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McDavid hits milestone as Oilers and Jets continue to entertain – Sportsnet.ca

Published

4 years ago

February 18, 2021

EDMONTON — Sometimes you get sick of watching two teams play each other in this new NHL schedule. Personally, I never need to see Arizona and St. Louis play each other ever again.

But the Edmonton Oilers and the Winnipeg Jets? How about a playoff series, please?

There is something about these two teams that makes for fabulously watchable hockey, whether they’re playing a 6-5 game like the Jets won on Monday, or a 3-2 nail-biter like the one Edmonton gutted out on Wednesday.

“Those are the playoff-type of games we have to learn how to win,” said Leon Draisaitl, who had two goals. “I don’t know if I’d consider tonight a playoff game, with all the penalties, but those are the tough ones to win. The ones we want to win, 3-2, 2-1. We did a good job.”

This game overcame the officiating, as referees Michael Markovic and Brad Meier blew a few calls, then got caught over-managing the game. In the end, Edmonton had six power plays to Winnipeg’s five, and no one left the building happy with the zebras.

Nice Round Numbers

On the night that was all about Connor McDavid scoring his 500th career point in game No. 369 — exactly as fast as Sidney Crosby conquered the same feat — Draisaitl also nabbed career point No. 450, while Dave Tippett won his 600th career game as an NHL head coach.

“It’s a little milestone I guess. A little thing along the way here, which is nice,” said McDavid. “To feel some of the reaction from my teammates, friends and family, it’s always special. I appreciate the support… And, onward.”

Tippett was asked if he ever steps back and smells the roses of having a front row seat to watch the game’s next legendary performer make his way through what will be a Hall of Fame career. Here in Edmonton, many accuse themselves of getting a little blasé to all of Wayne Gretzky’s accomplishments back in the ‘80s. Tippett says he appreciates McDavid’s superiority every day — when he calculates the stats that he keeps.

“I’ve been doing these different kind of stats for a long time,” Tippett began. “I’ve had some pretty good teams. In Dallas we had Mike Modano, with (Bill) Guerin, (Jason) Arnott and (Pierre) Turgeon — some real good players. And I’ve never seen anything like it in the stats that I keep. Not even close.

“And the players who play with him? They seem like they do a little better (also).”

McDavid opened the scoring with a feed to Jesse Puljujarvi, who sniped a wicked puck past Connor Hellebuyck for McDavid’s 500th, and Puljujarvi’s fourth in his past six games. Then McDavid got an assist on Draisaitl’s power-play game-winner.

“It’s been a pleasure to be a part of it for the last two years,” goalie Mike Smith said of the Connor McDavid Show here in Edmonton. “I’ve played against him for a few years now. It’s nice to be on this side of the highlight-reel goals.”

What makes McDavid McDavid?

“His speed, the way he can change directions,” began Smith. “Every game there’s a highlight-reel something, where you look down the bench, or shake your head when you’re playing. ‘Did you see that?’”

McDavid would prefer a root canal to talking about his latest accomplishment, though he did say he’d call his Mom on Thursday, and likely debrief on the win with his Dad over the phone Wednesday night.

“I know he doesn’t look at milestones like that much,” said Tippett, “but later on in life he’ll look back and be proud. He wants the team milestone ahead of the individual milestone. That’s what he’s striving for.”

Betcha Lost

“Take the over,” they said.

“The over/under is set at 6.5,” they advised. “These two teams have combined for 28 goals scored in the three games they’ve played this season. That’s a 5-4 game every night!”

Well, for the first time this season the Jets and Oilers produced less than seven goals in a game. And that, folks, is how Vegas was built.

Deflecting Criticism

Players are going to make mistakes, and every game isn’t going to be a defensive gem. Coaches realize that, and so do we.

But an issue in Edmonton — going back to their Qualifying Round ouster at the hands of Chicago — is net-front play, especially when it comes to deflection goals. It’s been too easy to stand there and tip pucks past the Oilers’ goalies, as Mathieu Perreault and Blake Wheeler did in Monday’s 6-5 Jets win, and the Blackhawks did seemingly at will in the summer.

The Oilers cleaned that up in Wednesday’s rematch, but it will be a focus for a while yet.

“We need to be harder in front of our net. There are some goals goin’ in where we’re in the right position… We’re there, but we’re not there,” Tippett said. “There just has to be a more physical element to compete in front of our net, and I think we’ll take some goals against away.”

The Jets scored two deflection goals Monday that made Tippett’s point. “On both of those deflections we’ve got a guy standing right next to the guy that’s deflecting the puck,” he said.

Kyle Turris was derelict on Perreault’s high-slot tip, while rookie Evan Bouchard stood by as Wheeler deflected home the winner just above Mikko Koskinen’s crease.

So what does a D-man do? You can’t just cross-check guys, like it’s 20 years ago.

“Well, you can crosscheck a little bit still. They still let you get away with a little bit,” allowed Darnell Nurse. “It’s hard, but … you know when pucks are coming from the point. If they get through clean, our goalies are going to take care of it 90 per cent of the time.

“It’s important to find that stick and get under them,” he said. “A light tap on the stick can go a long way when trying to take away a guy’s tipping options. There are times when they’re tipping pucks and we’re standing beside guys. We have to be better in that department.”

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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.

___

AP cricket:

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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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