The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars will meet for the fifth time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs when they open the best-of-7 Western Conference Second Round at Rogers Place in Edmonton, the hub city for the West, on Saturday.
Dallas last played on Thursday, a 7-3 victory against the Calgary Flames; Colorado on Wednesday, a 7-1 victory against the Arizona Coyotes.
“I like starting as soon as possible, to be honest with you, Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “I think time generally seems to move pretty slowly here in the bubble, which we found out for the first couple weeks when we were playing every third day and had some time before our first game. And then once we kind of got into the series with Arizona, time seemed to go a little quicker. No travel. The convenience of getting to the rink. It’s just like game day is great.
“Obviously there’s a focus there on what you need to do, and then the days in between games, there’s plenty of time to get some rest and get prepared to play the next night. We’re liking the fact we don’t have too much time off in between games. I’m sure Dallas is kind of the same way. Just keep playing. It’s what we’re all here to do, is play hockey games and not necessarily practice and have days off.”
The Stars and Avalanche have split their previous four playoff series; Dallas won in the 1999 and 2000 Western Conference Final, each time in seven games. Colorado won the 2004 and 2006 Western Conference Quarterfinals, each in five games.
Defenseman Miro Heiskanen leads the Stars with 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in the postseason. Anton Khudobin, normally the backup to Ben Bishop, is 4-3-0 with a 2.49 goals-against average and .919 save percentage. Bishop (1-1-0 with a 4.04 GAA and .862 save percentage) was unfit to play in the last four games of the series against Calgary.
Forward Nathan MacKinnon leads all NHL players with 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in the postseason. He is one of three Avalanche players to have reached double digits in points, joined by forwards Nazem Kadri (11 points; six goals, five assists), and Mikko Rantanen (10 points; three goals, seven assists). Philipp Grubauer (5-0-1,1.49 GAA, .937 save percentage) has started six of the eight postseason games.
“I think we’re going to do like we did in the first round and focus on us and we’re going to have to use everybody on the ice to make sure that we’re ready for the second round,” Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard said. “We know that’s going to be harder and harder so we’re going to have to be ready for the second round and make sure we’re on the same page.”
The Stars won all four regular-season games against the Avalanche, but the Avalanche won 4-0 against the Stars on Aug. 5 in the round-robin portion Stanley Cup Qualifiers.
The Stars and Avalanche each advanced to the second round for the second straight season. The best-of-7 series will be played at Rogers Place in Edmonton, the Western Conference hub city.
Game breakers
Avalanche: MacKinnon, a finalist for the Hart Trophy, awarded to the player voted the NHL’s most valuable player, is on an eight-game point streak. It is tied for the second-longest streak to begin a playoff year in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history with Peter Forsberg and Milan Hejduk (both 2000-01), Joe Sakic (1996-97) and Michel Goulet (1984-85). Sakic had a 10-game streak in 1995-96. MacKinnon had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in five games against Arizona. He has 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) in 33 NHL playoff games.
Stars: Center Joe Pavelski has delivered upon what the Stars hoped when they signed him to a three-year free agent contract on July 1, 2019. He has six goals in nine postseason games to share the NHL postseason lead in goals with four other players. Seven of Pavelski’s eight points (six goals, two assists) have come at even strength.
Avalanche:Philipp Grubauer established himself as the No. 1 option ahead of Pavel Francouz by winning each of his four starts against the Coyotes, recording a shutout, 1.00 GAA and .953 save percentage. Grubauer went 0-2-2 against Dallas in the regular season with a 2.45 GAA and .927 save percentage. He has played in 22 NHL postseason games, posting a 13-6-1 record. “[Grubauer] was phenomenal,” Bednar said. “He was right there for us all the way, almost perfect in the series. I liked everything he did for us in the series. We’ve come to expect it from him.”
Stars: Anton Khudobin has taken over after Bishop was ruled unfit to play after his one playoff start, a 5-4 win in Game 2 in which he made 22 saves. The 34-year-old is 4-3 in the postseason with a 2.49 GAA and a .919 save percentage. Khudobin has played 11 NHL seasons but his seven starts this season are the first of his postseason career. Before this season, he had two playoff appearances, one in 2018 for the Boston Bruins and one last season with the Stars, each as a midgame replacement.
Numbers to know
Avalanche: Colorado scored seven goals in each of the final two games of the series against Arizona, its most in a playoff game since an 8-2 win against the San Jose Sharks in Game 2 of the Western Conference Second Round in 2002.
Stars: Dallas has been outscored 11-5 in first periods in the postseason, allowing the most opening-period goals in the postseason. The Stars have allowed the first goal seven times in nine games and are 3-4 in those games.
X-factors
Avalanche: Kadri, the second-line center, has taken the scoring burden off MacKinnon. His 11 points are tied for fourth in playoff scoring. His five power-play goals lead the NHL. He had seven points (five goals, two assists) in five games in the first round. Kadri had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) and 58 penalty minutes in 19 playoff games with the Toronto Maple Leafs; he hasn’t been penalized this postseason.
Stars: Forward Denis Gurianov had a breakout game with four goals and an assist in Game 6 against Calgary and had six goals and one assist in the series. This is the 23-year-old’s first time playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After making a major impact against Calgary, Gurianov’s his soft hands and quickness could be a big factor against the swift Avalanche.
“I most definitely think we’re ready to make that next step, no doubt. We’ve been a group for the most part that’s been together for the last three, four years. We’ve grown together and been through the bad and we still have work to do. But the group that we have in our locker room has a lot of character and obviously we’ve seen the product that we can put on the ice when we do our job and work together as a group and work for another. We can do some really good things. We have a lot of work to do, though.” — Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog
“There’s ups and downs. That’s playoffs. It’s a series. [Calgary was] a team that plays hard and were coming out of the play-in round where they played good hockey and it was going to be a big test for us. Just confidence in understanding our game works. It’s a big commitment to play a certain way, but it’s the playoffs right now and guys are battling for each other right now and came up with some huge plays along the way.” — Stars forward Joe Pavelski
Will win if …
Avalanche: MacKinnon and Kadri continue to lead a balanced attack that has gotten a goal from 14 players and a point from 17 players in eight postseason games.
Stars: If they get more from their top line. The Stars need help from Tyler Seguin (three assists in eight postseason games), Jamie Benn (two goals, two assists in nine games) and Alexander Radulov (two goals, one assist in nine games). The three players have combined for seven even-strength points in the postseason (Benn 3, Radulov 3, Seguin 1).
Avalanche projected lineup
Gabriel Landeskog — Nathan MacKinnon — Mikko Rantanen
Andre Burakovsky — Nazem Kadri — Joonas Donskoi
Tyson Jost — J.T. Compher – Valeri Nichushkin
Matt Nieto — Pierre-Edouard Bellemare — Matt Calvert
Ryan Graves — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard – Ian Cole
Nikita Zadorov – Erik Johnson
Philipp Grubauer
Pavel Francouz
Scratched:Mark Barberio, Shane Bowers, Bowen Byram, Kevin Connauton, Sheldon Dries, Michael Hutchinson, Tyson Jost, Anton Lindholm, Logan O’Connor, Conor Timmins, T.J. Tynan
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.
