A generous schedule helped Canada both find its game legs and win three straight to start the world junior hockey championship in Edmonton.
Time’s up for the host country to develop chemistry and hone its systems.
Canada faces Finland on Thursday in a meeting of 3-0 teams in Pool A.
Top seed in their pool and a favourable quarterfinal matchup is at stake. The loser will face a tough quarterfinal opponent from a deep Pool B.
The top four teams in each pool advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals. Monday’s semifinals are followed by Tuesday’s medal games.
“It’s going to be good to get that game in against Finland and kind of feel out what the rest of the tournament is going to be like,” Canadian defenceman Kaiden Guhle said Wednesday.
“It’ll be a good test for us for sure.”
Arguably in the easier of the two pools, Canada faced lower-ranked countries to open the tournament.
The defending champions thrashed Switzerland 10-0 and short-staffed Germany 16-2, and wasn’t tested much defensively by Slovakia until the third period in a 3-1 win.
The hosts have outscored their opposition 29-3 and outshot it a combined 119-48.
“The last couple games it’s been us really taking it to them and the other teams sitting back and just defending,” Canadian forward Cole Perfetti said.
“It’s going to be good for us heading into the medal rounds to play a team like Finland to get us prepared, to tune up on the defensive side of the game, which we haven’t had to work on as much the last couple games.”
Canada had Wednesday off while Finland blanked Slovakia 6-0.
The Finns are also cruising into the New Year’s Eve matchup against Canada, although with a less gaudy 15-4 goal differential over three games.
“Of course it’s going to be a tough game for us,” Finnish head coach Antti Pennanen said. “They have a lot of good players and are a well-coached team also.
“It’s going to be a big challenge, but I think we’ll be ready for that.”
The majority of Canada’s players hadn’t participated in meaningful games in months before arrival in Edmonton because the COVID-19 pandemic shut down their leagues in March.
Exhibition games against university teams were cancelled after a pair of players tested positive and the entire team underwent a 14-day quarantine midway through Canada’s selection camp.
Short on games as a team, Canada had the luxury of feeling its way into the tournament against weaker opponents.
“Every game so far has been a stepping stone to get us to the top of our game. We’re just improving every single game,” Canadian co-captain and scoring leader Dylan Cozens said.
“To have Finland here as our last game of the round robin, it’s big. They want to take first place. We want to take first place too. It’s going to be a battle.”
Guhle feels Canada has forged an identity since a 1-0 pre-tournament win over Russia.
“Our forecheck is very tough to play against,” the defenceman said. “I think we’re very resilient and very relentless.
“I think we’re just a big, fast team that makes it tough on the other team to play against.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2020.
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.
