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The Edmonton Oilers came out slow but got stronger as the game went along, with Evander Kane powering an offensive avalanche that helped crush the Colorado Avalanche 6-3.
The Edmonton Oilers came out slow but got stronger as the game went along, with Evander Kane powering an offensive avalanche that helped crush the Colorado Avalanche 6-3.
What seemed unlikely in the final days of Dave Tippett is now a reality, with the Oilers clinching a playoff spot under new coach Jay Woodcroft. The Oilers have 23 wins and 11 losses under Woodcroft.
In the end, Grade A shots were 11 for the Oilers, 17 for the Avs, with seven 5-alarm shot for Edmonton and four for the Avs.
Connor McDavid, 7. Solid game. Three assists, though none of them spectacular in any way. No shots on net. He rushed the puck up ice and made a quick deke, then laid it off to Kane on Edmonton’s first goal. He executed a sharp horizontal dart just outside the blueline to help send in Kane on his hat trick goal. He also set up Kane in the sequence leading to Yamamoto’s goal. McD missed the net on a breakaway in the third, largely because he got hacked on the hands. He now has 116 points, compared to 113 for Florida’s Jonathan Huberdeau, who has one game in hand in this NHL scoring title race.
Kailer Yamamoto, 7. Energetic and effective. He pounced on a rebound to push along the Virtuous Cycle on Kane’s second goal. He jumped on a loose puck in the slot to backhand in Edmonton’s fifth goal, Yamamoto’s 19th of the season.
Evander Kane, 9. Edmonton’s offensive engine in this game, with three goals, on3 assist. He was over-aggressive and allowed a lethal pass creating a 3-on-1 on the first Avs goal. He started off his first goal-scoring sequence with a wicked slash check, popping the puck to McD, then slammed home the wrap-around, with the normally reliable Kuemper way out of position. On his second goal, he won a board battle, got one five-alarm shot off a Bouchard outside blast, then a second to score off a great pass from Keith. Most spectacular was his third goal, where he deked out Josh Manson, then Kuemper on a break-in. He also found time to push around nasty Nazem Kadri. He fired a shot on net which rebounded off an Avs d-man to Yamamoto for Edmonton’s fifth goal.
Leon Draisaitl, 7. A beast in a big moment in the game, making a crucial pokecheck to thwart the Colorado 5-on-3 early in the second, then hurried a few more passes to kill off the sequence. He was arguably slow to the shooter Nichushkin on his second goal. He knocked Cale Makar on his butt with a sneaky shoulder. He took the puck like a freight train to the net for a 5-alarm jam shot. A moment later he picked off a Manson pass and broke in for a hard snap shot.
Ryan McLeod, 4. He made an error in fundamentals, spinning and turning away from the play, leading to MacKinnon’s power play one-timer in the first. He let MacKinnon get behind for a 5-alarm shot in the second. He was quiet on the attack.
Zach Hyman, 5. His turnover led to a dangerous early 2-on-1, his first of several defensive miscues. Charged in on a breakaway in the third. Worked hard throughout, as usual.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 7. He got off a tricky slot wrister in the first. His hooking penalty led to a 1:11 Avs’ 5-on-3. Sportsnet commentator Bob Stauffer called the penalty a “BS” call and a “joke.” RNH made a sharp pass to Bouchard on his scoring sequence. He snapped a power play wrister off the bar. He lobbed a pass to send in Hyman on a breakaway.
Warren Foegele, 5. He lost a battle leading to an early Avs odd-man rush. Other than that was fine, but got little done on the attack.
Derek Ryan, 6. He made a number of strong plays on the attack, including a fine play to take a hit, then sending a cross-ice dart to RNH for the first of Edmonton’s Grade A shots.
Zack Kassian, 5. Quiet game, but nothing too bad.
Derick Brassard, 4. Nothing much to report in just over six minutes of ice time.
Darnell Nurse, 3. He was having a rough game that got all the rougher when he got inured. He made an over-aggressive and bad decision on a pinch in the first, kicking off the Sequence of Pain on the Avs first goal. A moment later he tripped Burakovsky and got a penalty. He got picked slightly and allowed Nichushkin to move into the slot on his second goal. He left the game in the second period after a hard battle at the side of the net where he appeared to come out limping a bit. We will all hope this will amount to nothing much, as your top d-man going out at this time of year is bad, bad, bad news.
Cody Ceci, 7. Another super solid game, something he’s becoming known for. He fought off Nichushkin in the crease when a loose puck was there to be scored late in the first. He kept a clean sheet, meaning not one major mistake on a Grade A shot at even strength the entire game.
Duncan Keith, 7. He’s playing well, reading the play at a high level and firing off deft passes. He was challenged on a rush down the wing by speedy Newhook early in the game, but stuck with him. His diagonal dart set up Kane’s second goal.
Evan Bouchard, 8. Really good in this one, with three major contributions to Grade A shots and a clean sheet in his own zone. He got a decent power play shot in the first, then followed up winning the puck, rushing it up ice and making a fine pass, showing class and calm early in the game. He ripped a puck on net and batted in the rebound for Edmonton’s second goal. He made a key shot leading up to Kane’s second goal. He crosschecked MacKinnon into the boards, apologized for it, then had MacKinnon deflect one in off his leg, but the game was in garbage time by then.
Kris Russell, 8. The under-rated Russell has still got the speed and the smarts to play well at this level, with his fast backtrack and clearance contributing to Bouchard’s goal and earning #6 an assist. He allowed a diagonal dart leading to a 5-alarm MacKinnon shot. When Nurse got hurt he moved up to the top-pairing with Ceci. He made a long bomb of a shot into an empty net to ice the game. Four hits and five blocked shots.
Tyson Barrie, 6. Quiet but solid game.
Brett Kulak, 4. Rancid first period, he settled down as things went along. He got beat on an early 2-on-1 leading to a dangerous shot by Helm. A moment later he blew a turn and fell down, causing an even more dangerous 2-on-1 for Logan O’Connor. He capped it off jumping onto the ice early and taking a too-many-men penalty. But he snapped the puck up the boards kicking off the sequence for Kane’s hattie goal to earn an assist.
Mike Smith, 7. Another good game. Stoned Helm and O’Connor on a 5-alarmers early in the game. He had zero chance on Colorado’s first goal, a cross-ice dart followed by a one-timer on a 3-on-1 break. Kadri’s shot got behind him late in the first, but Smith managed to find it and smother it. Might have done better on Nichushin’s second goal, which was on the outer edge of the Grade A shot zone, though it was indeed a well-placed shot. He made a big short-handed save on Burakovsky in the third, then roughed up Lehkonen in the crease. He made a fine point-blank stop on Newhook to choke out any final life from the Avs.
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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.
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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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