The Edmonton Oilers came out slow, but the Chicago Blackhawks came out slower. Edmonton failed to rev it up in the second, but the Blackhawks failed harder.
In the most hum drum game of the season — notable only because two good goals appeared to have been taken away from the Oiles by the refs — Edmonton squeezed out a 2-1 victory.
Connor McDavid, 7. Not his “A” game, it’s safe to say. He was muscled off the puck on Chicago’s first Grade A shot. He charged up ice and created his own break-in chance early in the first. Later in the period he stole a puck to set up a Bouchard slot harpoon. Early in the second he blitzed in off Ekholm’s stretch pass and deked Petr Mrazek for Edmonton’s second goal. Contributions to Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +4/-1; Special Teams +0/-2.
Zach Hyman, 6. He was the prime culprit on the first goal against, bumping into Cody Ceci in the n-zone, eliminating both players. He legally screened Mrazek from the outside edge of the crease but the refs still took away a good goal for the Oilers. On a second suspect call, he had a good goal taken away by the refs on an iffy Draisaitl off-side and coach’s challenge early in the third. He missed a wide open net with the net empty. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-0.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 5. He did his bit on the PK, which was crucial for the Oilers but was otherwise quiet. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.
Leon Draisaitl, 7. More good moments than bad and one great strike. He set up Ekholm’s 5-alarm slot shot early in the game, then zipped in McLeod’s pass on the break to tie the game. He and his line had a terrible shift getting outworked late in the third, not a good time to let down. He won 11 of 16 face-offs. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST +0/-2.
Warren Foegele, 6. Played with his usual hustle. He drove hard to the net for a Grade A power play shot in the first. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +2/-0.
Derek Ryan, 6. He earned his marks on the PK, where he got the job done. He won 11 out of 15 on the dot. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.
Evander Kane, 4. Not his best game. Failed to cash in a rebound on McD’s break-in shot in the first. He took an iffy reach-in tripping penalty half-way through the third. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.
Connor Brown, 6. He got things going early on, centreing the puck, then moving to the slot to redirect on net Brett Kulak’s outside shot. He had good some moments on the PK. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +2/-0.
Mattias Janmark, 5. He made a solid block on the PK early in the third. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.
James Hamblin, 5. He failed to drain a great slot pass from Erne in the third but played with his usual hustle. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.
Adam Erne, 5. He was fighting the puck a bit but set up Hamblin in the slot for a 5-alarmer. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.
Evan Bouchard, 6. He failed to drain a slot pass from McDavid late in the first. He was otherwise solid. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-1.
Darnell Nurse, 5. Had some good moments but also some iffy ones. He sprawled on Chicago’s first goal, sliding out of the play, allowing the wide-open 5-alarm shot. A moment later his stretch pass ignited the rush on Draisaitl’s goal. He made a huge play on what should have been the third or fourth Edmonton goal, winning a battle on the boards and firing it up ice. He got caught out behind the net on a 5-alarmer half-way through the third. GAS: ES +1/-5; ST +0/-2.
Cody Ceci, 4. His turnover in the third led to a wicked slot shot from Rem Pitlick, which he put off the post. He also allowed a slot pass that Ryan Donato almost slammed home in the third. GAS: ES +1/-3; ST +0/-0.
Brett Kulak, 6. Quiet game, decent game. GAS: ES +2/-1; ST +0/-0.
Vincent Desharnais, 7. He had a solid game on defence, as well as moving the puck. GAS: ES +2/-1; ST +0/-0.
Stuart Skinner, 7. He had little chance on Dickinson’s goal, but then came up with a gargantuan stop on Ryan Donato, sprawling to get his arm on Donato’s stuff shot. He thwarted a 5-alarmer from Joey Anderson late in the first. His turnover in the second led to a wicked Hawks slot shot, but the shooter missed the net. Chicago got little on net in the second and early in the third, but he made a huge save on Ryan Donato with ten minutes left, and a few good ones after that as well.
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:
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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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