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Canada's Einarson has 2-2 record after opening weekend of curling worlds – TSN

Published

3 years ago

March 21, 2022

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Another day, another split for Canada’s Kerri Einarson at the women’s world curling championship as the host country emerged from opening weekend with a 2-2 record.

Einarson and teammates were on their game in an 8-4 doubling of Turkey, but less precise in a subsequent 11-3 loss to defending champion Switzerland on Sunday.

After giving up a steal of four in the sixth end, the Canadians shook hands with Silvana Tirinzoni’s Swiss foursome that’s chasing a third straight world title.

Canada’s second day of the preliminary round day resembled Saturday when the Manitoba rink dominated Italy in its first game and then lost to Norway.

“It’s not what we wanted to start off with, but it is what it is,” Einarson said. “We’re getting there and we aren’t panicking.”

Canada’s lone game Monday is against Denmark’s Madeleine Dupont (2-1).

While Einarson relishes playing in front of Canadian fans in Prince George, B.C., in the first “normal” world curling championship since the COVID-19 pandemic began two years ago, the virus remains a sport disrupter.

Scotland withdrew from the 13-country field Sunday because two more players tested positive for the virus in addition to skip Rebecca Morrison and alternate Fay Henderson, who were infected before the tournament started.

“That’s a team’s worst nightmare,” Einarson said. “I just hope that they’re not too sick. All of us feel really bad for them because we would never want anyone to get sick.”

Gina Aitken skipped a three-woman Scottish team in losses to the Swiss and the Czech Republic.

Substitute player Beth Farmer arrived Sunday from Scotland intending to play in the evening against Denmark, but two more players on the roster with the virus meant the Scots would not continue.

“It has been agreed with the organizers that Team Scotland will not take part in any further matches in order to protect the safety of our athletes, our staff, all other competitors and those involved in the event, as well as to maintain the integrity of the 2022 World Championships,” Scottish Curling said on its website Sunday.

“Arrangements are currently underway to organize the team’s return to Scotland as soon as it is safe and possible for them to do so.”

Scotland’s remaining opposition — Canada was scheduled to play them Wednesday afternoon — win those games by forfeit. Teams will do their pre-game, button draw because it is a tiebreaker factor, before a 30-minute practice in the time slots vacated by Scotland.

Switzerland, South Korea and Japan (3-0) topped the standings Sunday ahead of Sweden, the United States, Norway and the Danes at 2-1. Canada was alone at 2-2 followed by the Czech Republic (1-2) and the winless Germans, Italians and Turks.

Einarson’s shooting percentage was 100 per cent against Turkey. The host country was quicker to adjust to the ice conditions than they were in a 6-4 loss to the Norwegians the previous evening.

But missed hits in the first and third ends against the Swiss gave Alina Paetz, who throws fourth stones for Tirinzoni, open draws for three points for a 6-2 lead.

Einarson’s Gimli Curling Club team was 1-3 after the first two days of last year’s world championship in Calgary.

“I think we had hoped to maybe have a three and one record, but I think there’s lots of event left,” second Shannon Birchard said. “We learned that last year, and we’re in a better spot than we were last year.”

Tirinzoni won her second world crown in Calgary’s bubble and her first three years ago in Silkeborg, Denmark. The 2020 championship in Prince George was cancelled because of the pandemic.

The Swiss are coming off a disappointing Olympic Games. After topping the standings in the preliminary round, Tirinzoni lost both the semifinal and the bronze-medal game in Beijing.

“It’s almost like we need to come back out after the Olympics just to kind of get on the winning road again,” the Swiss skip said

There were 1,527 fans at the CN Centre – a nearly 6,000-seat arena – to watch Sunday’s late draw that included Canada versus Switzerland.

“We haven’t played in front of a crowd for almost two years now,” said Tirinzoni. “This was . . . fantastic. They were cheering for them, but they were fair. They were also like, applauding for us. It was really special actually, just to hear the people making some noise.”

The top six teams at the conclusion of the round robin Friday advance to the playoff round. The top two earn byes to Saturday’s semifinals with third through six playing off to join them. The medal games are Sunday.

Malfunctioning handles in the curling stones in Prince George meant hog-line violations went to the honour system Sunday.

The same problem occurred in Beijing, although the World Curling Federation stones used at the CN Centre are a different set.

Sensors in each stone’s handle determine whether the rock is released before touching the hog-line. A green light indicates a legal delivery, while a red light indicates a violation and the stone gets pulled.

For the rest of the women’s championship, it will be up to players to call any violations as was the case midway through men’s and women’s team curling in Beijing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2022.

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Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M

Published

7 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.

Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.

He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.

Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.

Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.

Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.

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Veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin lead Canada’s team at WXV rugby tournament

Published

8 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.

WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).

Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.

“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.

“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”

Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.

Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.

Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.

Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.

The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.

Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.

The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.

WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.

The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.

Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad

Forwards

Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);

Backs

Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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Vancouver Canucks star goalie Thatcher Demko working through rare muscle injury

Published

8 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.

The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.

He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.

Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.

He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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