Sports

Canucks’ Domingue lands on feet in Vancouver ahead of big stretch run – Sportsnet.ca

Published

5 years ago

February 25, 2020

MONTREAL – The nearest place Louis Domingue could find Monday to watch trade-deadline coverage was a Binghampton, N.Y., bar, which is good because with the season he has had the goalie probably needed a drink

Once a promising future starter in the National Hockey League, Domingue cleared waivers twice and was traded twice this season before landing gratefully with the Vancouver Canucks, who suddenly needed another goalkeeper when Jacob Markstrom reported to work Monday with an injured knee.

Markstrom is out indefinitely, which left backup Thatcher Demko to start Tuesday night against the Montreal Canadiens and for the foreseeable future.

Domingue, 27, gets another NHL chance as Demko’s backup with the Canucks facing their most critical month of games in nearly five years.

“It’s been a lot of ups and downs,” Domingue said after the Canucks’ optional morning skate Tuesday. “My dad always says I’m like a cat because I have so many lives. I find ways, and I think I’ll do that again here.

“Going into yesterday, I was a little bit worried about what my future was going to hold. Ultimately, if you focus on that you’re not going to have success. I’m ready for the challenge. There’s nothing new to me.”

Yes, Domingue has experienced a lot in the last year.

Traded from the Arizona Coyotes to the Tampa Lightning in 2017, Domingue was Andrei Vasilevskiy’s backup last season on a record-breaking team that crashed out of the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

But he lost his NHL spot in Tampa last fall and was sent to the American Hockey League before a November trade with the New Jersey Devils. Domingue earned a promotion back to the NHL, but was twice demoted back to the minors.

With an .882 save percentage in 16 games this season with the Devils and winless in his last six starts for New Jersey, Domingue cleared waivers again on Friday and was sent to minor-league Binghampton and told to await a trade.

It came Monday when the Canucks traded AHL goalie Zane McIntyre to the Devils, who will save a few dollars without Domingue’s one-way NHL salary of $1.15 million. He is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Ironically, Domingue will have a chance to save his career — under Canucks goaltending coach Ian Clark — with the organization the netminder had expected to begin it with.

“At the (2010) draft, it was actually the team that showed the most interest,” Domingue said of the Canucks. “I met with them multiple times and I had great conversations. I thought they were going to draft me, to be honest. It comes full circle. It’s kind of great.”

Under former general manager Mike Gillis, the Canucks did not have a pick until the fourth round of the 2010 draft and eventually chose goalie Jonathan Iilahti in the sixth. Domingue went in the fifth round to the Arizona Coyotes, for whom he played 39 games in 2015-16, and 31 the following season.

Domingue looked like a Canuck on Tuesday, wearing his old blue Lightning gear to match Vancouver colours after asking his dad to bring pads to the rink from the goalie’s house in Montreal. He grew up just east of the city in Saint-Hyacinthe.

“He’s a really good goalie,” Canucks winger J.T. Miller, who played in Tampa last season, said of Domingue. “Last year, every time we needed him to play, we typically got a win out of him. He stepped up big for us. I’m excited to have him. I don’t know what’s going on with Marky myself, but he’s definitely a good guy to have come in.”

Markstrom is having his injured knee re-assessed in Vancouver. There are reports he will be out 3-4 weeks. After missing the playoffs the last four seasons, the Canucks are third in the Pacific Division, three points clear of the playoff cut line with 21 games remaining.

“It’s tough because he’s been so good for us all year,” veteran defenceman Chris Tanev said of Markstrom. “Day in and day out, he’s probably been our best player, so obviously it’s tough. I’m not sure how long he’s going to be out for, but … Thatcher has been good for us all year and he’s going to get the chance to play a lot of games. I think he’s ready for the challenge.”

Home of the Canucks

Stream all 82 Canucks games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more.

The Canucks do not make their starting goalie available to the media the morning of game days.

Demko, 24, is 10-6-2 for the Canucks with a .905 save percentage.

“We’ll deal with it as we go, like we have all year,” Canucks coach Travis Green said. “(Domingue) has experience. He’s been in the league a while. He’s at that age where he can handle different situations. He’s played different types of games, so he’s a good addition.”

But Markstrom has been one of the best goalies in the NHL this season.

His injury could become a tipping point for the Canucks.

“I’m not worried about that at all,” Green said. “In the media and the public eye, when you’re sitting on the outside, there’s lots of time to talk, lots of time to analyze it. The guys in the room, they just play. As much as they love Marky, and love how he’s played and know how valuable he is to the group, they still just worry about playing their best hockey. And they’ve also got a lot of faith in Demmer as well.”

The Canucks visit the Ottawa Senators on Thursday before back-to-back games this weekend in Toronto and Columbus, which could give Domingue his first start for Vancouver.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Source link

Sports

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

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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:

Source link

Sports

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

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.

Source link

Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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).

—

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform

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

Source link