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Canucks ‘not going to quit now’ despite squandering critical point – Sportsnet.ca

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VANCOUVER — Bruce Boudreau said his team had one Mulligan left to play. The Vancouver Canucks just didn’t expect to have to use it on the shortest par-three they had left.

The Ottawa Senators, 23 points behind the Canucks and out of the National Hockey League playoff race for months, rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Vancouver 4-3 in a shootout Tuesday at Rogers Arena.

Winners of six straight, the Canucks badly needed to extend their streak to seven but squandered a 2-0 lead, one point and an opportunity. They weren’t going to win their final 12 games of the regular season, but using their Mulligan against the Senators means the Canucks may need to sweep a daunting road trip to Minnesota and Calgary that starts Thursday against the Wild.

With five games remaining, the Canucks are four points out of a wildcard spot in the Western Conference and five points behind the third-place Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division.

“We still have to win,” Boudreau said. “I mean, nothing’s really changed. We were going to be allowed one Mulligan somewhere along the road. We were thinking that it might be on the road trip. But so now we just have to go back and, you know what, we’ve responded really well in the past.

“We would have liked to have two points, no doubt. It makes things a little bit more difficult. But, I mean, we’ve just got to move on here. Put that one behind you and give Ottawa credit. They played really hard, played really well.”

Yes, the Senators did, and especially their goalie Filip Gustavsson, who made 34 saves before stopping four of five Canucks in the shootout.

But Vancouver still led 2-0 after the first period and, when Alex Formenton scored for Ottawa to halve the deficit at 4:04 of the second frame, the Canucks had at least a half-dozen Grade-A scoring chances over the final 15 minutes of the middle period to extend their lead and possibly bury the Senators.

It was in goal where the Senators won it, which is ironic because the Canucks brought star starter Thatcher Demko in from the bullpen at the beginning of the second period when backup Jaroslav Halak was unable to continue after appearing to get slashed on his blocker hand during a first-period scramble.

Demko, who has 33 wins this season and is the Canucks MVP, blew the save in the relief of Halak and then blew a chance to win in the shootout when Drake Batherson tied the skills contest in the third round, two rounds before ex-Canuck Adam Gaudette, who did not play a shift in the third period or overtime, scored in Round 5 to end it.

After Miller, who had opened the scoring on the power play with his 30th of the season just 1:55 into the game, beat Gustavsson again in the second round of the shootout, the Canucks’ Elias Pettersson had a chance to win it in Round 3 but was stopped.

“It was pretty unrealistic to think you’re going to win 13 games in a row to get in the playoffs,” Miller said. “We got a point, from behind there. We had a lot of chances there at the end that easily could have went (in). A lot of chances in the second where we could have kind of broke the game open. Their goalie played really well tonight, but nothing really changes for us. We’ve got to run the table.”

After Parker Kelly barely got the puck under Demko and over the goal-line following a perfect bounce off the end boards to tie it 2-2 at 2:17 of the third period, Formenton gave the Senators their only lead 92 seconds later when he scored beautifully on a breakaway after getting a step on defenceman Luke Schenn.

But Travis Dermott tied it for the Canucks at 6:47, converting a pass out from behind the net by Brock Boeser, who also scored in the first period.

Boeser had a chance to win it in regulation but was stopped by Gustavsson on a rebound, shortly before Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers hit the cross bar.

Starting Halak over Demko for the second half of back-to-back games was clearly the right choice for Boudreau, as Vancouver’s backup stopped all 14 shots he faced in his lone period. But goaltending was still a hot topic after the game.

The Canucks recalled minor-league goalie Spencer Martin earlier Tuesday – a non-COVID illness going through the team kept Alex Chiasson out a second straight game – but Boudreau bristled at questions about Demko’s health.

“I don’t know what we’re all… looking at,” Boudreau said, dropping an F-bomb for which he quickly apologized. “Demko could have played. He was happy to have played, but we were planning on going with Halak the whole time.”

The coach, however, said that Halak’s undisclosed injury will likely keep him from travelling to Minnesota and Calgary.

The Canucks then return home for games next week against Seattle and Los Angeles before ending their regular season next Friday in Edmonton. Like Miller said, they may need to run the table.

“It’s all mental,” he said. “We’ve talked about it before. Everybody’s played a lot of hockey this year in the league. There is no excuse for travel or playing 75 or 80 games; it’s part of what we get paid to do. It’s all mental. If you can mentally wake up and get ready to play this time of year, you’re going to be a step ahead.”

“This is a group that has fought for four-and-a-half months, almost five months now,” Boudreau said. “And they’re not going to quit now.”

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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.

___

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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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