Slovakia came out storming and took a quick 1-0 lead at 2:14. Libor Nemec cut around defenceman Ryan Chesley at the blue line, busted in off the left side, and banged his own rebound through Mbereko. The Slovak assistant captain is no relation to blueliner Simon Nemec, the #2 overall pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2022.
The U.S. struck right back with a power play goal at 4:42. Gauthier centered the puck to Rutger McGroarty, who directed it on net, and Boucher partially fell on Gajan while swiping the rebound in from his knees.
Slovak coach Ivan Fenes challenged the goal on the grounds of goalie interference, but after a video review, it was allowed to stand. Slovakia got a delay of game minor as a consequence.
The U.S. grabbed a 2-1 lead just after the Slovak penalty expired. Brindley deftly tipped Lane Hutson’s shot from the left side over a surprised Gajan’s right shoulder.
In the second period, things temporarily settled into a defensive groove. Mbereko made a fine save around the eight-minute mark when Slovak assistant captain Filip Mesar, a 2022 Montreal first-rounder (26th overall), set up Servac Petrovsky in front off the rush.
Then the tide turned in Slovakia’s favour, suddenly and without warning.
At the midway mark, Dvorsky made it 2-2 with the man advantage. The 17-year-old AIK attacker, a top prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft, stepped in from the centre point and sent a magnificent wrister sailing past Mbereko’s blocker side. The Slovaks had new life.
“Me and Maxim Strbak, we switched there a little,” Dvorsky. “He passed to me and I faked a shot and then I shot and scored. That’s obviously great, but I’m extremely happy that we won.”
Next up, Baco streaked down right wing around U.S. blueliner Jack Peart and zapped a shot from the right faceoff circle home at 11:48. The heaviest player on Slovakia’s roster at 100 kg, Baco slid hard into the end boards, but was soon up celebrating with his teammates at the bench.
The Slovaks kept on coming and the U.S. defence continued to struggle.
With a delayed penalty to the Americans and an extra Slovak attacker on the ice, Mesar made it 4-2 at 13:20 when his shot tipped off the outstretched stick of Charlie Stramel. The Avenir Centre crowd cheered lustily for the underdogs, who were having their way with Canada’s cross-border rivals.
With under four minutes left in the middle frame, Logan Cooley embarked on a spectacular solo dash, but his attempt at a Peter Forsberg-style one-handed goal slid wide.
Poor discipline hurt the U.S.’s hopes of coming back. At 17:34, Kenny Connors threw a late hit on Slovakia’s David Natny in front of the U.S. bench and was ejected with a five-minute major and game misconduct for boarding.
After the five-minute penalty expired in the third period, it was Gajan’s time to dazzle with his green gloves and pads from the NAHL’s Green Bay Gamblers. He robbed McGroarty and Chaz Lucius on excellent opportunities. At the other end, Mbereko stoned Alex Sotek on back-to-back chances and Adam Zlnka in all alone.
“We could expect that I will have more shots in the last period,” Gajan said. “So I was a little bit tired. But the guys helped me, so they made it easy for me.”
At 10:46, Repcik potted his team-leading third goal of the tournament on a partial breakaway. He fought off Luke Hughes’ backcheck to dangle his way in, and the puck ended up going in off Hughes.
At 15:08, Boucher got his second of the night with a power-play rebound to cut the deficit to 5-3. But the Americans would get no closer despite pulling Mbereko for the extra attacker. Ciernik put the icing on the cake with an empty-netter at 18:53.
Frustrations boiled over just before the buzzer with a scrum in the Slovak end. After a lengthy review, during which Fenes’ team stood with arms linked on their bench, Baco was assessed a five-minute major for cross-checking. The Slovaks celebrated wildly at game’s end.
“After this game, you can’t be tired!” said Simon Nemec, who played a game-high 25:31. “A lot of good things in this game.”
With just two bronze medals (1999, 2015) to its credit all-time, Slovakia is hungry to keep its momentum going. This victory isn’t quite on par with upsetting the Americans 5-3 in the 2009 quarter-finals in Ottawa on goalie Jaroslav Janus’s 44 saves, but it’s still an important building block.
This was just the fifth time Slovakia has beaten the U.S. in 21 World Junior meetings. The Americans have 15 wins and one tie versus Slovakia.
The U.S. takes on Switzerland on Thursday, while Slovakia battles Latvia on Friday.
“I think we’re gonna have a bounceback here, and we’re hungry,” said Boucher.
Sotek made his World Junior debut for Slovakia with one assist after being added to the roster on Wednesday. The 18-year-old winger from Poprad has a goal and two assists in 21 games for HC Slovan Bratislava this season.
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.
