The Toronto Maple Leafs visited their closest divisional competitor on Wednesday evening in what was undoubtedly the North Division’s most anticipated matchup to date.
While an early soft goal on Frederik Andersen by Josh Anderson put the Leafs unnecessarily behind the eight-ball, the game very much remained up for grabs until Ilya Mikheyev scored a much-deserved insurance goal early in the third period — a culmination of a Leafs gameplan that stifled the Habs off the rush and limited their quality chances.
While Natural Stat Trick credited the Habs with a determinate edge in Expected Goals For through two periods, the actual unfolding of the game tells a slightly different story in which there were no notable odd-man rushes for Andersen to face.
In this way, defending the blue line was a key part of the Maple Leafs‘ success versus the Habs, and not necessarily for how it was defended by the defensemen. A team effort defensively by the forwards supported the defensemen against quality rush chances.
This is/was done by strong play by the highest forward in the neutral zone who acts as a sort of defensive midfielder: a buffer between the forwards and the defensemen.
Undoubtedly, the most impressive forward in this respect on Wednesday was Ilya Mikheyev. He frequently not only supported a pinching defenseman but also effectively erased a counter-attacking opposition forward, such as in the following example after Muzzin poorly executes a pinch:
This play by Mikheyev is crucial to the Leafs’ defensive success, as they expect any and all of their defensemen to be prepared to pinch. That means one or more forwards play a crucial role in defending the neutral zone (either as F3 or as a defender). The Leafs want to strike a balance between attacking and defending, which means activating defensemen in support of the attack and having forwards deactivate in support of defending the blueline.
In the above play, the Leafs were still down a goal, prompting Muzzin to activate. The ultimate result is a testament to Mikheyev’s skill set of speed, strength, stick, and hockey IQ in the transition game.
In fact, Muzzin should probably take Mikheyev out for a bowl of soup after the support he was given in the game (not one of his best, to say the least) by the Souperman. In the following play a little earlier in the game, another ineffective pinch by Muzzin turns into a highlight-worthy defensive play by Mikheyev, who skates backward, stands his ground, and takes the Canadiens puck carrier out of the play along the boards:
In this game, plays like Mikheyev’s were made aplenty by Leaf forwards, ensuring Leafs defensemen were were not often tasked with defending the blueline in space.
Muzzin was a great beneficiary of an active and conscientious F3 throughout the game. In the example below, Travis Boyd supports the pinch as well as Justin Holl, who on this play shows his acumen for defending in space after (another) failed pinch by Muzzin:
It should be noted that the Montreal Canadiens forwards occasionally let the Leafs off the hook in this game by not attacking the blue line with enough intent. Take the following play, where Nic Petan has identified the situation and positioned himself in the supporting role. Phillip Danault enters the zone and veers away from him towards Muzzin before letting a weak shot go:
In most cases, defending the blueline from a rush attack is a culmination of a turnover, whether it be a failed forecheck or a failed pass in the attacking zone or neutral zone. In the following example, we see a failed forecheck leading to Nic Petan doing an admirable F3 job, Zach Bogosian standing his ground with good movement and a long active stick, while Travis Dermott awkwardly gravitates toward the puck, putting himself in a precarious position when defending the driving Habs winger (Dermott made a similar play later on in the game on a play that was eventually called offside):
Dermott is often credited with excellent gap control, typically around the blueline but also in the neutral zone, where his speed and edges are an asset. In the following play, he finds himself as the last man back defending against a budding counter-attack:
Dermott needs to continue to become reliable in this defensive structure. In his case, it means improving on reading plays and utilizing his unique tools exhibited in the following play after a turnover by Jimmy Vesey. Dermott closes out the attacking Habs forward along the boards, using a strong stick, positioning, and speed to force a dump-in:
In the next play, Morgan Rielly uses his superior speed and edges along with an active stick to defend against a counter-attack off of a turnover. Rielly maintains an excellent gap with the puck carrier, smothering the counter-attack:
What can make Rielly such a consistent threat against the counter-attack is his ability to not only read plays but also be firmly situated in them through his speed and edges. On the following play, after a misplaced pass by Brodie, Rielly uses an active stick and recovery skating speed to hold a high defensive line:
Recovering the puck at or near the attacking blueline is far preferable to defending the blueline from a rush attack or a dump-in. On the following play following a failed forecheck, both Rielly and Brodie nevertheless effectively defend in space using their speed, positioning, and active sticks, with support from Mitch Marner:
A perfect example of how the best way to defend the blueline: Forward pressure stifling a counter-attack in the neutral zone, as demonstrated in the following play by Jason Spezza, supported by Jake Muzzin, with the Leafs nursing a two-goal lead:
In contrast, we can see how too much space between the forwards and defensemen can cause havoc in defending the blueline from a rush attack, whether it involves the defenders sitting too deep or the forwards applying ineffective pressure on the puck:
Upon review, from the point of view of defending the blue line, the Leafs in fact played an excellent team game, especially defensively, regardless of what the shot clock and Expected Goals For metrics suggest.
Leafs defenders hardly had to defend against the rush, as the team as a whole was effectively recovering pucks and defending against the Habs generating speed through the neutral zone. On the occasions when it did happen after a misplaced pass or failed forecheck, Leafs defenders were able to use their speed and sticks, with the help of an F3, to successfully defend.
