Game #1 Review: Toronto Maple Leafs 5 vs. Montreal Canadiens 4 (OT) - Maple Leafs Hot Stove | Canada News Media
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Game #1 Review: Toronto Maple Leafs 5 vs. Montreal Canadiens 4 (OT) – Maple Leafs Hot Stove

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Leafs hockey is back, baby.

1.  This was an opener that had a bit of everything going on; nine goals total, multiple deficits overcome by the Leafs — 1-0, 3-1 down, 4-3 down — a message-sending fight by Wayne Simmonds in his debut, budding hatred (Simmonds, Chariot, Anderson, even Matthews — on Chariot — and Weber all got heated). There were lots of power plays both ways in the first 40 minutes, followed by a progressively sloppy track meet in the third, followed by 3-on-3 OT at its wildest and sloppiest. Couldn’t have asked for a more entertaining first night back.

2.  Feels ungrateful to be anything but positive and upbeat about the return of hockey, so apologies for the brief downer note: Sorely missed the SBA reactions to the Thornton introduction, the Simmonds introduction (and fight), and the comeback efforts. Soon, we can only hope.

3.  You can debate if the fight played a direct role in the comeback, but I don’t think you can dispute that this was a needed aspect of improving team culture: a Leaf who, sensing a game might be getting away, plants himself hard in front of the opposition net, draws the fight, ends the fight with a few bombs, and sends a message directly to the bench that we don’t roll over and go quietly into the night, especially not in a home opener.

After a slow start to the game, Wayne Simmonds got his footing and established more of a presence on the forecheck in the second period as well.

4.  Not sure what the expectation could reasonably be as far as preparation and structure in such a unique regular-season opening set of circumstances, but the Leafs weren’t the more prepared team through 35 minutes, to be sure. A flurry of penalties, including a too-many-men call, multiple breakaways against on a single second-period PK — one off a horrendous line change (by Jake Muzzin in particular) for the 3-1 Tomas Tatar goal — and some poor sort-outs off lost defensive zone draws, the execution wasn’t what you would call sharp.

Keefe after the game: “First game at that tempo, it was an emotional comeback win… I’m not going to be nitpicky. We’ll look to get better every day.” Fair enough for now.

5.  Those paid to be the difference makers were the difference-makers for the Leafs, as their game-breakers up front took over in the final 30 minutes — specifically Tavares (1g,  2a), Nylander (2g, 1a), and Matthews (1a, 7 SOG). Starting with the captain, getting beat by Josh Anderson while covering for a Zach Bogosian pinch aside, John Tavares got the ball rolling for the Leafs with a faceoff win and goalie screen for the 1-1 Nylander goal. He was really determined at the net-front all game, including for his 3-3 tying goal on the doorstep on the power play, he finished checks, made good decisions with the puck throughout the night, and his skating legs looked refreshed. I’ve been betting on a Tavares bounce-back year this season — great start in that regard.

6.  Lots of cement legs and doubled over players late on, but Auston Matthews looked like he could’ve played another 10 min TOI. Don’t think 18 minutes through two periods is exactly where you want him every night, but his conditioning (down 10 pounds) looks excellent on top of everything else about his game. Saw some talk out there — including on the broadcast tonight — that Phil Danault has an ability to keep a lid on Matthews; Matthews owned 77% of the possession in that matchup.

7.  For those who don’t remember the kind of goal-scoring form William Nylander was in last season after his just-okay first 10 games: He now has 29 goals in his last 52 regular-season appearances. The heads-up patience on his 3-2 goal, exploiting the time and space available until he picked his spot, made scoring goals in the NHL look deceptively easy. He was the player on the ice on many of his shifts tonight: heavy on his stick, winning back pucks, and the puck was flying off his stick with minimal wind-up.

8.  The result was more about the brilliant individual performances for the Leafs, and the play of the big duos up front (Tavares – Nylander, Matthews – Marner) than any three-man line you felt like was really gelling and rolling as a unit.

There is a lot to sort out here, still, and it’s too early to make too many firm evaluations. My premature feel on it is that Zach Hyman is going to work his way to L1 more or less full time — already is periodically throughout the game, as expected, but too much of what he generates off the forecheck is probably wasted on that line — Ilya Mikheyev should find a place next to Tavares and Nylander, Nick Robertson isn’t going to be held out by Jimmy Vesey and Alex Barbanov for very long at LW (either that, or Alex Kerfoot shifts over), and the big unit on the PP will return more or less full time. I thought Jumbo kept up fine in over 17 minutes of ice time in a track-meet of a 60 minutes, but they’re likely going to have to build a third line that Thornton can thrive on for a 13-15 minute workload, one that can establish a bit of a slower cycle identity.

The evaluation period is only just beginning at the bottom of the roster, too, with Alex Barabanov hardly a factor at 5 minutes a change, Zach Bogosian limited to 10 minutes after a couple of bad penalties, and Travis Dermott second-best in too many puck battles (12:34 TOI).

