Sports

Capitals lack offense again in Game 3 of Eastern First Round – NHL.com

Published

4 years ago

August 17, 2020

Jakub Vrana leaned over in dejection on the bench, an image emblematic of the Washington Capitals’ frustration following a 2-1 overtime loss to the New York Islanders in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Sunday.

The Capitals forward had a chance to win the game moments earlier on a breakaway at 4:04 of overtime, but Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov saved Vrana’s wrist shot and rebound attempt. Then, Vrana watched Islanders center Mathew Barzal score the winning goal at 4:28 to give New York a 3-0 lead in the best-of-7 series.

“Ultimately, it’s their player executing a play and scoring a goal,” Capitals coach Todd Reirden said. “We had a chance right before that, and we don’t convert. That’s overtime hockey in the playoffs. You get your opportunities, and they were able to convert on theirs.”

[WATCH: All Capitals vs. Islanders highlights]

That’s happened throughout the series. The Islanders have generated more chances and converted on key ones. The Capitals haven’t created or cashed in enough.

So, Washington faces the possibility of being swept by New York and its former coach Barry Trotz, who left after guiding the Capitals to the Stanley Cup in 2018.

Game 4 is in Toronto, the hub city in the East, on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, MSG, MSG+, NBCSWA).

Teams with a 3-0 lead are 190-4 (97.9 percent) winning a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Playoff series. The Los Angeles Kings most recently won a best-of-7 series after losing the first three games, rallying to defeat the San Jose Sharks in the 2014 Western Conference First Round. The Kings went on to win the Stanley Cup.

“Obviously, we’re down 3-0, but you just have to move on,” Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said. “I know it’s a hard situation, but it’s not over yet. … We’re never going to stop believing in it and we’re going to play. L.A. did it. We won the Cup when we were down 2-0 against Columbus (in the first round in 2018), coming back, and we’re going to try.”

Video: Islanders win Game 3 in OT, take 3-0 series lead

Hounded by the Islanders defense pair of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock, Ovechkin was limited to one shot on goal Sunday, and that didn’t come until 15 seconds into overtime. The Capitals finished with 23 shots on goal, including 18 at even strength.

New York has held Washington to five goals in the series, two at even strength. Ovechkin scored both in a 5-2 loss in Game 2 on Friday.

Evgeny Kuznetsov scored the Capitals’ lone goal in Game 3 on the power play, beating Varlamov over the left shoulder from the right circle to tie it 1-1 at 5:50 of the second period.

“I think in order to have success in the playoffs, you need to create that overwhelming feeling for the other team and just come at them in waves,” said Washington forward Tom Wilson, who provided a screen on Kuznetsov’s goal. “The goals don’t come off of one-offs where you score off the rush and stuff. Often, it’s zone time, it’s line after line going out there and making the other team tired, just being relentless. I don’t think for whatever reason we’ve done that yet.”

Wilson had an opportunity to give the Capitals the lead on a shorthanded breakaway 11:53 into the second period, but he had trouble with a rolling puck and shot wide left. That missed opportunity, along with the two in overtime by Vrana (who has no points in six games after scoring an NHL career high 25 goals during the regular season), seemed to suggest the Capitals might be pressing on the rare quality chances they create against the Islanders’ diligent defense.

“I don’t think there’s any excuses,” Wilson said. “Sometimes it’s not clean, but you’ve got to do whatever you can to put it in the net. So, if we’re not generating a ton, when we do get our good looks we’ve got to make them count, and obviously I would have liked to put that [shorthanded chance] in the net.”

Washington was second in the NHL in averaging 3.42 goals per game during the regular season. Including their three round-robin games in Stanley Cup Qualifiers, the Capitals have scored 10 goals in six games, including six at even strength.

They have not scored more than two goals in any postseason game.

“At least we are getting those opportunities now where we weren’t in the first game or two of the series and started to get more as the game went on today,” Reirden said. “And if you get enough of those and you believe in yourself and you believe in your team and the skill level that we have, we are going to convert those. Now we are just all focused on getting one win here and moving on from there.”

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