OAKVILLE, Ontario — When Canada embarks on its quest for a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, it will be looking to win for a third consecutive year.
It is a feat no team has accomplished since Canada’s run of five straight gold medals from 2005-09.
The players are aware of what is at stake when they begin play in Gothenburg, Sweden, against Finland on Tuesday (8:30 a.m. ET, NHLN, TSN). The tournament runs through Jan. 5.
“The [management] told us about it,” defenseman Maveric Lamoureux (Arizona Coyotes) said. “The expectations are really, really high. The main goal is to go for gold and nothing less and they told us about it multiple times, so I feel like expectations are really high and the objective is to win and that’s it.”
While the pressure that comes along with those expectations is admittedly high, Lamoureux said he wouldn’t want it any other way.
“I feel it’s always better to have high expectations than lower,” said Lamoureux, who has 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in 25 games with Drummondville of the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League this season. “It just brings up the level of everyone. It was such a competitive [selection] camp; everyone wants to help the team to go win it, so I feel like everyone is just playing even better because the expectations are higher.”
It is understandable that for a group of players 17-19 years old, preparing to skate in the biggest games they have played to this point in their careers, that the pressure could seem immense. Though the management and coaching staff has made clear to the group that a gold medal is the expectation, coach Alan Letang is doing his best to put it into perspective.
“We talked about kind of staying in the moment and so we don’t want to get too, too far ahead of ourselves,” he said. “But you know what? I think you know we put a good group together. We wanted this camp to be super competitive to push the guys because we know what we’re going to come up against. We know the teams we’re going to face over in Europe.
“We know the intensity, we know how important those little moments are. And I think if we just stay focused and stay true to that identity, I think we’ll be fine.”
Forward Owen Beck (Montreal Canadiens) is the only returning player from Canada’s gold-medal winning team at the 2023 WJC, playing three games in the medal round as an injury replacement for forward Colton Dach (Chicago Blackhawks). Forwards Connor Bedard (Chicago Blackhawks), Adam Fantilli (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Shane Wright (Seattle Kraken) and defenseman Kevin Korchinski (Blackhawks), each part of that group, are eligible for the 2024 WJC but were not released by their NHL teams.
While Canada is light on World Junior experience, Beck, a second-round pick (No. 33) in the 2022 NHL Draft, is doing his best to fill the void.
“My first year I was a little nervous, definitely walking on eggshells, and it’s definitely a little bit easier and more comfortable this year knowing what’s going on and knowing where to be,” Beck said. “If I can help guys out, that’s what I want to do.”
Canada lost to Czechia 5-2 in its tournament-opening game last year but recovered to win its final three round-robin games, against Germany, Austria and Sweden, by a combined score of 27-3. They won 4-3 in overtime against Slovakia in the quarterfinals, beat the United States 6-2 in the semifinals and then won 3-2 in overtime against Czechia in the gold-medal game.
“We learned last year you’ve just got to win the games that are important,” Letang said. “Losing in the [preliminary] round, it’s not ideal, but sometimes if you have some character, you overcome it.”
Fraser Minten, a second-round pick (No. 38) by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022 who played four games with them this season, said none of the players are shying away from the ultimate goal of winning a gold medal.
“Camp was really competitive, always is, such good players here,” said Minten, who has 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 13 games with Kamloops and Saskatoon of the Western Hockey League this season. “That’s the standard. That’s what everybody believes is possible and what everybody wants to achieve.
“I think it’s more just opportunity. I think everybody here has grown up just dying to get an opportunity like this, so I think it’s something guys are more grateful than the pressure that they feel. I’ve always wanted to wear the maple leaf for Team Canada. I haven’t had the chance so far, [but] it’s been a goal of mine for sure. It feels good to be here.”
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.