9.  Morgan Rielly was vibrant offensively and the OT hero after a regulation performance that had its fair share of adventurous moments. I’m no less optimistic on the pairing through one game. TJ Brodie looks like he’s going to provide a steadying presence that should really benefit Rielly’s game more nights than not — good feet and stick positioning, dependable decision making with the puck, situationally aware in the d-zone.

It was adventurous at times, as mentioned, but we’re always fair here: Rielly’s defensive play on the Montreal 2 on 1 late in the second period on the Leafs’ power play — a chance to break the Leafs’ backs with a shorthanded goal against — was an unsung play in the flow of the game. The sweep check to take away the shot and pass was textbook, and it’s something he’s improved on in recent seasons. That set the stage for the 3-3.

10.  This game reminded me of a lot of 2019-20 Frederik Andersen performances in this sense: Was there any one goal that hung squarely on his shoulders? No. Do you wish there was an extra save in there somewhere along the way? Yes. The Leafs gave him the run support, though, and the breakaway saves on Drouin in regulation and Danault in OT were game-savers.


Game Flow: 5v5 Shot Attempts


Heat Map: 5v5 Shot Attempts


Game Highlights

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Armstrong scores, surging Vancouver Whitecaps beat slumping San Jose Earthquakes 2-0

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VANCOUVER – As the Major League Soccer season ticks down, Vanni Sartini wants his Vancouver Whitecaps to make a declaration — the team is ready to compete.

“The time of hiding ourselves, I think it’s over,” the coach said after the ‘Caps earned a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.

“We need to really say that we are here to try to be at the ball until the end and trying to shoot for the highest position. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to make it, but we have the quality to do it.”

With seven games left on their regular-season schedule, the ‘Caps (13-8-6) sit in fifth spot in the congested Western Conference, just two points out of fourth.

Saturday’s loss officially eliminated the last-place Earthquakes (5-21-2) from post-season action.

Vancouver has been on a hot streak since returning from the Leagues Cup break and is unbeaten (3-0-1) in its last four outings across all competitions. The team has not allowed a goal in those matches.

“It’s the fact that we play really well,” Sartini said of the clean sheets. “We have the ball a lot, we finish our attack most of the time in their box. So it’s really hard for the other team to attack us. And then when they attack us, in the rare times that they arrive in the final third, we’re very solid.”

Recent additions have bolstered the team’s ranks, including the club’s newest designated player, Stuart Armstrong. The 32-year-old Scottish midfielder scored his first MLS goal Saturday.

Three minutes after coming on as a substitute for Alessandro Schopf, Armstrong gave Vancouver a two-goal cushion in the 87th minute.

Midfielder Pedro Vite dished a short pass to ‘Caps captain Ryan Gauld, who tapped it toward Armstrong. The former Southampton FC player then blasted a shot into the top of the net for his first strike in a Whitecaps’ jersey.

He was mobbed by teammates in the corner of the field.

“I think everyone was happy. Also for the first goal, but also that it was an important three points,” said Armstrong, who signed with the ‘Caps on Sept. 3.

“It kind of felt a little bit like last week, when we had a lot of chances and we didn’t get the three points. So today, I think everyone was just relieved to have that two-goal cushion.”

Vancouver was the dominant team from the outset Saturday and did not relent, outshooting the visitors 19-5 and controlling 54.1 per cent of possession.

Fafa Picault also found the back of the net for Vancouver, while Gauld contributed a pair of assists.

Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped both shots he faced to collect his seventh clean sheet of the year, while Daniel made nine saves for the Quakes.

Gauld and Picault teamed up in the 22nd minute when Gauld curled a cross in and the Haitian striker headed it down toward the net, only to see Daniel catch a piece of the shot with his forearm and redirect it out of harm’s way.

The duo connected again in the 35th minute on a Vancouver corner. Gauld swung a ball in and Picault jumped up from the pack to send a glancing header in past Daniel for his ninth MLS goal of the season.

San Jose briefly appeared to level the score in the 68th minute when an unmarked Ousseni Bouda collected the ball, froze Takaoka and tapped a shot into the Vancouver net. An official quickly raised the offside flag and waved off the tally.

Daniel kept San Jose’s deficit to a single goal with a pair of solid stops in the 82nd minute.

First, the Brazilian ‘keeper dove sideways on his line to tip away a bomb from Alessandro Schopf. He was tested again on the ensuing corner and jumped up to send a header from Picault over the crossbar.

“I think we created a lot of chances again,” Gauld said.

“We probably should have put the game out of their reach sooner. But we’d be more worried if we weren’t creating the chances. Three clean sheets in a row in the league, I think it’s a big thing for us. And it gives us a good platform to go forward.”

NOTES

Vancouver played without leading scorer Brian White for a third consecutive game as the American striker works his way back from a concussion. … Gauld’s second assist marked his 15th goal contribution (six goals, nine assists) in his last 15 Whitecaps games across all competitions. … An announced crowd of 21,309 took in the game at B.C. Place.

UP NEXT

The Whitecaps kick off a two-game road swing Wednesday against the Houston Dynamo. The Earthquakes host the Seattle Sounders the same night.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.

