The NHL’s mini docuseries Quest for the Stanley Cup reveals behind-the-scenes footage and mic’d-up moments from these intense playoff battles, and the chirping almost always is the best part. A refreshing dash of colour to contrast the buttoned-down formality of the daily Zoom conference.
In one particularly enjoyable moment from Friday’s episode, which gathers footage from Game 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup final, Tampa Bay Lightning fourth-liner Patrick Maroon is laying into Montreal Canadiens winger Josh Anderson, ironically calling him “tough guy” a couple times before hitting the well-compensated Anderson with the zinger:
“You have the same amount of points as me, buddy. It’s embarrassing,” Maroon says, with glee. “The same amount of points as me! Ha-ha!”
Even if Maroon’s claim isn’t exactly accurate (Maroon has three playoff points to Anderson’s four), every joke contains a nugget of truth.
The Canadiens are getting thwacked 14-5 through three games in this slanted Final, and Anderson is just one of many Montreal weapons with doughnuts on the scoresheet.
So difficult to come by are quality 5-on-5 chances that Montreal coach Dominique Ducharme opted instead to drill down on power-play work Sunday in what threatens to be the club’s final practice of the season.
“We needed to take that time to work on our power play. Sometimes during a round or toward the end of the year, it was hard to do because we didn’t have time. And if we have two power plays tomorrow, we want to make the most out of them,” Ducharme explained.
“We can’t say we’ve had a lot of production there.”
Livestream every game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, blackout-free. Plus get the NHL Draft, Free Agency, Blue Jays & MLB, NBA Playoffs matchups and more.
Whistles have largely gone quiet in the series thus far, with Tampa’s elite 5-on-4 group cashing in on two of seven power plays. Montreal has one power-play strike in six attempts and has been operating at 20.4 per cent in the post-season.
Ducharme swapped out defenceman Erik Gustafasson on the point of the top unit in favour of Jeff Petry. Petry is gaining strength and confidence in his shot, firing nine pucks on net in the past two games.
“Have a positive attitude, still have fun coming into this rink every day and not hang our heads,” Petry said. “We have a big challenge ahead of us. We’ve had a challenging year all year. Just to come in and enjoy it every day has been the message. I think everyone was in good spirits today.”
As fans clamour for the return of Alexander Romanov, and Brett Kulak and Tomas Tatar remain options, Ducharme hinted that more lineup tweaks could be in order for Monday’s Game 4.
“I’m not worried about putting any of our players in the lineup. They’ll be ready to play,” Ducharme said. “For Gustafsson, we’ll see tomorrow. You saw the power play units today, and that’s what it will be tomorrow, but we’ll see for the rest of our lineup.”
Anderson maintains that the mood is “loose and confident” in the Habs dressing room, even as they face the Herculean task of winning four straight games against a team that hasn’t lost four in a row since February of 2020.
“We’re going to do everything we can to stay in this thing and fly out to Tampa on Tuesday,” Anderson asserted.
“We got nothing to lose at this point, so everyone’s gonna be ready for tomorrow night, I can tell you that. We’re not finished yet.”
Teams with a 3-0 lead in the #StanleyCup Final hold an all-time record of 26-1 (.963), with the 1942 Maple Leafs accounting for the only come-from-behind series victory. #NHLStats
While the Canadiens insist they are loose and confident, the Lightning certainly looked that way during Sunday’s well-attended 30-minute optional.
The practice session was punctuated with happy whoops and yodels, playful chirps and goal celebrations. Plenty of them came from Maroon, who could threepeat Monday like some sort of blue-collar Michael Jordan.
“Playoff time is the best part of the year, and we’re loving every second of it,” said Yanni Gourde.
Towards the end of practice, the nets were pulled to the blue lines for a miniature 3-on-3 scrimmage tournament.
When Maroon’s line scored the winning goal, the Big Rig’s arms outstretched high in the air, where Stanley Cups get held.
“I know our mindset is different going into these closeout games as it has [been] in the past,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.
“It’s about winning. It’s not about where you win. And that’s all we care about.”
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.
