Sports

LEAFS NOTES: Auston Matthews’ goal pace ‘hard to believe’ as Maple Leafs hit Vancouver

Published

8 months ago

January 20, 2024

Auston Matthews celebrates one of his three goals during the Maple Leafs’ 4-3 win at Calgary on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. Photo by Jeff McIntosh /THE CANADIAN PRESS

No one can say with certainty that Auston Matthews will be able to sustain his current goal-scoring pace.

As the Maple Leafs’ top centre plows his way through opposing defences, though, his teammates are enjoying Matthews’ attempts to become the first 70-goal scorer in the National Hockey League since 1992-93, when Alexander Mogilny scored 76 goals for the Buffalo Sabres and Teemu Selanne had 76 for the Winnipeg Jets.

Article content

Matthews’ hat trick on Thursday at Calgary in a 4-3 Leafs win over the Flames put him on pace for 71 goals, which would obliterate his franchise record of 60 goals set two seasons ago. Matthews has 37 goals in 42 games.

“It’s hard to believe, really,” Leafs captain John Tavares told the media in Vancouver on Friday, referring to Matthews’ pace. “When you see it every single day, not just the skill level and the talent, but the work ethic, the drive, it’s really special.

“His ability to find different ways to score and be that consistent and continue to elevate and do what he is doing is pretty remarkable. I wouldn’t put anything past him.”

The Vancouver Canucks sit atop the NHL standings with 64 points but won’t take the challenge of trying to frustrate Matthews for granted when the teams meet Saturday at Rogers Arena. While the Toronto superstar has 18 goals in 22 career games against Vancouver, it’s the kind of thing that Matthews did in Calgary that holds more concern for Canucks coach Rick Tocchet.

“You have to protect the guts of the ice with that guy,” Tocchet said on Friday. “I saw (Matthews’ first) goal against Calgary — somehow he got the puck in the middle, and when he gets the puck in the high slot … If you want him to shoot, hopefully it’s from the outside. That’s your game plan at least.

“He is such a consistent player and he scores under pressure. The Leafs are down 2-0, he scores now it’s 2-1 and all of a sudden, bang-bang, he wins the game for them. He has the gift, but I know he works his ass off in the summer.”

Naturally, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe took a broader view when considering Matthews’ contributions against the Flames. Matthews’ fourth hat trick of the season and 11th of his career drove his team to end a four-game losing streak that had Leafs Nation in emotional tatters, but there was more to it for Keefe.

“His puck battles, his defending, his checking — when he is checking and defending like that, he is winning most of his shifts, and that sets our team up for success,” Keefe said. “The combination of the two things (scoring and defensive strengths) are why a player of his calibre can lead us to winning.”

BERTUZZI FACTOR

After going with some different line combinations in the past several games, Keefe had Tyler Bertuzzi back on the left wing with Tavares and William Nylander at practice on Friday.

“I just think he has done a good job there most of the season,” Keefe said. “When those guys have been together, they have been a really good line for us. It’s a good fit. It falls into place nicely.”

We would take issue with the idea that Bertuzzi has done a good job on the line. While Bertuzzi does have positive underlying numbers, six goals in 43 games is a major disappointment for someone who was supposed to score and is being paid $5.5 million US to do so.

Bertuzzi was asked why he thinks the goals have not been coming for him.

“I don’t know,” Bertuzzi said. “Just keep working hard, keep getting to the net and eventually it will come.”

Or perhaps it won’t, but at least Bertuzzi is getting the opportunity. Not so for forwards Nick Robertson and Ryan Reaves, who continue to watch from the press box. Robertson has been scratched in six of the past eight games and Reaves hasn’t played since he hurt his kneecap against Columbus on Dec. 14.

On Jan. 1, Reaves indicated after practice that day that he was close to returning, but that has not materialized.

“There is not a lot (Robertson and Reaves) can do at this point while not playing,” Keefe said. “It’s more what is happening around them (with the positives Keefe is seeing in Pontus Holmberg and Bobby McMann).

“I have these discussions every day with Tre (general manager Brad Treliving), sometimes multiple times, in terms of how we manage our lineup and try to make the decisions that are the best for the team that particular night, but also looking at a little bit bigger picture.”

LOOSE LEAFS

Tavares has gone six games without a point, his longest slump as a Leaf. Does his confidence take a hit? “Well, I’m human too, so there’s emotions you feel throughout the game,” Tavares said. “I have a lot of belief in myself, but you have to prove it every single day.” … After going the first 40 games without taking a penalty, Morgan Rielly has been penalized twice in the past three games. “I was happy to go to the box,” Rielly said. “I didn’t want that goose egg on there any longer.” Would Rielly like a shot at the Lady Byng Trophy? “No comment,” he said … The Leafs have had 123 power plays, putting them at 28th before NHL games on Friday. Why are the Leafs near the NHL’s bottom in that category? “I would love to know,” Tavares said. “Getting into the second half of the year now, with the playoff races heating up, the refs don’t want to be the ones deciding games. You just play and compete and earn your calls.”

Source link

Sports

Canada to face three-time champion Germany in Davis Cup quarterfinals

Published

2 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

LONDON – Canada will meet three-time champion Germany in the Davis Cup quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain this November.

Canada secured a berth in the quarterfinals — also called The Final 8 Knockout Stage — with a 2-1 win over Britain last weekend in Manchester, England.

World No. 21 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal anchored a five-player squad that included Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., Gabriel Diallo of Montreal, Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que., and Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C.

The eight-team draw for the quarterfinals was completed Thursday at International Tennis Federation headquarters.

