Sports

Leafs Campbell, Clifford winners in their debuts

Published

5 years ago

February 8, 2020

Which Maple Leafs to cheer for, for long-suffering patrons at Scotiabank Arena on Friday night?

Debuting goaltender Jack Campbell, in his eventful 5-4 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks?

New buzzsaw forward Kyle Clifford, who actually did get a roar when his first minor roughing penalty was announced for coming to Campbell’s aid in a crease mash-up?

Jason Spezza turning on his 36-year-old afterburners for the night’s prettiest goal?

Or, how about Auston Matthews’ career-high tying 40th of the year, part of a monster game on both sides of the puck. It tied Matthews with the idle Alexander Ovechkin for first place in the NHL’s Rocket Richard Trophy race. He, Mitch Marner and John Tavares had 10 points.

But it was down to Tavares’ power-play strike with 6.2 seconds to go in the extra period before anyone could really celebrate — and even then Sheldon Keefe couldn’t sugarcoat two more blown leads late in the game.

“Concern is probably a stretch, but I’m disappointed,” the coach said. “The fact we were set up again in the third (ahead two goals against a team that played Thursday) and right from the drop of the puck, we were on our heels. It seems they’re lacking confidence in those situations, expecting something bad to happen.”

So, welcome to life with the Leafs, Jack, even if he had a better fate than Michael Hutchinson. Campbell was more unlucky than unsteady as the Ducks bagged three in the third. But he stopped 14 of the first 15 shots and made a few others to hold Toronto in.

“That’s a tough game when you give up the lead like that and unacceptable on my end, but what a resilient group,” Campbell bubbled. “The boys played really well in front of me. I got caught watching the guys making (offensive) plays.

“Great energy in this building, so much fun, even the music they play. When we score, it’s awesome. Any time you score five, that should be a win. I’ve got to clean up my game and move on to a big one tomorrow.”

Campbell said he’s ready to go back-to-back against the Canadiens in Montreal, with Frederik Andersen’s neck woes still grounding him, though the latter is back on the ice. Keefe said a starter hasn’t been decided.

William Nylander’s status is also up in the air after he was too sick to play Friday or fly after the game. If he wakes up feeling better, he could still travel to Montreal.

Keefe put Clifford in the starting lineup as well as Campbell, a nod to family in the stands for both men.

“I didn’t expect that, but once the game gets going, you block out distractions,” Clifford said.
What the crowd really loved was Clifford rushing into a second-period scrum after Campbell was knocked down in his crease. He went after big Ryan Getzlaf, not the author of the hit, but a symbolic target nonetheless. The announcement of Clifford’s minor was well- received in the stands, though his later holding-the -stick minor, not so much.

Clifford’s bare head in warmup was easy to spot among a Leafs team that all follow the NHL’s suggested protocol to keep helmets on. Matthews joked it must have been “a power move” to get the Ducks attention, while Clifford shrugged that it was simply his preference. He also loved the SBA vibe, which hasn’t always been sympathetic to the home side’s plight this season.

“Outstanding. You can tell they’re the best fans in the world, they’re rock stars,” he said. “They’re into the game, know what’s going on and they’re a passionate group.”

It was quite so in the last minute of regulation, when Ducks’ Derek Grant tied it on a 6-on-5 scramble, which un-did what Matthews called a “vintage Spezza goal”, beating a defenceman and faking out goalie Ryan Miller for a far-side strike.

Campbell’s first save at SBA, off the dangerous Getzlaf, brought cheers meant for the ears of general manager Dubas and the unfortunate Hutchinson, relegated to the end of the Leafs bench.
Matthews unleashed No. 40, a snapper, on Ryan Miller, who is the NHL’s active leader in wins against Toronto with 33.

“It means a lot,” Matthews said. “You take the good and the bad. You don’t want to get in that position (fumbling a late lead), but we have to snap out of that.”

Campbell got a taste of how the Leafs messed up life for his predecessors. Both Anaheim pressure and unforced Leafs errors made him a busy man.

A short-handed goal by Max Jones and one by Anaheim’s 31st-ranked power play via Adam Henrique, tied it. Andreas Johnsson and Tavares’ first on the night sandwiched Nic Deslauriers’ goal for Anaheim early on.
Toronto opened up a lead in the second, Zach Hyman poking the puck away behind the Anaheim net to Matthews and on to Tavares for his third in as many games.

But the Matthews Express is the sidebar to watch whether the Leafs finish in a playoff spot or not. He has 27 games to reach 50 for the first time by a Leaf since 1993-94 and possibly Rick Vaive’s club record of 54, not to mention battling Ovie in the goals race.

Anaheim had to play much of Friday without defenceman Erik Gudbranson, who left with an upper body injury, then Jake Muzzin, another former King, knocked the wind out of Ondrej Kase, just before getting the second assist on Spezza’s goal.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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