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How Team Canada stacks up heading into the world juniors’ opener on Boxing Day – The Globe and Mail

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Olivier Rodrigue looked like the odds-on favourite to be Canada’s No. 1 netminder back in the summer, but the country’s crease landscape changed drastically this fall. Nico Daws of the Guelph Storm and Joel Hofer of the Portland Winterhawks were outstanding through the first three months of the season to force their way into the conversation at selection camp. Daws, who had never realistically been on Hockey Canada’s radar before 2019-20, has a record of 13-3-4 and leads the Ontario Hockey League with a 2.06 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage. Hofer, who has also never played for Canada, is 20-4-2 with a WHL-leading 1.81 GAA and the league’s second-best save percentage at .937. Sporting a 15-6-0 mark, a 2.79 GAA and a .907 save percentage with the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats, Rodrigue also made the team — the only goalie of the five invited to the national team’s summer camp to get the nod — but it appears either Daws or Hofer will get the call to start the tournament.

TOP NHL DRAFT PROSPECTS

Alexis Lafrenière of the QMJHL’s Rimouski Océanic has been projected as the No. 1 pick at the 2020 NHL draft for some time, but Quinton Byfield of the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves is closing the gap. And that’s great news for Canada. The 13th forward on last year’s team that finished a disappointing sixth on home soil, the 18-year-old Lafrenière will be counted on to lead his country offensively up front and provide leadership in the locker room as one of five returning players. A hulking centre with speed to burn and soft hands, the 17-year-old Byfield is expected to play out of position on the wing, but this could be the moment he introduces himself to a wider audience on the international stage.

THE HUNTER FACTOR

Despite their dominance in junior hockey, Dale and Mark Hunter’s international résumé are incredibly thin. Dale Hunter is getting his first crack at coaching the world junior team after leading Canada to gold at an under-18 tournament in 2013. Mark Hunter, the former assistant general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, is the focal point of Canada’s brain trust as the country looks to rebound after a disappointing sixth-place showing in Vancouver and Victoria. The Hunters have won four OHL titles and two Memorial Cups with the London Knights, but will that success translate to the national team?

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RED, WHITE … AND GREEN

Canada is set to ice a younger roster than usual at a tournament that often features 19-year-old players. Lafrenière and Byfield will be counted on up front, while Jamie Drysdale — another projected top-10 pick at the 2020 NHL draft — is set to become just the seventh 17-year-old to play defence for Canada at the world juniors. Lafrenière, Joe Veleno, Barrett Hayton, Jared McIsaac and Ty Smith are back from last year’s squad, but this group is greener than many past iterations.

EARLY TESTS

Getting bounced in last year’s quarter-finals at the hands of Finland, which would go onto win gold, means that Canada will have to hit the ground running in Ostrava and Trinec. The Canadians thumped Denmark 14-0 in the 2019 tournament opener, but face that tough test against the Americans on Boxing Day before a meeting with Russia just 48 hours later. “Where we finished last year and the schedule we’re presented, it is what it is, so let’s be ready to play,” Hockey Canada head scout Brad McEwen said. “I don’t have any doubt we’ll be excited and the coaches will put us in a good spot.”

SHOOTOUT ACUMEN

Canada had failed to score in its past nine shootout attempts at the world juniors before Max Comtois also missed the mark on a penalty shot in last year’s quarters. The Canadians know it’s been one of their Achilles heels, but will do everything possible to be ready if the scenario presents itself in the medal round. “It’s part of the game,” Dale Hunter said. “It’s [something] you can practise.”

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Malkin, Crosby pace Penguins to 5-2 pre-season win over Senators

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SUDBURY, Ont. – The Pittsburgh Penguins went “old school” on Sunday, getting three goals from Evgeni Malkin and two from Sidney Crosby to defeat the Ottawa Senators 5-2 in an NHL pre-season contest at Sudbury Community Arena.

The Senators had built a 2-1 first-period lead on goals from Nick Cousins and Tim Stutzle, but the Penguins’ veterans rallied to take a 3-2 lead into the third period, then added two more in the final frame despite being badly outshot 30-19.

Defenceman Kris Letang chipped in with two assists for the Penguins, who tallied twice on the power play. Malkin also had an assist for a four-point game.

Starting netminder Tristan Jarry stopped 24 of 26 shots for the Penguins before being replaced by Filip Larsson who made four saves.

Anton Forsberg played the entire game in net for the Senators, stopping 14 of 18 shots.

UP NEXT

Penguins: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.