Defending champion Italy will play Argentina, the United States will meet Australia and Spain will take on the Netherlands. Schedule specifics have yet to be released but the Final 8 will be played Nov. 19-24.

Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz were unbeaten in doubles play last week to help Germany reach the quarterfinals. The country’s top singles player — second-ranked Alex Zverev — did not play.

The Canadians defeated Germany in the quarterfinals en route to their lone Davis Cup title in 2022. Germany won titles in 1988, ’89 and ’93.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

Source link

Sports

Canadian men climb two places to No. 38 in latest FIFA world rankings

Published

2 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

Canada, fuelled by a 2-1 win over the U.S. and scoreless draw with Mexico, has jumped two places to No. 38 in the FIFA men’s world rankings released Thursday.

Of the top six CONCACAF teams, Canada was the only one to move up. Mexico was unchanged at No. 17 while the U.S. and Panama each fell two rungs to No. 18 and 37, respectively

Costa Rica slipped one spot to No. 50 and Jamaica two places to No. 61.

It marks Canada’s highest ranking under coach Jesse Marsch, who was hired in mid-May when the Canadians were ranked 50th. Since then, the team has climbed to No. 49, 48, 40 and now 38.

Canada has been as high as No. 33 in the men’s ranking, achieved in February 2022 under John Herdman with Canada, named the “Most Improved Side” in 2021 by FIFA, turning heads with an unbeaten run in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.

The new rankings encompass 184 internationals involving teams from all six confederations including 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia, Oceania and South America.

The top 10 was unchanged with Argentina ahead of France, Spain, England, Brazil, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Colombia and Italy. But the gap at the top is closing with Argentina losing 2-1 away to Colombia and 3-1 at home to Italy.

Teams 10 through 15 were also unchanged. But there was movement after that in the form of Japan (, up two), Iran (No. 19, up one) and Denmark (No. 20, up one). Egypt (No. 31), Ivory Coast (No. 33), Tunisia (No. 36) and Algeria (No. 41) all jumped five places while Greece (No. 48) climbed six spots.

The biggest movers were Brunei Darussalam (No. 183) and Samoa (No. 185), who vaulted seven spots on the back of two wins apiece.

Qatar suffered the biggest drop, tumbling 10 places to No. 44.

San Marino remains at the bottom of the rankings in 210th place despite recording its first victory in more than 20 years, San Marino defeated Liechtenstein 1-0 on Sept. 5, ending a 140-game winless run since a 1-0 decision over the same opponent in April 2004.

Liechtenstein fell four places to No. 203.

Canada’s next match is an Oct. 15 friendly against Panama at Toronto’s BMO Field. The next men’s ranking will be released Oct. 24.

—

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024

Source link

Sports

Carolina Panthers’ early-season struggles not surprising to Proline players

Published

2 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

It has been a difficult start to the NFL season for quarterback Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers.

Carolina has dropped its opening two games after Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. And Young, the first player taken in the ’23 NFL draft, was 18-of-26 passing for 84 yards with an interception while being sacked twice.

As a result, veteran Andy Dalton will start Sunday when Carolina faces the Las Vegas Raiders (1-1).

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., the Chargers’ win was the most accurately predicted moneyline selection by Proline bettors. A whopping 92 per cent of wagers were on Los Angeles beating Carolina with 92 per cent also picking the Chargers to cover -4.5.

In other action that went in favour of Proline bettors: Kansas City edged Cincinnati 26-25 (86 per cent correctly selected the Chiefs to win); Houston got past Chicago 19-13 (81 per cent); the New York Jets defeated Tennessee 24-17 (78 per cent); Pittsburgh beat Denver 13-6 (76 per cent), Washington beat the New York Giants 21-18 (73 per cent); and Seattle toppled New England 23-20 (62 per cent).

However, only five per cent of bettors had the Raiders upsetting Baltimore 26-23.

And there was one winner of Proline’s second week main NFL pool of $407,613.

In NFL futures bets after the second week of the season, the odds for offensive player of the year got shorter for running backs Breece Hall (Jets) and Bijan Robinson (Atlanta) and Detroit receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. But they got longer for running backs Kyren Williams (Rams), Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco) and Jonathan Taylor (Colts).

Quarterbacks Bo Nix (Denver), Jayden Daniels (Washington) and Caleb Williams (Chicago) all had their odds for offensive rookie of the year go up while they went down for running back Ray Davis (Buffalo), tight end Brock Bowers (Raiders) and receiver Malik Nabers (Giants).

Quarterbacks Patrick Mahones (Chiefs), Aaron Rodgers (Jets) and Jalen Hurts (Eagles) all had their odds for regular season MVP go up. But quarterbacks Jordan Love (Packers), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) and Joe Burrow (Cincinnati) all saw theirs go down.

Kansas City, Philadelphia and Houston had their Super Bowl odds increase while Green Bay, Baltimore and Cincinnati all decreased.

Not surprising, the week’s top events were all NFL games. In order, they were; Buffalo-Miami, Chicago-Houston, Cincinnati-KC, Raiders-Ravens; and Saints-Cowboys.

A Proline retail player cashed in a $26,183 winner from a $10 bet on a 12-leg major-league baseball parlay. Another won $24,602 from a $10 wager on a 12-leg NFL parlay.

A third received $1,737 from a $3 bet on a six-leg NFL parlay.

A digital bettor earned $2,927 from a $25 bet on a five-leg NFL parlay while a second had a $704.35 return from a $1 wager on a seven-leg NFL parlay.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

Source link