The Maple Leafs finished third in the Atlantic Division with 102 points, seven behind the Bruins. Toronto boasts a potent offensive attack, having ranked second in the league in goals per game (3.67) and seventh on the power play (24.0%). On the defensive side, Toronto allowed 3.18 goals per game, ranking 21st in the NHL. They were tied with the Predators for 22nd on the penalty kill at 76.9%.
“Offensively, they’re a gifted hockey club,” said Bruins GM Don Sweeney. “They present a lot of challenges down around the net front area, and we’re going to have to be really sharp there. We’re a pretty good team defensively when we stick to what our principles are, so I expect it to be a tight series overall.
“Obviously, their power play is really good, our penalty killing has been pretty consistent throughout the year, our power play needs to come back online here. Fortunately, we scored a goal the other night to hopefully give the guys a little bit of confidence.
“It’s going to be a really good challenge on all levels. A good hockey club, a good opponent. If you if you’ve made it to the playoffs, you’ve earned a right here… and Toronto will present a really good challenge.”
Toronto is paced by its talented core group of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly. Matthews led the NHL with 69 goals this season, one shy of becoming the first player to hit 70 since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny in 1992-93. His 107 points ranked sixth in the league, three points back of Pastrnak.
“A lot of skill, a lot of skill and a lot of compete,” McAvoy said of Matthews. “And it’s going to be a big challenge for us moving forward.”
Nylander, meanwhile, ranked 10th in the NHL in scoring with 98 points (40 goals, 58 points), though he missed Toronto’s practice on Friday and his status for Game 1 is in question, per media reports. Marner was 22nd with 85 points (26 points, 59 assists). Tavares finished fourth on the Maple Leafs in scoring with 65 points (29 goals, 36 assists) and Rielly fifth with 58 points (7 goals, 51 assists).
Former Bruins forward Tyler Bertuzzi ranked seventh in team scoring with 43 points and fifth in goals with 21.
“We can’t turn pucks over and force plays,” said Bruins winger Pat Maroon. “We can’t let them get in the transition game. They do a good job behind the nets and soft plays, so we’ve got to find ways to limit that, limit their time and space and be harder on their skills guys, and find ways to just limit their time.”
Toronto’s Friday practice lineup:
FORWARDS
Tyler Bertuzzi – Auston Matthews – Max Domi
Matthew Knies – John Tavares – Mitch Marner
Nick Robertson – Pontus Holmberg – Calle Jarnkrok
Connor Dewar – David Kampf – Ryan Reaves
Noah Gregor
DEFENSEMEN
Morgan Rielly – Ilya Lybushkin
Simon Benoit – Jake McCabe
Joel Edmundson – Timothy Liljegren
Mark Giordano – T.J. Brodie
Cade Weber – Connor Timmins
GOALIES
Ilya Samsonov
Joseph Woll
Goalie Ilya Samsonov carried the baton goal with a 23-7-8 record, .890 save percentage and 3.13 goals against average in 40 games. Joseph Woll was 12-11-1 with a .907 save percentage and 2.94 GAA in 25 games.
“I think both teams are very energetic,” said B’s blue liner Brandon Carlo. “We obviously both have a lot of passion being Original Six teams…the way we come into it with the mindset of it’s gonna be a physical series at different points, it’s gonna be a skilled series at different points, it’s gonna be a gritty series. There’s gonna be little components of each part. I think whoever can adjust to the other team’s playing style the best is gonna come out of this and be victorious.”
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.
