Coming out of the Christmas break, the Toronto Maple Leafs will get right back down to business with a back-to-back starting tonight against the New Jersey Devils tonight as they attempt to extend their winning streak to six games (7 p.m. ET, SNO).
The Devils’ disappointing season culminated last week in the trading of Taylor Hall to the Arizona Coyotes, essentially committing to a high draft pick after a 12-19-5 start that has them sitting last in a competitive Metro Division. New Jersey came into the year tabbed in many corners as big winners in the 2019 offseason only to produce far less than expected offensively with below-average defensive results and mediocrity in the net.
In terms of overall control/possession of the puck, the Devils have been close to the bottom of the league. They’ve allowed the fifth-most shot attempts against this year while generating the 26th fewest shot attempts for. It’s of little consolation to the organization and its fans, but when looking at location-adjusted numbers, the Devils show a little better at 23rd in xGF/60 and 17th in xGA/60.
In net, Mackenzie Blackwood, now in his second season and 50 games into his NHL career, has emerged as the undisputed number one. Cory Schneider’s rapid decline saw sent to the American League earlier in the season, meaning the Devils’ backup situation has been in flux and Blackwood has taken a large percentage of the team’s starts — 24 of 36, to be exact. Considering Blackwood’s age and inexperience, his performance is one of the few bright spots for the Devils this year. However, putting aside performance relative to preseason expectations, Blackwood has been closer to average with a season stat line of 11-10-4, with a .909 Sv% and a GSAx of -8.4.
Needless to say, while the first game back can lead to some sluggishness, this is a very winnable game for the Leafs to keep their momentum going coming out of the break.
In lineup news for the Leafs, Trevor Moore, after just one game back in the lineup, is out again indefinitely with a concussion. Adam Brooks has been called up again to fill out the roster, but he won’t get into the lineup yet as Dmytro Timashov will remain in the lineup on Frederik Gauthier’s wing.
At the top of the lineup, the Leafs are going with a different look than they started with the last game. They did use these lines for parts of the game against Carolina, but this will be their first game starting with these combos, with their six best performing forwards this season making up their top two lines — Auston Matthews, John Tavares, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Ilya Mikheyev, and Zach Hyman. In addition to leaving the Matthews-Marner duo in place, rather than leaving Nylander on line three with Kasperi Kapanen and Alexander Kerfoot — a combination that didn’t seem to jive — Keefe has tweaked the lines to take our first real look at the Tavares-Nylander combination.
In goal, Michael Hutchinson will start while Andersen will go at home vs. the Rangers tomorrow. Handed the weaker opponent with a rested team in front of him, this is a good opportunity for Hutchinson to string two wins together coming off his win vs. Detroit last week.
Game Day Quotes
Auston Matthews on the inconsistency in the line combinations lately:
There’s not a whole ton of line juggling going on. Just in a game where stuff is not working you try to juggle it up and get something going and it seems to click so you ride with it. I don’t think anybody really has a problem with that. In the end, you’re just trying to find four lines that are obviously clicking well and producing.
Michael Hutchinson on his win against Detroit:
Just the way I felt out there, I felt really relaxed — I said before the game I was in a really good headspace going into the game and I felt the mental game was where it should be. That goes a long way. That’s the biggest thing — if you come in relaxed and in a good headspace, the game is a lot easier for sure.
Sheldon Keefe on the decision to start Hutchinson tonight and Andersen tomorrow:
We just thought, coming out of the break it was a good chance with the back-to-back they were going to play one each. It was a chance to give Freddy an extra day here to kind of get up and running. That’s what we went with, so Hutch will be ready to go today.
Matchup Stats
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards #11 Zach Hyman – #34 Auston Matthews – #16 Mitch Marner #65 Ilya Mikheyev – #91 John Tavares – #88 William Nylander #47 Pierre Engvall – #15 Alex Kerfoot – #24 Kasperi Kapanen #41 Dmytro Timashov – #33 Frederik Gauthier – #19 Jason Spezza
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.
