The Toronto Maple Leafs gave up a goal on the first shot of every period, all within the first 90 seconds, leading to a 3-2 loss at home to the Dallas Stars. Frederik Andersen stopped only 16 of 19 shots he faced against the defensively reliant Stars in his first game back from injury last weekend. Auston Matthews scored his 41st goal of the season in the second and Zach Hyman scored his 17th right near the end to make it close.
The Leafs gave up two goals off breakaways and another on the penalty kill, furthering the Leafs need to patch up big mistakes and holes in defensive coverage from the offensive zone.
First Period
0-1
First shot. First goal. Bah.
As the Leafs were attempting a breakout, John Klingberg pinched down and disrupted an outlet pass from Alex Kerfoot to John Tavares, Denis Gurianov was able to jump into the slot and snap a shot through the five hole of Freddy Andersen.
The negative pressure (aka sucking) sustained through the first half of the period. The Leafs failed to get a shot on goal until the 10:19 mark of the first. However, the shot attempts in the period at this point were nine apiece, with the Leafs actually leading shots from the slot (4-3). The Stars only had three shots up to this point as well.
The Stars had completely covered off the middle of the ice, surrounding the Leafs along the boards as they tried to make some passes into the offensive zone. It was a very disciplined zone defense that kept the Leafs out of any offensive chances until the second half of the period when Matthews tried to jam home a shot from the side of the net.
In terms of the Leafs keeping the shots down, they did a good job of maintaining possession as much as they could, which limited the quantity of chances the Stars got. A lot of their shot attempts in the first period came from the point.
After One
Toronto weathered the early storm well — I mean, they gave up a goal — and played better in the second half than in the first and brought the shot share in the period to 18-13 in their favour. The problem was that the Stars blocked five of their shots and the Leafs missed 10 more themselves.
Also in the period, Andreas Johnsson collided with Kasperi Kapanen in the defensive zone and Johnsson had to leave the game with a knee injury. He hobbled to the bench and right to the dressing room.
Maple Leafs forward Andreas Johnsson will not return to tonight’s game vs. Dallas due to injury (knee). #LeafsForever
You’re kidding me?! Tyson Barrie pinched as the puck came around the weak side. Matthews backed him up. But then, Barrie left Matthews at the point (and on the left side Travis Dermott went for a hit on a random Stars player) and Radek Faksa burst away on a breakaway. He, too, scored five-hole on Andersen like Gurianov did on the first shot in the first period.
Watching this goal again, this is why I don’t like defenders like Barrie and Dermott, and the full ice view that Omar provided gives a perfect example.
Looking at Barrie, the right play was to pinch. The right play after that, while the puck was getting settled deeper in the zone, was to switch with Matthews and back up to cover against the breakout. He didn’t, the 29-year-old instead stood completely still watching the puck go past him, leaving an under-equipped Matthews to deal with it.
As for Dermott, his calling card when he was called up was that he could outrun any mistake in his positioning. That wasn’t the case in this play at all. Not only was he late on covering the guy in the middle of the ice that he half-assed hit, but his correct play was to never go near him in the first place and instead backup Matthews. I have had major problems with Dermott’s decision making and positioning all season. His usage in the top-four has only made that more clear. He can’t outrun the many mistakes he makes.
Some of the best offensive defensemen in the league like Victor Hedman, Mikhail Sergachev, and Dougie Hamilton — you can even put Jake Gardiner on that list — can make those pinches and take that offensive chance without risking it at the other end.
The key thing I’ve learned from watching them and players like Rasmus Sandin, Calle Rosen, Justin Holl, and even Teemu Kivihalme in the AHL, is that they are always moving. They jump up in the rush, but get back as soon as they can in order to let the forwards push instead of them. They don’t get caught flat-footed and they are always aware of who’s behind them and how much support their teammates need.
I do not see that capability from Barrie, and I thought I saw it from Dermott in the AHL, but it hasn’t been there in the NHL.
Following this goal, the Leafs got into a lot of penalty trouble. They got called for back-to-back penalties, first Justin Holl for roughing, then the bench for too many men. After that, Kyle Clifford tried to get the team back into the game emotionally by fighting Jamie “not as cool as Penny” Oleksiak. Both players had to leave the game, Clifford came back with bandaids on his knuckles because he had peeled the skin from them.
I’m not sure if it was this fight or the fact that Sheldon Keefe broke up the MNM line, putting Nylander with Tavares and getting him going. I’m pretty sure it was shortening the bench, to be honest.
1-2
With Corey Perry in the box for being bad and slow (also known as tripping), Auston Matthews scored his 41st goal of the season on the power play.
Auston Matthews’ second period goal is his 41st of the season, establishing a new single-season career-high. #LeafsForever
The play started with Nylander sending a through pass from the front of the net to Matthews on the weak side. This got the Stars defense scrambling and the Leafs a couple good chances from the edge of the slot. Barrie took a slap shot from the point that missed the net, but Matthews was able to recover and snipe a shot past Ben Bishop from the wing.
After Two
It was another good period from the Leafs in terms of owning possession, they had the lead in 5v5 shot attempts (11-9), which improved under special teams. They had four shots on the power play, one shorthanded chance from Kapanen, and five shots during some 4v4 hockey. Unfortunately the big mistakes cost them a tied game or lead.
With that goal, Auston Matthews now has a season total of 69 points #nice
And there’s the Tyler Seguin goal. Again, a big mistake with Tavares in the box for tripping a minute into the period cost the Leafs more time down in the defensive zone. This was his first goal in 18 games. The goal was also on the first shot of the period, which also happened in the first and second periods.
Leafs shortened the bench for the whole third period. Matthews had a handful of chances on his own, but the Leafs never got anything of substance until they pulled the goalie.
2-3
With Andersen on the bench, Zach Hyman banged home a point shot from Marner, bringing the Leafs within one with 1:19 left in regulation. This was Hyman’s third goal in two games and 10th point in nine games.
Unfortunately, the Leafs tried to steal an extra point near the end, but they couldn’t beat Bishop.
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.
