Canada was embarrassed 6-0 by Russia and also lost star winger Alexis Lafrenière to an apparent knee injury on a disastrous night for one of the tournament favourites at the world junior hockey championship Saturday.
The projected No. 1 pick at the 2020 NHL draft, Lafrenière was hurt early in the second period with the Canadians already down 3-0 as he cut to the net on a power play.
The 18-year-old bumped into Russian goalie Amir Miftakhov after being knocked slightly off balance by defenceman Yegor Zamula, his left knee twisting awkwardly underneath him as he fell to the ice.
“We don’t know yet,” Canadian head coach Dale Hunter said when asked about the extent of the injury. “He’s being evaluated.”
Lafrenière, who had a goal and three assists in Canada’s wild 6-4 victory over the United States on Thursday to open the under-20 event, lay writhing in pain, clutching the joint before being attended to by the team’s trainer inside a stunned Ostravar Arena.
WATCH | Team Canada’s Alexis Lafrenière suffers injury after collision with goalie:
Team Canada forward Alexis Lafreniere needs to be helped off the ice after a collision during the 2nd period of Canada’s game against Russia at the world juniors. 1:12
The native of Saint-Eustache, Que., didn’t put any weight on the knee as he left the ice with the help of teammates and went straight to the locker-room.
“He’s been a big part of this team for a long time, but you can’t use excuses,” Hunter said. “The Russians had a good game. We just have to learn from it and move on.”
Canadian forward Ty Dellandrea said it was tough to see Lafrenière go down.
“On and off the ice, he’s a leader,” he said. “We all know what kind of player he is.”
Saturday’s dismantling marked the first time since Dec. 27, 1998, that Canada was held scoreless at the world juniors — snapping a streak of 134 straight games.
Nikita Alexandrov, with a goal and an assist, Alexander Khovanov, Pavel Dorofeyev, Nikita Rtischev, Yegor Sokolov and Grigori Denisenko scored for Russia, which rebounded in impressive fashion from a 4-3 upset loss to the host Czech Republic on Boxing Day.
Miftakhov, who started in place of Yaroslav Askarov after the 17-year-old phenom was pulled in that one, registered 28 saves for the shutout.
Daws draws the hook
Nico Daws allowed four goals on 17 shots for Canada before getting the hook in favour of Joel Hofer, who finished with 20 saves.
Along with the loss of its best player, Saturday’s performance surely ranks as one of the worst for Canada in the event’s 44-year history.
In other Group B action, Germany stunned the Czechs 4-3 for the country’s first victory at the tournament since 2013.
The Canadians, Russians, Czechs, Americans and Germans all sit with 1-1 records in what was dubbed a “Group of Death” in the buildup. Canada will look to regroup Monday against upstart Germany, while Russia and the U.S. meet Sunday.
Canada fell 2-1 to the Russians in the final round-robin game of last year’s tournament in Vancouver and Victoria, setting up a tough quarterfinal matchup with Finland. The hosts subsequently lost that one 2-1 in overtime to finish a disappointing sixth on home soil.
Coming off that emotional victory over the U.S., where they fell behind 2-0 in the first and scored late after blowing a 4-2 lead, the Canadians were once again on the back foot early.
Khovanov opened the scoring just 1:44 in when Daws couldn’t track a shot off his blocker and fell backward as the puck came to a rest just over the goal line.
Canada had a couple chances at the other end, but the Russians made it 2-0 at 10:14 when Dorofeyev found himself alone in front to roof a backhand past a down-and-out Daws.
Russia’s Nikita Alexandrov scores on Canada goaltender Nico Daws during their 6-0 victory at the World Junior Hockey Championship on Saturday. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)
The Canadians, who have won the world juniors a record 17 times, then killed off a penalty, but Rtischev scored from the slot at 13:43 to make it 3-0.
Daws was whistled for tripping less than a minute later and Jacob Bernard-Docker went off for holding the stick to hand the Russians a 5-on-3 power play for 49 seconds, but Canada held firm after giving up three goals on five American power-play opportunities on Thursday.
After losing Lafrenière early in the second on a man advantage, the shell-shocked Canadians gave up a fourth goal when Alexandrov swept in front and tucked a shot past Daws, who is playing in his first-ever international tournament, at 2:18 to end the netminder’s night.
Also green on this stage, Hofer made a couple saves after joining the fray, but Sokolov tipped a point shot home with 6:51 remaining in the second and the rout was truly on at 5-0.
Last year’s bronze medallists kept coming, and Denisenko scored off the rush with 3:36 left in the period before jumping against the boards in celebration near one of the Maple Leaf flags dotting the pro-Canadian crowd.
The desperate Russians were the better team from start to finish after losing to the Czechs, but goaltending was Canada’s biggest question mark coming into the tournament in Ostrava and Trinec, now along with Lafrenière’s uncertain status, that remains the case.
To put things in perspective, the Canadians gave up four goals in four round-robin games last year.
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.
