WINNIPEG — The ice was empty, with the exception of Laurent Brossoit and goalie coach Wade Flaherty.
With roughly 30 minutes to go before practice officially began, Brossoit was laser-focused on executing his side-to-side fundamentals with precision.
It would be five more days before his first start in nearly three weeks, but that willingness to put in the work when almost no one was watching would eventually pay dividends for the Winnipeg Jets backup goalie.
Mental toughness is a prerequisite for anyone in the backup job, where the line between pedestrian and excellent can often be razor-thin.
On Friday night against the Vancouver Canucks, Brossoit left no question which column this performance would fall under, turning aside all 29 shots he faced to lead the Jets to a 2-0 victory at Rogers Place.
“(Brossoit) was excellent. Obviously, our best player,” said Jets defenceman Neal Pionk. “He’s got one of the harder jobs in the league. He knows that (Connor Hellebuyck) is going to get most of the games and he comes in and he’s been ready to play this year. It’s been awesome.”
It was the second shutout of Brossoit’s NHL career, with both of them coming in Vancouver against the Canucks (the other came on Dec. 22, 2018).
Shining in his home province brought a wide smile to his face when the topic was broached during his post-game interview.
“If there’s a city I want to have those stats, it’s probably this one. I’ll take it,” said Brossoit, who has turned aside all 88 shots he’s faced in three NHL appearances in Vancouver, including a relief stint with the Edmonton Oilers in October of 2017. “I mean, whether I’m playing or not, my day-to-day looks the same. It’s not too difficult to stay prepared. I’ve got my routine and I stick to it.”
Brossoit made a number of impressive saves, including one on Canucks defenceman Nate Schmidt on a clear-cut breakaway.
Although the puck got behind Brossoit for a brief moment, he was able to reach back and cover it up before it crossed the goal line.
“I felt fast and on that breakaway, I felt a little bit too fast. I overreacted a bit,” said Brossoit, who improved to 3-1, lowered his goals-against average to 2.24 and raised his save percentage to .935. “Saw he was going blocker and jammed my blocker out toward the puck and a bit of an overreaction so it hit my armpit and I felt it dropped and I made sure I covered it up.”
In a condensed season, the Jets knew they were going to have to lean on Brossoit more than they did last year, when Hellebuyck started 56 of 71 games before the pause.
With Brossoit’s ability to stay as sharp as he has in the early stages of the season, he’s instilled confidence in his teammates and the coaching staff — which is essential given how hectic the schedule is about to become.
Even when the reigning Vezina Trophy winner needs to take a night off, the Jets are confident there won’t be much — if any — dropoff between the pipes.
“Yeah, and maybe less so this year, but in the past, yeah, he’s gone long runs (between starts) because of the schedule, and been able to come up with some really good performances,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “He’s underrated, and rightfully so Connor Hellebuyck gets all the accolades that he should, he’s a Vezina winner, but our goaltending tandem is just exceptionally strong.
“(Brossoit) is just so powerful getting from post to post. He had a couple of really good stays where he had to get across hard, but by the time he got there he was really in his own structure, he was composed with it. And then the rebound control. There was maybe one that got away from him, the rest he had a real good handle on the first shot and then put the puck where he needed to put it. He was just right on.”
This is the third consecutive season that Hellebuyck and Brossoit have worked as a tandem and having a strong personal relationship has served them well.
They train together and incorporate many of the same movements in the crease, which could create a series of spin-off benefits.
“They both agree on the same philosophies of where they’re trying to put pucks off shots, how they get across the net on certain things,” said Maurice. “I might be reaching on this one, but it may be subconscious. They both play the puck with a similar mindset. For your defence, they get to come back to the same holes, if you will, for the outlet (pass).
“Two very, very big men and neither one of them scrambles. They’re both square and strong in the net. And the pucks come off them, a lot of the times, in the same way. There’s no difference in the room going out to the ice or in the way our back end plays, regardless of who is playing in the net. And that may well be all of those nuance things that aren’t spoken about, they’re just played with. I think there’s an advantage there, I would agree with that.”
The Jets were coming off a split against the Edmonton Oilers, winning a 6-5 game that they could have easily lost because of how loose things got defensively and losing a 3-2 game that they could have easily won, were it not for a couple of defensive lapses during a span of 21 seconds.