Senators: Visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Suwannapura eagles 2nd playoff hole to win NW Arkansas Championship

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ROGERS, Ark. (AP) — Jasmine Suwannapura made a 12-foot eagle putt on the second hole of a playoff with Lucy Li to win the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on Sunday.

Suwannapura — playing in the group behind Li — also eagled the par-5 18th in regulation to force the playoff at Pinnacle Country Club. They each birdied the 18th on the first extra hole.

Suwannapura shot a career-best 10-under 61, playing the back nine in 7-under 28, to match Li at 17-under 196. Tied for 25th entering the day, Li shot a tournament-record and career-best 60, making her third eagle of the round on 18.

“Lucy was not the easy player to play in a playoff with, so I’m really glad to play and stay calm and stay within myself, play my game,” said Suwannapura, who jumped into husband-caddie Michael Thomas’ arms after the winning putt. “Today happened, so I’m very happy.”

Suwannapura won her third LPGA Tour title, playing the final 22 holes without a bogey. The 31-year-old Thai player also won the 2018 Marathon Classic and teamed with Cydney Clanton to take the 2019 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational.

“It’s been a long time, and there is a time that I think I probably not going to win again,” Suwannapura said. “But today everything just fall in the right place, right time. And we did it with my husband is even more special.”

Li, the 21-year-old American who played in the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open at age 11, missed a chance for her first LPGA Tour victory.

“I had honestly no clue that this was going to happen,” Li said. “I did not think I was in it at all. I mean, after two three-putts in the first four holes I was just like, ‘I don’t know.′ And then some magic came and I shot 60. Even though I didn’t win, just this is the greatest thing.”

Sei Young Kim was a stroke back after a 63. She made a 20-footer for eagle on 18.

Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., was the top Canadian, finishing tied for 44th at 6 under. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., finished tied for 58th at 5 under.

Mao Saigo (65) and Arpichaya Yubol (66) tied for fourth at 14 under, and second-round leader Ashleigh Buhai (69) was sixth at 13 under.

University of Arkansas sophomore Maria Marin topped the Razorbacks contingent in the field, closing with a 69 to tie for 17th at 10 under in her first tour start.

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Red Sox honor radio voice Joe Castiglione who is retiring after 42 years

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BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox honored longtime radio voice Joe Castiglione, who called his final game Sunday, with an on-field pregame ceremony.

The 77-year-old Castiglione, who was honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame this summer with the Ford C. Frick Award, has been the team’s lead radio voice since 1983.

During the ceremony, the team played highlights of his calls over videos of the American League championship team in 1986, and Boston’s World Series title teams in 2004, ’07, ’13 and ’18 on the center-field scoreboard.

Members of those teams came onto the field during the ceremony. Hall of Famer Jim Rice highlighted the ’86 group and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez was one of the ’04 former players.

Castiglione referred to his call ending the ’04 championship that broke an 86-year title drought, when he thanked the fans. It came on a ground ball back to pitcher Keith Foulke, who was also there to represent that team.

“I will miss being your eyes and ears,” he said. “For 42 years, all I can say is: Can you believe it!”

Asked how he felt making the call of his final out — a liner to center by Tampa Bay’s Richie Palacios that ended a 3-1 victory by the Red Sox, Castiglione said: “I was sort of numb. It sort of felt like the ninth inning in St. Louis in ‘04. … It still really hasn’t set in, probably won’t until next spring.”

Before the top of the eighth, the team ran a montage of his calls over highlights shown on the center-field scoreboard. When it was over, the entire Red Sox dugout emptied, with players, coaches and manager Alex Cora stepping onto the field, looking up and applauding toward him in the booth behind home plate.

“I had some moments, especially when Alex brought the players out,” Castiglione said.

Jackie Bradley, the 2018 ALCS MVP, caught a ceremonial first pitch from Castiglione.

“Forty-two years is a long, long time for someone to be working every single day to go through the struggles and the successes, the travel and the lifestyle, and always have a smile,” Martinez said. “Those are the kind of people that deserve all the respect that we are giving him today.”

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu handed him a proclamation declaring Sept. 29, 2024, as “Joe Castiglione Day” in Boston. Team President Sam Kennedy presented him with letters from Fenway Park’s infamous Green Monster that read: “CASTIG” in white with a green background color of the Monster.

Cora, a member of the ’07 team, was also on the field and Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow, representing the ’13 squad, was on the field as well.

Castiglione signed off like he does each season, reading part of A. Bartlett Giamatti’s “The Green Fields of the Mind.”

“I did right away, right after the game ended,” he said.

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This story has been corrected to show that Castiglione was honored with an award by the Hall of Fame, not inducted.

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