William Nylander could sense the anticipation building right from warmup.
Jack Campbell described the “electric” atmosphere of the Maple Leafs’ first regular-season home crowd in 19 months.
The duo made sure the majority of those in attendance went home happy Wednesday.
Nylander scored the winner early in the third period and Campbell made 31 saves, including some massive stops early with his teammates stuck in the starting blocks, as Toronto defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 in the season-opener for both clubs.
“Just incredible,” Campbell said. “The fans were just super loud and super into the game.
William Nylander cashed early in the third to give the Maple Leafs a 2-1 lead they never looked back on. 1:10
Pierre Engvall had the other goal for home side in front of 18,493 masked and fully vaccinated spectators at Scotiabank Arena — the venue’s first crowd for a game that mattered since March 10, 2020, because of COVID-19.
“It was very special,” Nylander added. “Such a long time [since] we played with fans.”
Jonathan Drouin, who’s back with the Canadiens after leaving the team back in the spring to deal with anxiety and insomnia, replied for Montreal.
“It was nice to get one,” he said. “But I wish we got the two points instead.”
Jake Allen stopped 28 shots for the Canadiens, whose surprising run to last season’s Stanley Cup final included a stunning comeback from a 3-1 series deficit against the Leafs in the first round.
Wanted it.<br>Got it.<br>Scored it. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#LeafsForever</a> <a href=”https://t.co/Lq9rzIdYBl”>pic.twitter.com/Lq9rzIdYBl</a>
It looked like they might heap another dose of heartache — granted with the stakes much lower — immediately after puck drop Wednesday.
“The first 10 minutes we were not good,” Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Took us a while to really get comfortable in the game. From then on I thought the effort was really strong. The guys worked, competed.
“It was a tight game right to the end … happy that we find our way to get on the right side.”
Teams cope with key absences
Toronto was minus No. 1 centre Auston Matthews, who led the NHL with 41 goals in just 52 games during the NHL’s pandemic-shorted 2021-22 campaign, because of a wrist injury that hasn’t fully healed from surgery, while star winger Mitch Marner dressed after leaving Tuesday’s practice following a collision.
On the other side, Montreal started life in earnest without captain and bruising defenceman Shea Weber due to potentially career-threatening ankle and foot injuries that will keep him sidelined this season, while starting goaltender Carey Price entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program last week and will be away from the team until at least early November.
Nylander snapped a 1-1 tie 66 seconds into the third when he took a pass from Morgan Rielly off the rush before faking a slapshot and firing upstairs on Allen’s shortside.
“It’s just what happened,” Nylander said with a grin. “I didn’t really plan on doing anything. Just the way it unfolded.”
The winger had a solid playoffs for Toronto despite his team’s failure to advance — something Keefe said bodes well moving forward.
“Clutch goal for us,” he said. “When you get a chance like that with one of your best players you’re obviously expecting him to be able to capitalize.
“He did just that.”
Montreal had a terrific opportunity to get back even with a 5-on-3 power play for 1:44, but the Leafs survived thanks to a shot block by Justin Holl with Brendan Gallagher staring at a wide-open net.
The Canadiens got another man-advantage chance with under nine minutes to go in regulation when Nylander went off for tripping. They came up empty handed once again before Toronto held on late.
“The penalty kill was a huge factor,” Holl said. “Any time you can win or tie the special teams battle, we feel pretty confident our ability 5-on-5.”
Home fans ‘a real factor’
Fans of both teams milled about Toronto’s downtown core in the hours before the game, including near the atrium off Maple Leaf Square that was used as a COVID-19 testing site for arena staff, team employees and media last season.
The 48th Highlanders, who have performed at every Toronto curtain-raiser since Maple Leaf Gardens opened in 1931, kept the tradition alive virtually last season, and were back with their pipes and drums on the ice prior to warmups.
With a group of front-line workers in attendance, Hamilton-based Arkells rocked out in a pre-recorded performance outside the Leafs’ locker room before anthem singer Martina Ortiz Luis encouraged fans to take over the singing of O Canada with Scotiabank Arena mostly full for the first time in 582 days.
“Right from the time I walked out onto the bench or the introductions it was just different,” Keefe said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the place full like that. I thought the crowd was engaged right from the start.
“They were a real factor in the game.”
While that crowd, which was short of a sellout, was ready to go, Toronto certainly wasn’t as Montreal had five excellent scoring chances in the game’s first three minutes on the razor-sharp Campbell.
The Canadiens eventually jumped in front at 7:22 of the first when Drouin scored off a 2-on-1 rush after the Leafs turned the puck over at the offensive blue line.
“My head’s clearer,” Drouin said when asked how he feels now compared to when he stepped away back in April. “I’m more in the game, I’m more focused, I’m more ready.
“Going to the rink was a completely different experience for me than the past couple years.”
The Leafs would finally get in gear, and Engvall scored the first power-play goal of his career at 10:12 when he fired past Allen.
Montreal’s goaltender was then bailed out by the iron twice, including late in the period on a deflected Rasmus Sandin effort that rang off the crossbar and had the crowd buzzing.
“You really take for granted playing in front of fans when you have a year like last year,” Holl said. “It was really terrific.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
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.
