VANCOUVER – On the night of their lives, Henrik and Daniel Sedin began the ceremony to retire their numbers by sending their best wishes to Jay Bouwmeester and his family.
And if you knew nothing about the Sedins’ Hall of Fame careers with the Vancouver Canucks, those five seconds would largely explain why the identical twins from Sweden are so admired and beloved here, and why the retirement of their numbers, 22 and 33, on Wednesday was one of the great nights for a franchise that has had little to cheer about the last few years.
Bouwmeester, an old rival and admirer of the Sedins, collapsed Tuesday during a game for the St. Louis Blues, but was reported by the club to be doing “very well” after a cardiac incident.
You can choreograph ceremony, but you can not manufacture emotion, let alone the love that poured down from the stands at Rogers Arena — which was full 100 minutes before the Canucks somehow beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0 — and washed over Daniel, Henrik and guests, which included virtually all of their most famous and revered teammates.
Trevor Linden, muscled out as president two years ago, drew a deafening roar far bigger than the criticism he endured while helping lead the transformation of the Canucks into the young, dynamic, playoff-contending team that has emerged this season as surprise leaders of the National Hockey League’s Pacific Division.
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But the most poignant moment was Ryan Kesler’s introduction and the huge cheer he received after spending the last six years – since he forced, then lied about, his trade from Vancouver to the Anaheim Ducks — despised in Canucks Nation.
“It was amazing,” Kesler said. “I was nervous before and to get that ovation … it gave me goosebumps. I almost started tearing up. To have the fans stand up and cheer like they used to was a pretty special feeling I’ll never forget.”
After all this emotion, the Canucks had to play a game.
They looked early on like a team that prepared to play by sitting at the bench for 45 minutes riding the waves of emotions generated by the Sedins’ jerseys retirement. The Blackhawks outshot them 13-0 before Quinn Hughes tumbled a muffin into Chicago goalie Corey Crawford at the 10-minute mark.
It seemed like the best Vancouver player might be Kevin Bieksa, the retired Canuck who owned the room when he brilliantly spoke with humour and obvious fondness – also without notes – about the Sedins and other former teammates during the pre-game ceremony.
“Every time I mentioned (Alex) Burrows, people just started laughing,” Bieksa said later.
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Actually, he was only the second-best Canuck because Vancouver’s active goaltender, Jacob Markstrom, was better than anyone should be at the NHL level.
He finished with 49 saves, breaking Kirk McLean’s 28-year-old franchise record for most saves without allowing a goal.
It was ridiculous how good Markstrom was as he upped his Vezina Trophy-calibre season yet another level.
Vancouver was outshot 49-20 and won by three.
The Canucks’ first two goals were deliciously Sedin-like: crisp, pretty passing plays that left Bo Horvat with an open shot from the low slot to make it 1-0 on a power play at 15:33 of the first period, and Adam Gaudette with a largely open net in the second after Vancouver defenceman Jordie Benn steamrolled Drake Caggiula from behind to create a turnover and sudden 3-on-2 in front of Crawford.
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Brandon Sutter swept the puck into an empty net from 150 feet to make it 3-0 with 2:09 remaining.
But before he did, Markstrom made terrific saves against Dominik Kubalik, Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews.
Toews and Patrick Kane combined for 13 shots and 44 minutes of ice time, and Markstrom gave them nothing.
It’s like the outcome was preordained in honour of the Sedins, who finished playing nearly two years ago, but avidly follow the Canucks from their homes in Vancouver while devoting themselves to their kids and families.
“You know why the Sedins have had such a smooth transition to civilian life?” Linden said. “They were husbands and fathers and friends, good people first, and hockey players second. A lot of guys identify as hockey players, and they find it difficult to transition when they aren’t hockey players anymore. Daniel and Henrik always had their priorities straight.”
In his retirement address to the twins, made on behalf of teammates, Bieksa noted that the Sedins’ impact on the Canucks organization will far outlive their playing careers, which lasted 18 years.
“There’s Sedin culture to this organization,” Bieksa said, noting the brothers’ values and standards have been passed on to team leaders, such as Markstrom, Horvat, Alex Edler and Chris Tanev.
“And I’ve already seen them pass it along to Petey (Elias Pettersson) and Quinn and Brock (Boeser). And they’ll pass it along to the next generation of players and in 20 years, there will still be a Sedin flavour to this organization and the Sedin culture in that dressing room. That will transcend any on-ice statistics that they have.”
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.