Take for example this last clip, where we see a tremendous effort by Matthews through the neutral zone, strong positioning from Holl, and finally a puck retrieval by Matthews:
It goes without saying that defensive success requires a team effort at all ends of the ice. The new personnel on defense has helped unlock the ability of the team as a whole to play a strong two-way game. Moreover, the Leafs’ coaching staff is implementing a gameplan that takes advantage of the two-way tools exhibited by key players throughout the lineup, such as the underrated Ilya Mikheyev.
NEW YORK – Toronto Blue Jays reliever Chad Green and Canadian slugger Tyler O’Neill of the Boston Red Sox were named finalists for the Major League Baseball Players’ Association’s American League comeback player award on Monday.
Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet was the other nominee.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. were named player of the year finalists.
The award winners, selected via player voting, will be named Saturday before Game 2 of the World Series.
Green, who missed most of the 2022 and ’23 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was a high-leverage option for the Blue Jays this past season and filled in at closer over the second half of the campaign.
The right-hander converted his first 16 save opportunities and finished the year with a 4-6 record, 17 saves and a 3.21 earned-run average over 53 appearances.
O’Neill, a native of Burnaby, B.C., also endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons in ’22 and ’23.
After being traded to the Red Sox in the off-season, O’Neill set an MLB record by hitting a homer in his fifth straight Opening Day. He finished with 31 homers on the year and had an OPS of .847.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
Alabama’s Mark Sears and North Carolina‘s RJ Davis looked into the possibility of leaving for the NBA before deciding to return for another college season.
Their decisions helped their teams earn top-10 rankings in the AP Top 25 and earned both players some preseason honors, too.
Sears was a near-unanimous selection for The Associated Press preseason All-America men’s basketball team released Monday, earning all but one vote from a 55-person national media panel. Davis was right behind him, nabbing 51 votes.
They were joined by Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, Auburn forward Johni Broome, Arizona guard Caleb Love and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Love and Flagg tied for the final spot, creating a six-man team that includes only the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.
Alabama twin bill
Sears was a key cog in the Crimson Tide’s first trip to the Final Four a year ago, orchestrating one of college basketball’s highest-scoring teams.
The 6-foot-1 guard was named a second-team AP All-America after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He was the first Division I player in 31 years to have 795 points, 150 rebounds, 145 assists and 95 three-pointers in a single season while breaking the Alabama single-season record with 26 games with at least 20 points.
Sears worked out for NBA scouts during the offseason before deciding to return to Alabama, earning the Crimson Tide a No. 2 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25.
“I saw the team that we had and I wanted to be a part of it, and bring home Alabama’s first national championship in basketball,” Sears said.
Across the state at rival Auburn, Broome made a quick decision about his future, announcing in April that he would be back for a fifth season.
The 6-10 forward was a third-team AP All-American last season after averaging 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting nearly 55% from the floor. With an eye on an NBA future, Broome worked hard on his perimeter shooting during the offseason and his return earned Auburn a No. 11 preseason ranking.
“My main goal is a team goal, which is to win the national championship, to make it as far as I can in March Madness,” Broome said. “When a team shines, everyone shines individually.”
Along Tobacco Road
Like Sears, Davis has similar aspirations after opting to return for his fifth season at North Carolina.
The 6-foot guard was an AP All-American last season and the ACC player of the year after averaging 21.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists on a team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Davis enters this year within reach of former North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough’s all-time ACC scoring record.
“I know there’s more work to be done,” Davis said. “I know my jersey’s not going up until I leave. So there’s some more records to break and some more work to be done. I’m satisfied but I’m not satisfied, if that makes sense.”
Up the road at Duke, Flagg was the only underclassman on the preseason All-America team after arriving with tons of hype. The 6-9 swingman was the No. 1-rated high school recruit out of Newport, Maine and has been projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.
Flagg has the skills of a guard, but can also play inside and has worked hard on his perimeter shooting, giving him the potential to be one of college basketball’s most versatile players. He’s part of a stellar recruiting class that has No. 7 Duke eyeing a deep March run.
Big 12 duo
Dickinson was the biggest move in the transfer portal last spring after leaving Michigan for Kansas. The 7-2 center lived up to the billing, averaging 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds while leading the Jayhawks back to the NCAA Tournament.
Love’s decision to return for a second season at No. 10 Arizona has ratcheted up expectations in the desert for the Big 12 rival of Kansas.
The athletic 6-4 guard had a high-scoring career at North Carolina and continued it after transferring to Arizona last season. He was the Pac-12 player of the year and a third-team All-American after averaging 18 points per game and making 92 3-pointers.
Love tested the NBA waters this summer before deciding to return.
“He’s had a very successful college career thus far,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “He’s kind of this last generation of player that’s going to get better with this extra year, and so I just encourage him to take advantage of it.”
____
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and
CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss the rest of Cleveland‘s season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Sunday against Cincinnati, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday.
Watson will soon undergo surgery, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the results of imaging tests taken on his leg.
It’s the second significant injury in two seasons for Watson, who broke the glenoid (socket) bone in his throwing shoulder last year.
The 29-year-old Watson went down without being touched on a draw play late in the first half. His right leg buckled and Watson collapsed to the turf. TV replays showed his calf rippling, consistent with an Achilles injury.
As he laid on the ground, there was cheering by some Cleveland fans, leading to some of Watson’s teammates criticizing that behavior during the team’s fifth straight loss.
The injury is yet another twist in Watson’s divisive stay with the Browns.
Cleveland traded three first-round draft picks to Houston and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million in 2022. The deal came amid Watson being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions. He settled civil lawsuits in all but one of those cases.
Watson was suspended by the NFL for his first 11 games with the Browns and then made just six starts last season before hurting his shoulder.
