TORONTO — Now that Jack Campbell has control of the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ crease, his coach wouldn’t mind seeing him go a little easier on himself.
Campbell was critical of his own performance in two recent victories, including saying, “I just didn’t have it tonight” after his teammates rallied for a 4-3 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
There can be limitations to that kind of internal standard, especially with goaltending partner Frederik Andersen sidelined by a lower-body injury and a busy stretch of games on deck. Campbell has made three straight starts for the Leafs — all victories — and will likely shoulder the heaviest workload of his NHL career in the coming weeks.
“I think you’ve got to be even keel, especially the more you play,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said following a rare Sunday practice. “You’ve got to recognize there’s going to be ups and downs.”
Campbell allowed three goals on 20 shots to the Oilers, but Keefe pointed out that he still played a huge role in Toronto’s comeback — stopping Connor McDavid on a Grade A chance late in the third period before staring down Darnell Nurse on a 2-on-1.
“One of those goes in, we’re leaving the game without any points and we’re disappointed here today. You make those saves, all of a sudden you get to overtime and get a bounce and win a game in overtime, and the team is feeling really good about itself today,” Keefe said. “So there’s something to be said about that: When it’s time to make the save, you make it, no matter how you’re playing, and he did that for us last night so he’s got no reason to be hard on himself today.”
The Leafs were in need of some stabilizing performances when Campbell returned to the lineup last weekend and have maintained their place atop the North Division after getting them.
The 29-year-old is playing some of the best hockey of his pro career, going 6-0-0 this season with a .945 save percentage. But he’s not one to rest on his laurels, nor blame his defencemen, say, after letting Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl connect on a gorgeous goal.
“I mean, he’s such a great guy,” William Nylander said of Campbell. “He’s won a couple games for us by himself, so all we can do is get behind him and help him win yesterday’s game.
“But for the most part he’s been great and he doesn’t need to get down on himself. We’re here for him.”
Campbell is a former 11th overall draft pick who took eight years to carve out a regular NHL job. He’s acknowledged having to learn when to let himself off the hook in the process.
The Leafs had him sit out of Sunday’s practice for maintenance and were urging him to clear his mind as well.
“He’s a tough critic on himself,” said defenceman Jake Muzzin, a former teammate in Los Angeles. “But if you guys know Soup that’s just kind of the way he is. He put it on himself, but it’s definitely a team thing, not just Soupy obviously.”
With the regular season series against Edmonton due to wrap up on Monday night, the Leafs are focused on doing a better job against McDavid and Draisaitl. They did a pretty good job of taking the middle of the ice away from the Oilers during Saturday’s game and still saw those two combine for five points.
“We’ve got to be better. We’ve got to do a better job,” Keefe said. “When you make a mistake when they’re out there, they’re that much more dangerous — it’s not just one guy that you’ve got to contend with. You saw the way that they paired up on the Draisaitl goal.
“I mean I don’t know (if) there’s many players in the league that can make that pass and I don’t know that there’s many players in the league that can make that shot.”
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.
