OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC —
Canada eased into last year’s world junior hockey championship.
The host country led its opener against Denmark 3-0 after the first period, 8-0 through two and pumped home six more over the final 20 minutes of a 14-0 romp.
The 2020 curtain-raiser versus a familiar foe should provide a little more drama.
Canada kicks off the under-20 event’s latest instalment Thursday against the United States in a game loaded with skill, speed, familiarity, and perhaps biggest of all, intensity.
“Heated,” Canadian defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker, a first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, said of the rivalry. “Two countries that don’t like each other playing against each other.”
Named as Canada’s captain just prior hitting the ice for Wednesday’s practice at Ostrava Arena, Barrett Hayton said watching their predecessors go to battle was part of growing up.
“That’s what you think about when you think of international competition,” said Hayton, who played 14 times with the Arizona Coyotes this season before being loaned to the Canadian setup for the world juniors. “It’ll definitely be an intense game.”
The feeling on the other side is, of course, mutual.
“That rivalry’s one like no other,” said diminutive U.S. sniper Cole Caufield, a Montreal Canadiens’ first-rounder. “It’s country versus country. It’s not just a team versus a team. It’s going to be so special to be a part of it.”
“Neither team likes each other,” added American captain Mattias Samuelsson, a Buffalo Sabres’ prospect and the son of former NHL defenceman Kjell Samuelsson. “It’ll be a good game to start.”
Viewed as the front-runners at the 10-team tournament, Canada and the U.S. sit in a difficult Group B with always-dangerous Russia, the host Czechs and a German program that continues to improve.
Group A, which is being contested in nearby Trinec, includes Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Kazakhstan.
While in years past there would be build-up ahead of the Canada-U.S. showdown — often on New Year’s Eve — this matchup comes a lot sooner and will give one team a huge edge early.
“You’ve got a big test right away,” said Ty Dellandrea, a Dallas Stars’ first-rounder named as one of Canada’s alternate captains along with fellow centre Joe Veleno and defenceman Ty Smith. “It’ll be good for us to bring our game to the highest level right off the start.”
The Americans beat their northern neighbours 2-1 outdoors in a shootout in round-robin play in Orchard Park, N.Y., at the 2018 event in their last meeting at the world juniors — Canada’s only blemish on the way to winning its 17th gold medal at the teenage showcase.
Other recent results saw the U.S. down Canada 5-4 in a shootout to capture the 2017 final in Montreal after also winning 3-1 in Toronto on New Year’s Eve.
“There’s no putting your foot into the water — you’ve got to go full in,” said U.S. centre Shane Pinto, another Ottawa first-round pick. “It’s going to be a tough one, but I think we’re ready.”
One of five returning players from last year’s stunning sixth-place finish in Vancouver and Victoria, Hayton said wearing the ‘C’ for Canada will be special.
“I was just incredibly honoured,” said the 19-year-old centre. “You idolize the guys who play here.”
Canadian head coach Dale Hunter said Hayton’s professional experience played a factor in the decision.
“He’s a leader,” said Hunter, himself a former NHL captain. “On and off the ice he’s a character kid.”
The coach remained coy about Thursday’s starting goalie, but Nico Daws, a netminder with zero international experience prior to this month, is the odds-on favourite to get the nod.
The undrafted netminder was never realistically on Hockey Canada’s radar before a standout start to the season that has him leading the Ontario Hockey League with a 2.06 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage for the Guelph Storm.
“It’s been crazy,” the 19-year-old said of his last four months. “I still haven’t really taken it all in yet. It’s one of those things … I don’t know if I’ll be able to appreciate it as much as I should until I look back.”
Daws tried to pour cold water on talk of his lack experience on this or any similar stage, but the fact remains along with Joel Hofer, the equally untested presumptive No. 2, Canada’s crease remains a massive question mark.
“It’s a big setting. Very intimidating, I guess you could say,” Daws said. “But I’m just there to stop pucks.”
Hayton, Veleno, Smith, star winger Alexis Lafreniere and blue-liner Jared McIsaac were all part of the Canadian team that went home bitterly disappointed from last year’s tournament after falling to Finland in the quarterfinals — a feeling they want no part of here in the Czech Republic.
“I don’t think there are any words needed,” said Hayton, whose team faces Russia in another headline-grabber Friday. “We all have that fire inside of us.”
The Americans, meanwhile, are equally motivated after losing the 2019 gold medal to the Finns with less than 90 seconds to play in regulation.
“Last year was a heartbreaker,” said Samuelsson, one of five returnees. “That feeling that you had, you don’t want it again.”
Both the U.S. and Canada are sick of practising and playing exhibition games.
It’s time for one to pen the rivalry’s latest chapter.
“This is what you drive for,” Hunter said. “They’re a good team, we’re a good team. That’s what’s going to make it a heck of a hockey game.
“You want that adrenaline. You want to be in the action. That’s what it’s all about.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 25, 2019
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps will begin their post-season campaign with a play-in game against the Timbers in Portland on Wednesday.
The ‘Caps (13-13-8) ended the regular season with a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday and finished eighth in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference standings.
The eighth and ninth spots from each conference meet in a play-in game this week, with the winner going on to face the No. 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs.
Each eighth-place team was set to host the play-in game, but Vancouver announced Friday that its home stadium, B.C. Place, is not available, so the club will cede home-field advantage to Portland (12-11-11), the ninth-place team.
