Austria was no match for the Swedes in the second game of the competition, falling by an 11-0 score. Every single skater for Sweden earned a plus in the game, and Engström ended at +4. Swedish head coach Magnus Havelid didn’t have to tax any of his players in the blowout, with the game-high being 18:30 for Axel Sandin Pellikka. Engström, who began the game on the top pairing, punched out at 15:37.
He had secondary assists on goals six and seven for Sweden, taking the points lead among Habs prospects after one day. He’ll be fresh for the next game on Tuesday afternoon when the team may need to play a bit more defence.
December 27: Sweden vs. Germany
In the final seconds of the first period of Sweden’s game versus Germany, Engström shot the puck from the point, and it appeared to take a deflection of one of his teammates before going in the net. The IIHf rarely scrutinizes such plays after the fact to award the proper credit, so the goal remains on Engström’s stat line, his third point to go with two assists from the opening match. The game proved to be a goalie duel between Carl Lindbom and Nikita Quapp, and Engstrõm’s goal was the only one scored.
Despite how closely contested the game was compared to the 11-0 win a day earlier, Sweden’s head coach once more distributed the ice time fairly evenly. Six defencemen played at least 16 minutes, and the highest total was under 21. Engström ended toward the lower end of the range at 17:08, but it’s hard to find many faults with a player currently tied for seventh in tournament scoring.
Next game: Dec. 29 vs. Czechia
Oliver Kapanen
Dec. 26: Finland vs. Switzerland
Kapanen has been named captain of Team Finland in his second World Juniors, following a silver medal performance in the summer. The team leader now has work to do with his teammates to put a surprising loss to Switzerland behind them after the tournament opened with an upset.
He finished the game as a -1, not only on the ice for the overtime goal scored by Attilio Biasca, but a step late getting to the Swiss player after leaving his station to try to win the puck on the boards. Kapanen will know he needs to do more to help his team win, and we should expect to see a better showing from Finland in their second game, though offence is still expected to be an issue.
December 27: Finland vs. Slovakia
Finland needed to be better after its opening loss to Switzerland; captain Oliver Kapanen needed to be much better after a rough first game. On Tuesday versus Slovakia, he responded with one of the best individual performances from a skater in the tournament so far.
He was effective in the faceoff circle and hard in puck battles to win possession. He registered three shots in the game, one of them a highlight-reel wraparound for his first goal.
He added an assist on the next Finnish goal to end the day with two points, and claimed the player of the game honour following the 5-2 win that put Finland back on track.
Next game: Dec. 29 vs. Latvia
Joshua Roy
Dec. 26: Canada vs. Czechia
It wasn’t the typical relentless offensive effort Canada had shown in pre-tournament matched that they brought into their first meaningful game of the winter. They seemed to take their opponent lightly, and that came back to bite them as the Czechs scored two quick goals to end the first period, then another early in the second that proved enough to pull off an upset.
Unfortunately for Roy, his most notable play in the game was being a split-second offside on a goal that would have had Canada up 2-0 in the opening period. Canada’s hopes of a comeback were then undone when his centreman, Zach Dean, was assessed a match penalty in the middle frame, on which the Czechs scored another two goals. It’s now a question of whether Dean will face any further discipline, and it could mess with arguably Canada’s most effective shutdown line if that comes to pass.
Roy did launch three shots on target as he tried to get his team back in it, but Canada struggled to solve goaltender Tomáš Suchánek and he was one of many players left pointless on the night.
Next game: Dec. 28 vs. Germany
Filip Mesar
December 27 vs. Finland
Mesar was witness to Kapanen’s bounceback effort on Tuesday, and wasn’t able to come up with a counter. The 2022 first-round pick was leaned upon heavily for Slovakia with over 20 minutes played. He was a -2 with only one shot on goal.
Slovakia will need the playmaking forward to be a difference-maker to make any impact in this tournament. We should expect a rebound similar to what Kapanen produced when Slovakia tries to avoid an 0-2 start versus the United States on Wednesday.
Next game: Dec. 28 vs. USA
Vinzenz Rohrer
Dec. 26: Austria vs. Sweden
Rohrer was a surprise omission from the lineup just before Austria’s game with Sweden. We learned that he hadn’t been feeling well and therefore didn’t head to the arena for the game, which ended up being a blowout at the hands of the Swedes.
Austrian head coach Kirk Furey says Vinzenz Rohrer (MTL) just “wasn’t feeling the best.” They’re hoping to get him back tomorrow. Said they missed him. “Heart of a lion.”
We’ll hope this isn’t a major illness for Austria’s sparkplug, and that he has recovered in time for the team’s game on Tuesday.
December 27: Austria vs. Czechia
The return of Rohrer to the lineup didn’t do much to change Austria’s fortunes. A day after dropping a game 11-0 to Sweden, they were soundly defeated once more, surrendering more goals (nine) than they recorded shots (eight).
The only NHL-drafted player on Austria’s roster, Rohrer played the most minutes of any skater on the team and miraculously escaped without being on the ice for a goal. He registered one of the eight shots on Czech goaltender Tomáš Suchánek, but couldn’t snap the nation’s goalless streak that stretched to two full games.
At this point, the realistic goal for the Austrians is probably just to score a goal in their two remaining games of the group stage. They seem destined to wind up in the relegation round, and it’s difficult to envision them sticking around in the Top Division for 2024.
Next game: Dec. 29 vs. Canada
Lane Hutson
Dec. 26: USA vs. Latvia
Team USA played a tougher match than they probably expected versus Latvia in the tournament opener. a game that was tied 2-2 after 40 minutes of play. The Americans scored three goals to win comfortably in the end, but they flirted with an upset early.
Hutson didn’t register any points, or even shots, in the 5-2 win. He played just 14:07, which was the second-lowest total among the defence corps, and that may be the case throughout the tournament as Luke Hughes takes the offensive minutes Hutson thrives in. In his time in game one, Hutson was using his stick well to break up the few offensive plays Latvia had and aid his team in transition.
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.
