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Canadiens rediscover identity with complete team effort in win over Jets – Sportsnet.ca

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They were wise words from a long-time pro scout, offered to me ahead of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and they resonate right now.

“It’s the team that sticks most to its identity that usually wins,” he said.

And the team that strays too far from it gets embarrassed, like the Montreal Canadiens did in their 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday. They were rested, prepared properly for the game, but every single player seemed to be looking to the person next to them to do the job instead of trying to get it done themselves.

So, some other words resonate after Montreal’s 4-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. The ones Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme said earlier in the day about the team not being constructed to be able to depend on just two or three guys to win games.

“We need everyone,” he said.

The Jets don’t. They have Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Nikolaj Ehlers and Pierre-Luc Dubois—bona fide superstars. They have forward Kyle Connor and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, two of the three best Connors in the NHL, who kept them in this game on their own and gave them a chance to win it—one of them with two goals that staggered the Canadiens and the other with incredible save after incredible save, including one on a Brendan Gallagher penalty shot.

But the Canadiens are built on depth, and they leaned on it for what might be considered the most crucial win of their season to date—one that keeps them above the Flames and in pursuit of the Jets, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs in the standings.

Ducharme made several key adjustments to get the team-game back in order. He pulled Victor Mete and plugged Xavier Ouellet onto his third defence pairing with Alexander Romanov. He broke apart his best duo to reunite Jeff Petry with Brett Kulak, who played outstanding as a pair in those bubble playoffs, and he had Joel Edmundson partner up with Shea Weber to handle some of the heavy minutes against those lethal Jets forwards.

The coach also had Josh Anderson and Jonathan Drouin play with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and put Nick Suzuki between Brendan Gallagher and Tyler Toffoli. He pulled Artturi Lehkonen out and played Jake Evans in his spot on the wing. And he put in motion some set faceoff plays as one of the final of several tactical changes he’s wanted to institute since taking over for Claude Julien close to three weeks ago.

And the Canadiens went out and played the way they’re supposed to. Not perfectly, but very much to their identity—as a hard-working, fast-skating, in-your-face team. One that supports the puck and the play all over the ice.

“The communication wasn’t there, the support wasn’t there and those are the things that, when we do that, we have success,” said Anderson less than 24 hours after Saturday’s loss. “I can guarantee you (Monday) everyone’s going to be flying out there and ready to go because we have to.”

Anderson lit the match, diving on a loose puck to give Drouin and Kotkaniemi the play they connected on to give the Canadiens the all-important early 1-0 lead. He then stoked the fire with his first power-play goal of the season, making it 2-0 in the sixth minute of the second period.

Brendan Gallagher poured the gasoline on to force Neal Pionk into a turnover that Tyler Toffoli took advantage of to score his 16th goal of the season and give the Canadiens a 3-1 lead. And Toffoli added his 17th with an empty-netter to seal the deal with 48 seconds remaining.

In between and all throughout, Carey Price played like the Carey Price we’ve seen for most of the 699 other games he’s started in the NHL—calm and in control, with 34 saves to show for his efforts.

“About Carey,” said Anderson, “He stood in there all night for us. He played absolutely amazing, and what a milestone for him tonight to get that win.”

Price, Anderson, Drouin, Kotkaniemi, Gallagher, Toffoli and Ducharme played the leading roles, but the whole cast was worthy of a curtain call.

“I liked what we did collectively,” said Ducharme, “starting with our goaltender, to the defencemen, to the forwards.”

Ouellet and Romanov played under 14 minutes, but they were steady and assertive. Kulak played over 20 and unquestionably had his best game of the year.

Montreal’s fourth line played effectively, while its third line—centred by Phillip Danault fighting through an injury—controlled 50 per cent of the shot attempts at 5-on-5 despite starting 66 per cent of its shifts outside of the offensive zone.

“(Danault) was really solid,” said Ducharme. “He was skating well, he was hard on pucks. That’s where he’s got his best game is when he moves like this and he’s making those little and hard plays. And he gets the puck out, he gets the puck more often in the offensive side…”

Suzuki, who scored 12 points in his first 12 games of the season before scoring just five over his next 15, had an assist on Anderson’s goal. He got throttled against the Flames Saturday and pushed around by the Jets Monday, and he pushed back.

“It’s awesome to see,” said Drouin of the 21-year-old. “Maybe he’s fighting the puck a little bit or he’s not playing his best hockey, but he’s working hard. He’s fighting through it. I thought today he played a great game…you can see the confidence coming back a little bit. It’s normal when you’re a young guy—when things aren’t going well, you’re trying to force it, but it’s not really the play. But I thought tonight he just worked hard.

“He’s a good player, so teams are going to target him a little bit. They know he’s one of our good players, but again, he answered back and he’s fighting.”

The Canadiens had to answer back and fight after a bad loss to the Flames. They had to recapture their identity and play to it.

Anderson believed they’d do it. So did Gallagher.

“I have a lot of confidence in this group, I have a lot of confidence in the players we have to get the job done,” he said on Sunday. “And I think what gives me that confidence is we have a lot of guys that, when we go through tough times, respond the right way.”

That’s what the Canadiens did in this game, and what they have to do in another key matchup with the Jets Wednesday before returning to Montreal for back-to-back games against the Vancouver Canucks to close the week.

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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November 8, 2024

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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.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

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.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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November 8, 2024

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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.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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November 8, 2024

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Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

—

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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