Sports

Maple Leafs blow lead late, lose in overtime – Pension Plan Puppets

Published

5 years ago

February 8, 2020

So that didn’t end the way we thought it would.

After a very positive game from the Maple Leafs through two periods, they found themselves ahead by a goal after John Tavares scored his 23rd of the season in his 800th career NHL game. But then, the Habs filled the Leafs with a dozen shots to end regulation, getting one goal and sending the game to overtime. Once there, a Tyson Barrie turnover gave the Habs a breakaway, which Ilya Kovalchuk converted on.

Jack Campbell made 29 saves in a really strong effort, he just didn’t get any support in the third period and overtime. When the game counted.

First Period

Auston Matthews was really strong to start the game. Almost despite his linemates, he was able to power through the Habs defense and get a couple really good chances for himself. Both Johnsson and Marner seemed to look really uncomfortable with the puck. They didn’t seem able to settle the puck down and create some space for themselves with their feet or body positioning.

Even defensively, Matthews intercepted a couple key passes in the top of the zone, getting the puck out very efficiently. Contrast that to Jake Muzzin giving the puck away within the first minutes after a really weak pass from along the wall to the middle of the blueline in his own zone.

I loved this pass from Timothy Liljegren.

Okay, so I was waiting for more to happen in that period, but apart from Muzzin headlocking Max Domi, it wasn’t very action-packed. It was a good period that I think the Leafs were able to build on.

One performance that I liked in particular was that of Liljegren. I found it funny that people wrote him off as a third pair guy last year, because right now he looks really solid. Poised with the puck, quick in a straight line, and really talented with his stick. He had a moment in his own zone when he tripped himself up, but he was able to get the puck out quite cleanly. He made that pass in the clip above that was really creative. And on the defensive end, his poise to retrieve loose pucks and push them up the ice in a safe way really stood out to me.

After One

This was a good first period from the Leafs, who out-shot the Habs 18-12 in terms of shot attempts. The two sides were tied in shots (7-7) and scoring chances (5-5). The Leafs got a couple good chances, but this wasn’t a period where they should’ve scored a couple times but failed to capitalize.

Second Period

Rasmus Sandin drew a slashing penalty on Jonathan Drouin, giving the Leafs a power play early in the second. The power play wasn’t that great; Tyson Barrie smashed a puck off the hand of Artturi Lehkonen and Matthews broke his stick on a slap shot. The second unit didn’t do much either.

The Habs came back after killing the penalty, forcing Jack Campbell to make a couple good saves in tight. As the game ebbed and flowed, the Leafs found their feet again and earned some sustained pressure in the Habs zone, forcing a couple icings and a good chance from John Tavares.

And as you’d expect after a power play, the refs gave Travis Dermott a pretty weak tripping penalty. The penalty killers were really good, starting with Marner and Zach Hyman wasting time in the offensive zone, then Pierre Engvall and Kasperi Kapanen forcing the puck to the corners of the point. Sandin and Muzzin each had a pretty important block, the latter of which seemed to sting Muzzin.

Dermott came out of the box and had the puck in the neutral zone while the Habs were changing. He passed to the limping Muzzin and ran off. I thought that was an incredibly dumb play, especially considering Dermott had the time and space to skate to Muzzin’s spot and let him get off. Instead, Muzzin couldn’t get the puck clear and had to defend for another minute, blocking another shot in his own zone.

After Two

You know your offense is bad when you make the Leafs defense look good. That’s what the Habs did in the second. They were on the power play for two minutes and 5v5 for 14. They only managed four shots throughout the entire frame. Meanwhile, the Leafs took two shots on their two power plays, and 14 in the whole period.

Shot share was 24-9 in the period, approximately 73%. Expected goals was also heavily in Toronto’s favour as they took a mountain of shots right in front of the net. Matthews, Tavares, and Jason Spezza each had two high-danger shot attempts after two periods.

Third Period

1-0

And for his 757th point in 800 games, John Tavares opened the scoring for the Leafs with an amazing shot from the faceoff dot, fed to him by Alex Kerfoot after Zach Hyman got them in the zone. Tavares now has 23 goals this season, including five in his past four games.

It was a really nice play that directly followed a strong save from Campbell. He made a right pad save, kicking the rebound right to his own guy for a quick breakout. The differential in manpower really gave the Leafs the edge at the other end of the ice. Tavares was not close to being covered when he took his shot.

The majority of the period after that consisted of the Habs in the Leafs zone looking for chances to score. Their best one came on the power play when Campbell had to make a toe save on Ilya Kovalchuk after coming across to his post to stop the one-timer. The Leafs did a great job to weather the storm and came out of it with the lead, despite giving up 11 straight shots.

1-1

With 2:33 left in the third, Marco Scandella took a point shot that squeaked through the five hole of Campbell, ruining the shutout and the lead. The Leafs didn’t take a single shot between the Tavares goal and this one, and it took them a couple shifts after this goal to get their offensive feet moving again.

After Three

This is my only takeaway. MY ONLY ONE!

Carey Price really had a 0.00 save percentage in the third period

— ‍♀️Lauren Kelly ‍♀️ (@laurkelly24) February 9, 2020

Overtime

1-2

Goal. Barrie runs himself deep without any support (HE WAS BASICALLY NEXT TO MARNER) and Nick Suzuki gets a breakaway. He gets poke checked, but Kovalchuk pots home the rebound.

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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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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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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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