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Missed opportunities leave Canadiens frustrated after loss to Coyotes – Sportsnet.ca

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MONTREAL— Brendan Gallagher said it perfectly as he made his way out of the dressing room following his 10-minute media session and a 3-2 loss for his Montreal Canadiens.

Gallagher yelled a four-letter expletive at the top of his lungs.

Indeed.

The Canadiens needed to win on Monday, but after taking a 2-0 lead on Gallagher’s goal at the 1:52 mark of the first period they squandered this game. Between his 19th marker of the season and the Coyotes making it 2-2 in the 17th minute of the second period they had three power-play opportunities and a full two minutes at 5-on-3, but failed to score. And it was in the second minute of the middle frame that their most important centre, Phillip Danault, was struck in the face by a shot that knocked out some of his teeth, cut him deep enough for stitches and forced him out of the game.

Danault did not return, and as the Canadiens were attempting to kill off the final seconds of a late third-period penalty to Joel Armia, his presence was sorely missed. The Coyotes got a goal from Jakob Chychrun with exactly one minute left and that was that.

Meanwhile, two of three teams the Canadiens are chasing in the standings, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers, lost in regulation. Not getting at least a point felt like a massively missed opportunity—not unlike Tomas Tatar’s miss on a 2-on-1 that would have given Montreal a 3-2 lead in the dying minutes of the third, or all the misses on their power-play opportunities before that.

So yeah, Gallagher summed it up pretty well as he left the room.

And teammate Nate Thompson was on the mark about where the Canadiens go from here.

“Win or loss, you have to move on,” the 35-year-old said. “We don’t have time to sulk here. We have to move on and get ready for Boston.”

It is against the NHL-leading Bruins that the improbable push towards the playoffs will continue for the Canadiens on Wednesday. They will not have their best defenceman at their disposal for that game—they’re waiting for conclusive results on the lower-body injury Shea Weber suffered in New Jersey one week ago—and it’s entirely possible Danault, who requires dental work according to Canadiens coach Claude Julien, won’t be available either.

As one Montreal player said, “It didn’t look good when he went down, but we don’t know how serious it is.”

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it.

Tatar wasn’t entirely sure what happened on the play in question after the puck left his stick, but he was mortified to see it had struck Danault and left him face-down on the ice.

“I don’t know if it hit something,” the Canadiens’ leading scorer said.

Tatar’s shot hit Coyotes defenceman Jordan Oesterle’s skate and deflected into Danault’s face, and the Canadiens fell apart for the next 17-and-a-half minutes.

They were out-shot 16-3 and out-scored 1-0. And despite their push in the third, they couldn’t solve Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta.

“We didn’t create enough,” said Gallagher.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” he said to explain why they missed on their four-minute power play that started in the final two minutes of the first period and bled into the first three minutes of the second—and on the 5-on-3 opportunity they got in between. “All over it, we weren’t good; entries weren’t good; once we got set up, we didn’t shoot the puck enough; we didn’t find a way to get loose pucks. It just wasn’t good enough. And we know the answer, we just didn’t execute. We didn’t do it and that’s the disappointing part.”

You can’t really blame Gallagher and the Canadiens for being frustrated about that. You can’t blame them for being frustrated about letting precious points in the standings slip away.

They have fought tooth-and-nail to keep their slim playoff hopes alive—winning nine of the 12 games leading into Monday’s contest despite continuing to deal with a rash of injuries to key players. Just when it appears promising that they’ll return to full health, they lose irreplaceable players.

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Gallagher missed a total of 10 games with a concussion and only returned to action on Jan. 30. Jonathan Drouin was the team’s third-leading scorer when he suffered a torn tendon in his left wrist that knocked him out of action from Nov. 15-Feb. 8. Paul Byron, a key two-way player and an assistant captain, was lost in the same game as Drouin and hasn’t played since. Armia, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Victor Mete all suffered injuries that kept them out of big games along the way. And to see Danault go down just two games after Weber has to feel like a gut-punch for this group.

“He does so much for us,” said Gallagher. “You see when he goes he literally plays in every situation. We put a lot of responsibility on him and he takes a lot of pride in that. It’s one of those things (that) when you lose bodies like that it’s not really one guy that can replace him, because he is so important. But I think you just throw a little bit more responsibility to everyone, which we’ll find out how he’s doing but we may need to deal with (his absence).”

We’d say the word he screamed afterward was the most appropriate way to describe that situation.

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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November 8, 2024

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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

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November 8, 2024

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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

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November 8, 2024

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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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