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Fantilli leads Canada to world hockey gold-medal game with 1st goal of tourney

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Forward Adam Fantilli, a projected top-five pick in next month’s NHL draft, scored at 8:56 of the third period to lift Canada to a 4-2 semifinal victory over host Latvia at the men’s world hockey championship on Saturday.

The win sealed the Canadians’ place in Sunday’s gold-medal game, where they will face Germany, which beat the United States 4-3 in overtime in the other semifinal.

The 18-year-old Fantilli fooled a defenceman before netting his first goal of the tournament with 11:04 to go as Canada took a 3-2 lead.

The assist for the game winner came from Milan Lucic, and Fantilli said after the game it was surreal to get an assist from a player he’s watched all his life.

“I was in the middle of a one-on-one and tried to make a move and ended up getting a shooting opportunity and it ended up going in,” Fantilli said. “I’m really happy about it.”

 

Fantilli’s beauty sends Canada to gold-medal game at hockey worlds

 

Adam Fantilli’s outstanding goal in the third period gives Canada the lead and they go on to defeat Latvia 4-2 in the semifinals at the men’s world hockey championship.

Samuel Blais, Jack Quinn and Scott Laughton also scored for Canada whose goaltender Samuel Montembeault made 20 saves.

Canada had to twice come back from a goal down to reach its fourth straight final.

“We stuck with it and needed some character after they scored the first goal, and I think the boys did a great job. [Jack Quinn] scored a big, big goal for us, and Fantilli’s goal will be a highlight for a long time,” said head coach André Tourigny. “There was no panic on our bench, and I think the commitment from our team was exceptional today.”

Latvia’s goals came through Dans Locmelis and Rudolfs Balcers.

Germany forces OT with 83 seconds on clock

Germany scored a late equalizer and then upset the United States in overtime Saturday to set up the final.

Frederik Tiffels scored with 2:28 left in overtime to give Germany a 4-3 win over the Americans in the semifinals.

Germany reached the final for the first time since 1992, when the playoff format was introduced at the world championship.

The Germans pulled goaltender Mathias Niederberger when they were down 3-2 late in the third period and Marcel Noebels equalized with a backhand shot with 1:23 remaining to force overtime.

 

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PWHL MVP Spooner set to miss start of season for Toronto Sceptres due to knee injury

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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.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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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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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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AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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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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