TSN reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes on Team Canada. The team skated at the practice rink at the Ostravar Arena on Friday.
With Canada down 2-0 in the first period on Boxing Day, Alexis Lafreniere looked to spark a comeback. But before he exploded for three assists and an incredible game-winning goal, the 18-year-old landed a couple big checks on the American top defensive pair of Mattias Samuelsson and Jordan Harris.
“I didn’t really realize it,” said smiling Ottawa defenceman Kevin Bahl. “I thought he was all skill, but he loves to throw around the body and I absolutely love that. I saw him just going full speed after that guy, dummied him and thought I better get a hit and I saw that guy coming down the wall.”
Moments later the 6-foot-7 Bahl delivered a bone-crushing blow on American forward Bobby Brink and it was game on in Ostrava.
“Early in the game the U.S. had a lot of the momentum,” said Flint centre Ty Dellandrea, “and we had a couple big hits all on the same shift and that turned the tide.”
—
Follow Team Canada’s Journey At The 2020 World Juniors With TSN Direct! Get access to stream TSN’s exclusive coverage, including every game, news and highlights from SportsCentre and more. Subscribe Now > TSN.ca/Subscribe
—
“I always try to bring some physicality in my game,” said Lafreniere, who stands 6-foot-1, 194 pounds. “It’s something I want to improve. Getting involved physically is always good. A couple good hits and it helped me just start to be in the game a little bit more.”
Lafreniere got himself going and the team going and then the Rimouski left winger, the consensus top pick in the next NHL entry draft, saved the day, striking back seven seconds after the Americans had tied things.
“Something else,” said captain Barrett Hayton of the game-winning goal. “I mean, you see his speed off the faceoff, he jumps through and bats that puck down. Not many guys are going to do that. That was a pretty flat pass by the American guy (K’Andre Miller). Just unbelievable hand-eye.”
But Lafreniere wasn’t done. He finished what he started by setting up Dellandrea for the empty-net goal.
“It’s incredible,” Dellandrea gushed. “Everything about him, it’s fun to watch. He’s skilled, but he’s also all over the puck, hunting and I think he showed last night that he can play an all-around game. He was on in the last minute and made that pass for the empty-netter and shutting down to finish the game. I think he can do everything.”
“He’s a gamer,” said assistant coach Andre Tourigny. “He’s a money player. He’s a competitor. He wants to win every battle and he’s the same in practice. He has a long stick and he’s always in it and stays on puck, that’s what I like about him and last year at U18 it was the same. He never quits. He’s relentless. He’s a great player for us.”
‘He can do everything’: Lafrenière sets the tone with physical play
Touted as the projected No. 1 pick at the 2020 NHL draft for some time, Alexis Lafrenière showed up and absolutely dominated on the ice against the Americans on Boxing Day. ‘I thought he was just all skill, but he loves to throw around the body’ remarked teammate Kevin Bahl, ‘I absolutely love that’.
—-
Quinton Byfield, the consensus No. 2 pick behind Lafreniere, had a relatively quiet debut at the World Juniors, failing to register a shot in 11:40 of ice time while also picking up a penalty.
“Those first couple shifts you’re a bit nervous,” he admitted. “I tried to play my best, play my hardest, didn’t have too much of a big impact on the game, but my team played exceptional. Laffy played really well. I’m just a guy hoping for the wins here and any way they come I’m good with that.”
But Team Canada may need the 17-year-old, who’s playing in the top six on a line with Hayton and Dylan Cozens, to be a factor down the road. And, with that in mind, Byfield is hoping to take a page out of his draft rival’s playbook.
“I’m still probably looking for more from myself,” Byfield said. “I definitely could be more physical, hitting a lot more people with my big body. Yeah, I definitely could have a lot more on the table.”
At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Byfield is Canada’s heaviest forward and wants to use that to his advantage.
“It definitely adds another level to your game,” he said of physical play, “creates separation, people might not want to come as close to you because they know your physical and stuff like that.”
After picking up a point in 27 of 30 OHL games this season, Byfield has now been held pointless in three straight outings with Team Canada, including the two pre-tournament games.
Byfield on quiet WJC debut: ‘I’m still looking for more from myself’
Quinton Byfield got his first taste of World Juniors action on Boxing Day against USA, however he feels like he has much more to offer the team. Teammate Alexis Lafrenière gave his advice to Byfield telling him to ‘just enjoy it and have fun, it goes by pretty fast’.
—- After allowing three power-play goals on Thursday, Team Canada dedicated a good chunk of practice to special teams work. Tourigny, who oversees that unit, struck an urgent tone on and off the ice.
“The way the Russians play, they play really low on their power play. They have four guys really low, so we want to make sure we cut seams and stuff like that,” Tourigny said.
The penalty kill looked fine in the pre-tournament games, but didn’t get a lot of work with Canada only shorthanded twice.
“Maybe we were just thinking too much,” said Dellandrea. “We have a lot of stuff we want to hit on when we’re on the PK and sometimes it gets confusing just running around thinking about a bunch of things at once. (Tourigny) talked a lot about practising it today so we don’t have to think so much when we’re out there tomorrow. So he wants to keep it simple and cover all the spots we need.”
TSN senior hockey reporter Frank Seravalli has more on Canada’s penalty kill here: —-
The Boxing Day showdown with the Americans wasn’t just the World Juniors debut for Nico Daws, but also his first ever game for Canada at an international competition.
“Definitely special,” the Guelph goalie said. “Putting on that jersey, hearing the fans cheer for you, it’s something I’ll never forget.”
Daws stopped 28 of 32 shots and settled down nicely after Canada fell behind in the first period.
“A little bit shaky, obviously, first game, a lot of nerves,” the 19-year-old said, “especially against a good team like that, that scored some good goals and probably one or two I’d like back. But, overall, I’m pretty happy with the way I played.”
In the immediate aftermath of Thursday’s win, Dale Hunter wouldn’t commit to starting Daws against Russia, but the coach spoke positively about the Burlington, Ont. native.
“He was solid,” Hunter said. “Remember, these are the elite shooters of this age group, so it’s a little different than your club team where you have a couple elite shooters. Everyone on that team can score and they’re a good offensive team.”
The only even-strength goal allowed by Daws came off the stick of Leafs prospect Nick Robertson, who used defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker as a screen.
“Coming over, pulling it through and around and through the legs and it’s just a great shot,” said Hunter, “and that makes it tough on goalies.”
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.
The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.
Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.
He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.
Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.
Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.
The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.
Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.
Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.
Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.
WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).
Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.
“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.
“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”
Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.
Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.
Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.
Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.
The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.
Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.
The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.
WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.
The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.
Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.
Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad
Forwards
Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);
Backs
Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).
—
Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.
The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.
He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.
Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.
He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.
Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