So as they looked to rebound from a loss that was much closer to resembling the template they’d hope to employ to enjoy some sustained success, it was critical for the Jets to not abandon the willingness to pay attention to the defensive details.
By improving to 5-0-1 after suffering a loss this season, the Jets are 10-6-1 going into Sunday’s rematch with the Canucks.
“It’s hard to win in this league and it’s hard to get on a roll of winning. If you lose a game in the NHL, you should come out the next night and have a little extra intensity, a little extra burr in the saddle, so to speak, in terms of not wanting to lose two in a row,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey. “That’s the identity of a great team. That’s another fundamental that we’re trying to play to and have every day as a part of our identity. And then, you just handle that situation. Things are going to happen. You might lose two in a row, who knows. Try to never let that happen and continue to up that intensity level.”
Prior to a late empty-netter from Mason Appleton — which came after a couple of superb defensive efforts from Pionk — the Jets’ lone marker came from centre Mark Scheifele, who got in alone on Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko and beat him with a nifty forehand-backhand deke.
“I obviously saw he was far out of the net, but he’s a pretty stellar goaltender, a big body, so I just kind of made my move and he bit a little bit so I was happy to put it in,” said Scheifele, who extended his point streak to nine games. “I don’t get many breakaways, so it’s fun when you put them in.”
Scheifele’s skill set was on full display as he moved to nine goals and 22 points in 17 games.
“I saw a move that I couldn’t pull off, that’s for sure. Mark is an elite hockey player, that’s definitely right up his alley, the skill part,” said Pionk. “The other day in the hotel, we were talking about hockey and some of the skill stuff and a lot of it went right over my head.
“He thinks about things that a lot of people don’t think about. It was a heck of a move and got us going in the right direction.”
The other guy that got the Jets going on Friday was Brossoit.
“Yeah, he’s been fantastic. Every game he comes in he gives us a chance to win,” said Scheifele. “It’s pretty awesome when you have two great goalies that no matter who’s in, we know we’re going to get their best. It’s definitely huge when you have your backup that plays so amazing on pretty much every night.
“He works his bag off every single day. He comes to the rink and he’s one of the fittest guys on our team, does all the things to prepare every single day so you know those guys that come in day in and day out and work their hardest and give it their all and prepare their bodies like Laurent does, it’s something that’s so commendable and we see it every single day. We see the work he puts in on and off the ice and it’s awesome to see him shine on the ice as well.”
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps will begin their post-season campaign with a play-in game against the Timbers in Portland on Wednesday.
The ‘Caps (13-13-8) ended the regular season with a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday and finished eighth in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference standings.
The eighth and ninth spots from each conference meet in a play-in game this week, with the winner going on to face the No. 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs.
Each eighth-place team was set to host the play-in game, but Vancouver announced Friday that its home stadium, B.C. Place, is not available, so the club will cede home-field advantage to Portland (12-11-11), the ninth-place team.
The ‘Caps and Timbers split their three-game series during regular-season play, with each side taking a win, a loss and a draw.
The first round of the MLS playoffs is set to begin next weekend.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2024.
SANDY, Utah (AP) — Diego Luna scored a tying goal in the 73rd minute and Real Salt Lake added another on an own goal for a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night to set a single-season club record for points.
Real Salt Lake (16-7-11) secured the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference and will face Minnesota in the first round of the Major League Soccer playoffs. RSL reached 59 points this season, topping the 2012 team with 57.
Vancouver (13-13-8) will play the Portland Timbers on Wednesday in a wild-card game for a chance to play top-seeded LAFC.
Luna settled a long cross from Braian Ojeda before taking four touches to slot home a shot inside the far post for his eighth goal of the season.
RSL went ahead in the 83rd when Vancouver goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer misplayed a lofted ball that rolled into the back of the net.
Vancouver midfielder Ryan Gauld opened the scoring in the 58th to become the first player in club history to produce multiple seasons with at least 10 goals and 10 assists.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Juan Soto’s arrival last winter was supposed to be that move that pushed the New York Yankees back to the top.
They’re one step away.
Soto hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning and the Yankees advanced to their 41st World Series — and first in 15 years — by beating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series on Saturday night.