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Liverpool ‘not good enough’ says Arne Slot after shock loss against Nottingham Forest

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MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Not good enough. That was Arne Slot’s verdict after his first defeat as Liverpool manager on Saturday.

A shock 1-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League ended Slot’s perfect record since succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Anfield at the end of last season.

“We had a lot of ball possession but only managed to create three (or) four quite good chances, so that is by far not enough if you have so much ball possession,” said the Dutchman, who suggested his team should not be losing to the likes of Forest.

“If you lose a home game it’s always a setback, especially if you face a team … we never know, maybe they will go all the way to fight for Champions League tickets, but normally this team is not ending up in the top 10, so if you lose a game against them that’s a big disappointment.”

Slot won his first three games in charge, including a memorable 3-0 victory against Manchester United before the international break.

But that run came to an end after Callum Hudson-Odoi struck in the 72nd with a curling effort from the edge of the box and beyond goalkeeper Alisson.

Liverpool’s defeat leaves Manchester City as the only team with a 100% record in the league after a 2-1 win against Brentford kept the defending champion at the top of the table.

United won at Southampton 3-0 to end its two-game losing streak.

Unstoppable Haaland

Erling Haaland moved to 99 goals for City after scoring twice against Brentford.

The Norwegian’s double came after Yoane Wissa fired Brentford ahead with just 22 seconds on the clock.

Haaland scored his 98th and 99th goals in his 103rd City appearance in all competitions. And he was the width of the post away from his third consecutive hat trick after trebles against Ipswich and West Ham.

“He’s been really, really good. Yeah, I would say he’s the best (he’s been), but it’s only four fixtures (this season),” City manager Pep Guardiola said.

Haaland, who has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, has nine goals in four league games. He has topped the league scoring charts in each of his two seasons at City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for $63 million.

Haaland’s first goal after 19 minutes evened the game following Wissa’s opener, which stunned the Etihad Stadium crowd. Haaland turned and swept a shot past goalkeeper Mark Flekken after a slight deflection off Ethan Pinnock.

He was then too strong for Pinnock when shaking off the defender and running through for his second in the 32nd.

He was inches away in the 81st; the shot came back off the post after beating the keeper.

Rashford snaps run

Marcus Rashford snapped a 12-game barren run in front of goal as United beat Southampton.

Rashford doubled United’s lead at Saint Mary’s after Matthijs de Ligt’s scored his first for the club. Substitute Alejandro Garnacho scored a third in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

The win came after back-to-back defeats for United.

Rashford hadn’t scored since March in United’s win over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals. He curled in a shot from the edge of the area to put Erik ten Hag’s team 2-0 up at Southampton in the 41st minute.

Ten Hag said it could be a turning point for the forward.

“For every striker, they want to be on the scoring list. Once the first is in, more is coming. Like a ketchup bottle, once it’s going, it’s coming more,” he said.

De Ligt, who joined United from Bayern Munich in the offseason, headed in from Bruno Fernandes’ cross in the 35th.

It could have been a different story if Cameron Archer converted a penalty for Southampton in the 33rd. Instead, his effort was saved by goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Newly promoted Southampton was reduced to 10 men when Jack Stephens was sent off in the 79th for a high challenge on Garnacho.

Villa comeback

After three straight defeats to start the league, Everton looked set for its first win when leading Aston Villa 2-0.

Goals from Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put Sean Dyche’s team in control until Ollie Watkins struck twice to even the game.

Jhon Duran completed Villa’s comeback and sealed a 3-2 win in the 76th to leave Everton rooted to the bottom of the table and the only top flight team without a point.

Late drama

Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a stoppage time penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw for Crystal Palace against Leicester.

Leicester led 2-0 at Selhurst Park after goals from Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi.

But Mateta sparked Palace’s response with a goal in the 47th, a minute after Mavididi doubled Leicester’s advantage.

Conor Coady fouled Ismaili Sarr in the box right near fulltime and Mateta was cool enough to convert.

West Ham left it even later to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw at Fulham.

Danny Ings struck in the fifth minute of added time after Raul Jimenez’s goal looked like earning Fulham the win.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, the manager of the month for August, was frustrated as his team was held to 0-0 at home by Ipswich.

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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Cavaliers and free agent forward Isaac Okoro agree to 3-year, $38 million deal, AP source says

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CLEVELAND (AP) — Restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro has agreed to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Okoro’s new deal is worth $38 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed or announced by the team.

ESPN.com first reported the agreement, citing Okoro’s representation.

The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Okoro is Cleveland’s best perimeter defender, often drawing the assignment of guarding the opponent’s top scorer. Okoro also has worked to improve his offensive game.

The 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 69 games — 42 starts — last season for the Cavs, who beat Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to eventual champion Boston.

Okoro shot a career-best 39% on 3-pointers, forcing teams to come out and guard him.

His agreement caps an extraordinarily busy summer for the Cavs that began with coach J.B. Bickerstaff being fired and replaced by Kenny Atkinson. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension in July, ending months of speculation that he wanted out of Cleveland.

Also, power forward Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 deal and center Jarrett Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension.

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