Sheldon Keefe addressed the media after his team’s 5-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets that improved the Leafs’ record to 18-7-2 on the season.
On the team’s performance:
We found ways to strike offensively, whether it was on the power play or on quick chances off the rush, but in terms of how we like to play and how we have played, I don’t think there was a lot to like about the game tonight in any of the periods. I am kind of happy, frankly, that the third period catches up to us because it probably should have.
It is not a good game for us, but it is a good result, obviously. We get back on the good side of it. It is a funny game to play, too, for our guys given we had such big leads at different times. It is all a part of it.
What it tells me, honestly: We are a tired group that needs time. Coming back from California and ending up out in Minnesota and Winnipeg, coming back late at four in the morning the next day… I feel like our team still needs to regroup itself. We are going to take a day off to do that tomorrow.
On Nick Ritchie scoring his first of the season:
Love it. It has been a long time coming. I said to him on the bench that I can’t take a lot of credit because I have been calling it for quite a while now that tonight was going to be the night, but I did feel quite strongly today was going to be the day for him.
He is very quietly playing well here. Coming into tonight, he had four points in his last five games. You could just see it coming. He has had some really good chances. I am thrilled for him, and the team is thrilled for him as well.
On when he began to call Ritchie’s first goal each night:
It has been a while. I started. I stopped. It was his birthday the other day, and we called it that day. In the coach’s room before the game… I thought it was going to be on the power play, though. I am glad it worked out the way it did. It is a good goal for him and a good goal for the team.
On Jason Spezza’s six-game suspension despite his sterling reputation around the league:
Everybody in this room and everybody in the game knows the character and integrity that Jason Spezza has and has played with his entire career. We do and always will support him. Obviously, he is going to weigh his options that he has in this process.
From our perspective, I think it is important that we press on here. I think that is all we can do. That’s what we did tonight. I liked that we came out, played, and got our win without him. That is what we need to continue to do; not make excuses or point fingers.
We will continue to press on and Jason will go through his process.
On the play of Alex Steeves and Kristians Rubins in their NHL debuts:
I thought those guys gave us good shifts. I liked their game. I am going to have to watch some of the details back. In terms of the confidence they both showed with the puck, I liked that.
For the first game for them especially, it is a strange situation. I guess you can look at it either way — maybe you have less time to think about it, or whatever — but there were no practices even with the team. In Steeves’ case, in particular, he wasn’t in our camp and didn’t know any of our guys. The guys don’t know him. He was just kind of dropped in here.
I thought [Steeves] played with confidence and his game got better throughout. He has some good details to his game. He is a smart guy. He plays with a good conscience out on the ice. I thought it was a good game for both of those guys.
On Auston Matthews’ scoring heater:
Not much surprises me anymore. I don’t think it should surprise anybody what he is capable of. That is the calibre of player that he is.
Obviously, the first goal is a pretty high-end play by Bunting to get that puck to him. That was great to see. He works to get to that spot to score and be there for that goal, and then he gets one down the wing.
Those are the kinds of pucks that haven’t gone in for him this season, so it was great to see that. When those kinds of plays start falling for him, it is obviously great. He is building great momentum here.
On Wayne Simmonds’ fit on the Matthews line:
I don’t know if I ended up juggling it at all. I was happy with how it was going. Obviously, we built the lead early, so there was a lot more reason to just continue managing the bench the way I was — kind of keeping guys rolling. I didn’t feel the need to necessarily change it.
Simmer has worked hard. He has played good hockey for us. It was a good chance tonight with how the game went to get him more consistent reps there and get more time. I thought he did a good job.
On whether Steeves and Rubins will stick around with the team:
We are going to take a day off tomorrow and regroup ourselves. There has been a lot going on around here between injuries and suspensions. We will take our time and see where the roster is at and where the injured guys are at. Obviously, some are going to be long term, but Dermott is making great progress here. We will have to see where he is at.
I know some of our guys are going to skate tomorrow — nobody who played tonight, but some of the guys like Dermott are going to skate. We will have to see where we are at and where the roster is at.
I have kind of lost track with it, to be honest. They just let me know who is eligible tonight and we put the lineup together. We will regroup, obviously. We have a very good team coming here on Thursday that we have to get ready for.
On Bunting’s contributions on the Matthews line:
He has been great. He is gaining more and more confidence in himself and in his role playing with Auston. The line hasn’t had Mitch here now for a few games. For him to make a play as he did is going to help his confidence all the more.
He himself — take the chemistry with Auston and playing on that line away — is just playing good hockey. He is playing with lots of urgency and lots of competitiveness. He keeps finding ways to generate offense and get points. We are feeling good about his game.
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.
