lower-body injury.
McKenzie discusses potential return of Newhook, warns Russia is not a one-line team
Heading into its semifinal clash against Russia, the biggest question mark for Canada is the health status of Alex Newhook. James Duthie and Bob McKenzie discuss how Canada deals with his potential return and how the Canadians will try and subdue the potent Russian attack.
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With Canada the top seed, Tourigny will have last change on Monday and will likely look to get the McMichael line out against Russia’s top trio of Podkolzin, Rodion Amirov and Marat Khusnutdinov.
After the win on Saturday night, Tourigny was asked whether potting an empty-net goal may help McMichael get back to his high-scoring ways. The London Knights sniper had seven shots and hit three posts against the Finns on New Year’s Eve. But Canada’s coach immediately shifted the conversation and made it clear McMichael’s value goes well beyond his offensive contributions.
“Mikes is an underrated player defensively,” said Tourigny. “He sits in the weeds and reads the play well and he has a good stick and he cuts plays [off] and does a lot of good things.”
Perhaps that explains why Tourigny has opted to keep McMichael in the middle and shift Dylan Cozens, another natural centre, to right wing on Canada’s top line. McMichael made a nice pass to spring Cozens for the opening goal on Saturday. Tourigny also noted that the Washington Capitals first rounder was really reliable on face-offs against the Czechs.
“I’ve evolved in a large way in that aspect,” McMichael said of his two-way game. “Just being with the Caps last summer and being around those guys [in the bubble] and working with their development team taught me a lot. Watching guys like [Nicklas] Backstrom and how they approach the defensive side, you try and pick out things.”
“Just how smart he is, his hockey sense. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s able to get around just using his hockey sense and his stick and that’s kind of the game I play. I’m not the biggest guy, but I feel like I have great hockey sense and a good stick so I’m trying to pick a lot of things from his game. He’s just so responsible and all the coaches trust him, so that’s kind of the game I’m leaning towards and he’s a great role model.”
How will Canada’s lines look against Russia’s balanced firepower?
Canada will renew acquaintances with their foes from Russia who will likely provide the biggest challenge yet for the Canadians at the World Juniors. How will the semifinal clash play out? James Duthie and Bob McKenzie discuss what kind of team the Russians will face on Monday and more.
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With Canada struggling to pull away from a stubborn Czech team on Saturday night, Tourigny juggled his lines in the third period most notably promoting Peyton Krebs to the top unit with McMichael and Cozens.
“Krebsie is a driver on his own line, but yesterday I felt we could give a shot to our team to have a top line with Krebise and Cuzzy and Mikes so I went with that,” Tourigny explained. “I don’t know how many minutes they played, but they played a lot in the third period. With the game on the line, I felt that was the right move.”
“He’s an Energizer Bunny,” said McMichael of the 5-foot-11 Krebs. “He’s small, fast and really skilled. I love playing with him and if we’re playing together tomorrow I’d be really happy.”
Tourigny may revert to a more balanced approach at least to start the game against Russia.
“To have success as a team we need four lines with a lot of intensity,” the coach said, “but when the chips were down for 20 minutes, I felt like we needed a line who I could rely on and those were the three.”
Krebs called the Czech game the most physical one Canada has played so far and that style certainly seemed to suit the Vegas first rounder.
“I’ve liked the game of Krebise a lot throughout the tournament,” said Tourigny. “He brings a lot of energy. His tracking is phenomenal. He creates a lot of possession down low. He makes a lot of plays.”
Krebs lived with Mark Stone in Vegas at the start of last season as he rehabbed an Achilles injury and the pair have been in touch throughout the World Juniors.
“We’ve texted pretty much every game and he’s giving me the odd tip here and there,” said Krebs, who was with the Golden Knights inside the bubble this summer. “I love chatting with him and he’s been great for me. Definitely was a little intimidated going into Vegas with all those studs, but he made the transition a lot easier.”
The most notable message from Stone?
“He tells me to, ‘Just have fun,’ and also to remember this will be the last time I ever do this. He said, ‘It’s shorter than you think,’ and ‘Come to the rink with a smile on your face every day.'”
Stone led Canada in scoring and won a bronze medal at the 2012 World Juniors, which was the last time the event was held in Alberta. That was also the last year Canada played Russia in the semifinals with the home side falling 6-5 in a wild game.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
