“We tried to make a game of it, but the damage was done in the second period,” Claude Julien said of Montreal’s 5-4 loss against the Lightning on Saturday.
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In the Habs' Room: Canadiens 'got sloppy' and lost momentum in Tampa, Julien says – Montreal Gazette
TAMPA — Momentum is a good thing to have and, as the Canadiens learned Saturday, it’s a bad thing to lose.
The Canadiens had the momentum for most of the first period of their game against the Lightning, but two Tampa Bay goals — one at the end of the first period and the other at the beginning of the second period — swung the momentum to Tampa Bay, and the home side went on to win 5-4.
“We had the start we wanted,” said defenceman Jeff Petry. “We were skating, creating chances and playing good defence, but we stopped doing those things in the second period and they started coming on.”
The Canadiens had an 18-0 edge in shots to begin the game and the fans gave Tyler Johnson a loud ovation when he registered the Lightning’s first shot on goal with 7:35 to play.
It may be too much to think that Johnson’s shot gave Tampa Bay a lift, but the Lightning did play better from that point, outshooting the Canadiens 9-2 over the remainder of the period and cutting the lead to one goal when Alex Killorn, who grew up on the West Island before honing his hockey skills at Harvard, scored the first of his two goals with 58.9 seconds remaining in the period. This was the latest example of a disturbing trend this season: Montreal has surrendered 14 goals in the final minute of a period.
“I really liked our first period (but) we got sloppy there in the last couple of minutes of the first, and they came out with the momentum in the second,” said coach Claude Julien. “The second period really hurt us, the amount of goals we gave up. There were different people to blame on all of them; nonetheless, they cashed in on the opportunities they had, and that left us with an uphill climb that was very hard. We tried to make a game of it, but the damage was done in the second period.
“Any time that happens, you have to give them credit,” added Julien. “They got better in the second than they were in the first, and we got worse than we were in the first.”
The Montreal Canadiens’ Jesperi Kotkaniemi (15) is congratulated by teammates as he scores a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019.
Kim Klement /
USA TODAY Sports
The Lightning scored the first three goals in the second period to take a 4-2 lead. The outburst started when Steven Stamkos scored at 1:34 for his 800th NHL point. The goal was a combination of a good bounce and perseverance. He put a shot off the end glass and then went to the end where he batted the rebound out of the air.
“I didn’t see it after it went off the glass,” said Carey Price, who gave up five goals on 30 shots. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 39 saves for the Lightning as he ran his career record against the Canadiens to 12-2-1.
Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said the first Killorn goal was important, but he also noted the significance of Anthony Cirelli’s goal 55 seconds into the third period. That gave Tampa Bay a 5-3 lead and proved to be the game-winner. While last-minute goals have been particularly troublesome, it should be noted that Cirelli’s goal marked the sixth time the Canadiens have given up a goal in the first minute of a period.
The loss dropped the Canadiens from third to fifth in the Atlantic Division standings. They dropped one point behind the Panthers — the team they face Sunday in Sunrise — after Florida edged Detroit 5-4. Montreal and Tampa Bay each have 42 points, but the Lightning has an edge because it holds two games in hand.
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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.
Sports
Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere
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.
___
AP cricket:
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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