MONTREAL – Precisely one month from the NHL’s trade deadline, the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs was asked for his wish list.
“My wish list is to play a really good, solid, 60-minute hockey game here in Montreal,” Keefe replied Monday morning.
Keefe knew.
He knew that his talented team has an infuriating tendency to ease off the gas pedal, to play down to a weaker opponent if they believe the win is a gimme.
Until, oh, about Thursday, the Montreal Canadiens had been the NHL’s lay-up. Two points as bankable as Steph Curry at the line.
Their special teams are atrocious, they struggle to score, and they allow more goals than anybody.
The Habs should’ve be sluggish coming off Sunday’s shootout win on Long Island, while the Leafs got a full night’s rest in la belle province.
The Canadiens in last freaking place.
Easy peasy, right?
Well, that’s precisely the trap thinking to which Keefe did not want his players to fall prey.
So, Keefe spoke at length pre-game about how his former Lightning teammate, Martin St. Louis, had infused the Canadiens with a jolt of renewed energy. And how the Canadiens — winners of consecutive games for the first time since their magical playoff rip — would feel an extra boost from the Bell Centre crowd, increased to 50 per cent capacity.
“Of course, through all this, we haven’t forgotten there’s 11 out of 18 skaters that’ll be on the ice that knocked us out of the playoffs last year. So, lots of reasons for us to be focused and committed to playing our best game,” Keefe said.
“They’re a team that’s working and competing very hard, and when you do that, you tend to play better defensively.”
And when you don’t?
Well, you get the sort of lacklustre effort the Maple Leafs delivered in the first two periods against a rival they not only should beat but want to beat.
Instead, it was Montreal that smashed into the arena like Kool-Aid Man, Rem Pitlick registering the contest’s first shot on a clear breakaway and crashing into Petr Mrazek.
Mrazek stopped that one, but the odd-man rushes and Grade-A opportunities continued to pour his way.
Keefe continues to scramble his bottom two defensive pairs (Jake Muzzin–Timothy Liljegren and Travis Dermott–Justin Holl on this night, with Rasmus Sandin scratched) in search of calm and consistency, and GM Kyle Dubas added burly stay-at-home type Ilya Lyubushkin via trade Sunday because the status quo is concerning.
In Monday’s porous 5-2 loss to the lowly Canadiens, however, we’re not certain the Russian Bear would’ve swayed the scoreboard. Maybe not even the Russian Army.
“2-on-1’s, 3-on-1’s, 3-on-2’s…” Auston Matthews recounted. “I think we just made it difficult on ourselves.”
Opportunistic strikes by Josh Anderson (twice), Cole Caufield, Mike Hoffman and Pitlick built the home side a formidable 5-0 lead through two periods. And while the Leafs had their share of O-zone time, the Canadiens held a decided advantage in high-danger chances 5-on-5 (12-8).
All those rush chances, Keefe says, are a continuation from Saturday’s lopsided loss to the Blues. Lost puck races. Forwards failing to get a bump on the opponent blowing the zone. Disconnected pairs. Misplays backing up.
“As a group we’re obviously going to have to look into that more. It’s a common theme,” Morgan Rielly said. “As a D corps, we have to be better.”
A half-full Bell Centre roared at full throat and the “Olé! Olé! Olé!” chants rang out with 21 minutes still to go.
Nick Suzuki barged over Holl with a massive clean hit, causing Jason Spezza to go picking fights.
Poor Muzzin left the game after a frightening collision with Chris Wideman left him prone on the ice for nearly two minutes.
“Terrible. As bad a thing as you see in the game,” Keefe said.
Muzzin got up and skated down the tunnel on his own power, but considering he suffered a concussion just last month, there is reason for concern.
The defenceman will spend the night of his 33rd birthday getting tested at a Montreal hospital, not travelling with his teammates to Columbus.
“I just hope he’s OK,” Rielly said. “He’s a guy we care deeply about. We wish him nothing but the best and hope he’s back soon.”
Injury to insult.
Keefe tried to glean the positives post-game. He spoke of a strong showing from his bottom six, which generated a pair of third-period goals, and hoped Monday’s embarrassment could have a similar effect on his players that October’s 7-1 debacle in Pittsburgh did. [LINK: https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-extend-losing-streak-embarrassing-defeat-penguins/ ]
“Sometimes these games happen. And, frankly, sometimes they’re needed,” Keefe said.
And then the coach made another wish: “Sometimes you need these types of games as a true wakeup.”
Set to face the Blue Jackets Tuesday, the Maple Leafs have less than 24 hours to rub their eyes and jostle their defensive game back on the rails.
“We gotta put the fire out now,” Matthews said.
Fox’s Fast 5
• Prized prospect Nick Robertson has been producing well since returning from the broken leg he suffered in October, scoring three goals and adding a pair of assists.
“He’s come back to the Marlies off a long injury, and he’s been outstanding. It’s probably the best I’ve seen him play at that level. He’s only 20 years old – I think sometimes that gets forgotten,” Kyle Dubas said.
Robertson has always wielded a dangerous shot, but the GM raved about (pumped up?) the winger’s play with and without the puck, his improved skating, and his willingness to sharpen his penalty-killing skills to round out his game.
Said Dubas: “It’ll just be a matter of time before he forces our hand.”
• The Canadiens are auctioning off Monday’s Black History Month warmup sweaters. (Caufield’s is the most coveted.)
Loved the pre-game soundtrack: Kendrick Lamar, 2Pac, Jennifer “Jenny from the Block” Lopez, Nate Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Public Enemy, Lil Nas X.
• How did newest Leaf Ilya Lyubushkin earn the nickname “Russian Bear”?
“He’s just a big boy,” says former Coyote Michael Bunting. “He plays rough out there, and he’s not afraid to be physical at all.”
You’re going to love the Russian Bear #LeafsNation. Maybe as much as Bunting.
• Lyubushkin flew to Columbus Monday and will meet up with his teammates Tuesday ahead of their game against the Blue Jackets. The 27-year-old left his family in Arizona and needs to get his visa sorted before moving to Canada.
Considering Lyubushkin hasn’t skated in a couple days, Keefe has not yet committed to playing him Tuesday. When he does, he’ll wear No. 26.
“We want to put him in a position to succeed,” Keefe said.
• Matthews spent a couple hours in a dentist’s chair and lost a tooth from Thursday’s accidental run-in with the crossbar, as he was locked in pursuing Sidney Crosby around the net.
“I’ve had better days. It’s been a bit of a battle trying to eat and all that stuff,” said Matthews, his speech temporarily affected by the collision.
“I saw the crossbar and just decided it would be a great idea if I put my face right through it and see what happens. So, great question.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.