The ‘Caps and Timbers split their three-game series during regular-season play, with each side taking a win, a loss and a draw.
The first round of the MLS playoffs is set to begin next weekend.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2024.
SANDY, Utah (AP) — Diego Luna scored a tying goal in the 73rd minute and Real Salt Lake added another on an own goal for a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night to set a single-season club record for points.
Real Salt Lake (16-7-11) secured the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference and will face Minnesota in the first round of the Major League Soccer playoffs. RSL reached 59 points this season, topping the 2012 team with 57.
Vancouver (13-13-8) will play the Portland Timbers on Wednesday in a wild-card game for a chance to play top-seeded LAFC.
Luna settled a long cross from Braian Ojeda before taking four touches to slot home a shot inside the far post for his eighth goal of the season.
RSL went ahead in the 83rd when Vancouver goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer misplayed a lofted ball that rolled into the back of the net.
Vancouver midfielder Ryan Gauld opened the scoring in the 58th to become the first player in club history to produce multiple seasons with at least 10 goals and 10 assists.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Juan Soto’s arrival last winter was supposed to be that move that pushed the New York Yankees back to the top.
They’re one step away.
Soto hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning and the Yankees advanced to their 41st World Series — and first in 15 years — by beating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series on Saturday night.
Baseball’s biggest brand is going back to October’s main stage.
Soto, who was acquired in a seven-player trade from San Diego in December, pushed the Bronx Bombers into position with one big swing.
This was why he came, for this moment and for so many more.
“We’re right where we belong,” said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who pulled off the deal for Soto.
The Yankees will try to win their 28th title against either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 6 of the NL Championship Series is on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.
In the third consecutive tight game in three nights at Progressive Field, Austin Wells walked with one out in the 10th and Alex Verdugo followed with a grounder to Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez, whose soft toss to the bag was dropped by rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio for an error.
Hunter Gaddis struck out Gleyber Torres and had Soto in a 1-2 count before New York’s stylish outfielder sent a shot over the wall in center. Soto danced down the first-base line and paused to celebrate with his teammates before circling the bases.
“I was just saying to myself, `You’re all over that guy. You’re all over that guy. He ain’t got anything,’” said Soto, who moved alongside his manager, Aaron Boone, as the only New York players to homer in an extra-inning, series-clinching win.
Luke Weaver got the final three outs with Lane Thomas flying out for the last one, which was caught by Soto.
“We get to play for a world championship,” Boone said. “That’s pretty sweet.”
The 25-year-old Soto is eligible for free agency this winter, and Yankees fans chanted “Re-sign Soto!” during the postgame festivities. He’s expected to get a contract upwards of $600 million, and his heroics in Game 5 may have raised his price.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and was named ALCS MVP as the Yankees took care of the Guardians in five games. It wasn’t easy.
New York won the first two at Yankee Stadium without much fanfare or any major drama. However, it was a different story in Cleveland as all three games at Progressive Field were nail-biters.
The Guardians rallied to win Game 3 on two, two-run homers in their last two at-bats, and the Yankees held on to win Game 4 after blowing a four-run lead.
“This was a rollercoaster and we were able to just keep punching back,” Stanton said. “We know there’s much more work to do and it’s only uphill from here and we got to get it done.”
Cleveland just didn’t have enough and a surprising season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt ended just short of a World Series. The franchise remains without a title since 1948, baseball’s current longest drought.
“There’s only one team that gets to win the last game of the year, and unfortunately it’s not going to be us,” Vogt said. “But we accomplished a lot as a group. We got better. We worked extremely hard. I couldn’t be more proud of this group. We just didn’t get quite as far as we wanted to.”
The Yankees are back in the World Series, back where their fans expect them to be every year.
The club’s 82-80, fourth-place finish in the AL East last season led to some “soul searching as an organization” during the winter, according to Boone, who has been widely criticized but is one of just three managers to take New York to playoffs in six of his first seven seasons.
While the team’s core stayed mostly intact, getting Soto in a blockbuster trade on Dec. 7 — New York sent five players to San Diego for the three-time All-Star — accelerated the team returning to title contender.
“That was a good day,” Boone said with a laugh before the game.
Stanton’s 446-foot rocket into the left-field bleachers tied it at 2 in the sixth and chased Tanner Bibee, who had struck out New York’s dangerous DH in his first two at-bats and held the Yankees scoreless for the first five innings.
It was Stanton’s fourth homer in this series — his third in three days — and his 16th in the postseason, moving him into fourth place on the club’s career list behind Bernie Williams (22), Derek Jeter (20) and Mickey Mantle (18).
Before the game, Boone was asked what makes Stanton so good.
“He can hit it harder than anyone, first of all,” Boone said. “So there’s the physical nature of what he does that’s different than just about everyone in the world.”
But Boone went on to compliment Stanton’s discipline at the plate, “his approach, his process, how he studies guys.”
“There’s something that he does when he gets familiarity with people on top of being very physically gifted,” Boone said.
The Guardians took a 2-0 lead in the fifth off Carlos Rodón on Steven Kwan’s RBI single with two outs. But Cleveland missed a big chance for more, leaving the bases loaded when Lane Thomas grounded out on the first pitch to him from Mark Leiter Jr.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: LHP Nestor Cortes (elbow strain) had another successful live batting practice session. The reliever remains on track to join the Yankees on their World Series roster. Boone said Cortes would throw again early next week. Cortes went 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA in 30 starts.