Baseball’s biggest brand is going back to October’s main stage.
Soto, who was acquired in a seven-player trade from San Diego in December, pushed the Bronx Bombers into position with one big swing.
This was why he came, for this moment and for so many more.
“We’re right where we belong,” said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who pulled off the deal for Soto.
The Yankees will try to win their 28th title against either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 6 of the NL Championship Series is on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.
In the third consecutive tight game in three nights at Progressive Field, Austin Wells walked with one out in the 10th and Alex Verdugo followed with a grounder to Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez, whose soft toss to the bag was dropped by rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio for an error.
Hunter Gaddis struck out Gleyber Torres and had Soto in a 1-2 count before New York’s stylish outfielder sent a shot over the wall in center. Soto danced down the first-base line and paused to celebrate with his teammates before circling the bases.
“I was just saying to myself, `You’re all over that guy. You’re all over that guy. He ain’t got anything,’” said Soto, who moved alongside his manager, Aaron Boone, as the only New York players to homer in an extra-inning, series-clinching win.
Luke Weaver got the final three outs with Lane Thomas flying out for the last one, which was caught by Soto.
“We get to play for a world championship,” Boone said. “That’s pretty sweet.”
The 25-year-old Soto is eligible for free agency this winter, and Yankees fans chanted “Re-sign Soto!” during the postgame festivities. He’s expected to get a contract upwards of $600 million, and his heroics in Game 5 may have raised his price.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and was named ALCS MVP as the Yankees took care of the Guardians in five games. It wasn’t easy.
New York won the first two at Yankee Stadium without much fanfare or any major drama. However, it was a different story in Cleveland as all three games at Progressive Field were nail-biters.
The Guardians rallied to win Game 3 on two, two-run homers in their last two at-bats, and the Yankees held on to win Game 4 after blowing a four-run lead.
“This was a rollercoaster and we were able to just keep punching back,” Stanton said. “We know there’s much more work to do and it’s only uphill from here and we got to get it done.”
Cleveland just didn’t have enough and a surprising season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt ended just short of a World Series. The franchise remains without a title since 1948, baseball’s current longest drought.
“There’s only one team that gets to win the last game of the year, and unfortunately it’s not going to be us,” Vogt said. “But we accomplished a lot as a group. We got better. We worked extremely hard. I couldn’t be more proud of this group. We just didn’t get quite as far as we wanted to.”
The Yankees are back in the World Series, back where their fans expect them to be every year.
The club’s 82-80, fourth-place finish in the AL East last season led to some “soul searching as an organization” during the winter, according to Boone, who has been widely criticized but is one of just three managers to take New York to playoffs in six of his first seven seasons.
While the team’s core stayed mostly intact, getting Soto in a blockbuster trade on Dec. 7 — New York sent five players to San Diego for the three-time All-Star — accelerated the team returning to title contender.
“That was a good day,” Boone said with a laugh before the game.
Stanton’s 446-foot rocket into the left-field bleachers tied it at 2 in the sixth and chased Tanner Bibee, who had struck out New York’s dangerous DH in his first two at-bats and held the Yankees scoreless for the first five innings.
It was Stanton’s fourth homer in this series — his third in three days — and his 16th in the postseason, moving him into fourth place on the club’s career list behind Bernie Williams (22), Derek Jeter (20) and Mickey Mantle (18).
Before the game, Boone was asked what makes Stanton so good.
“He can hit it harder than anyone, first of all,” Boone said. “So there’s the physical nature of what he does that’s different than just about everyone in the world.”
But Boone went on to compliment Stanton’s discipline at the plate, “his approach, his process, how he studies guys.”
“There’s something that he does when he gets familiarity with people on top of being very physically gifted,” Boone said.
The Guardians took a 2-0 lead in the fifth off Carlos Rodón on Steven Kwan’s RBI single with two outs. But Cleveland missed a big chance for more, leaving the bases loaded when Lane Thomas grounded out on the first pitch to him from Mark Leiter Jr.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: LHP Nestor Cortes (elbow strain) had another successful live batting practice session. The reliever remains on track to join the Yankees on their World Series roster. Boone said Cortes would throw again early next week. Cortes went 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA in 30 starts.
