The Maple Leafs look to get back to winning ways against a desperate New Jersey Devils team fighting for its playoff life, but they’ll need to do it without Joel Edmundson and possibly Morgan Rielly (game-time decision), who have joined Mitch Marner and Calle Jarnkrok on the injury list (7:30 p.m. EST, TSN4)
Game Day Quotes
Sheldon Keefe on the goals for tonight’s game against the Devils:
Let’s build on our last effort that we had [at home]. It is another team with high-octane offense and skill. They will make you pay in transition if you give them easy ice. There are a lot of reasons for us to be dialed in tonight and bring an effort similar to Edmonton.
Keefe on the challenge against the Devils under interim head coach Travis Green:
They are in a fight for the playoffs, but they have always been a great offensive team. They haven’t taken a step back in that area in terms of generating chances and the skill that they possess, but they play a much better team game defensively. That is a credit to how Greener has been able to keep it going.
Travis Green on his second opportunity running an NHL bench:
It is like anything in life. You get better the more you do things. I had a break. You get to look back at yourself and evaluate yourself in certain areas. That is important, not just in hockey but in all areas of life. I think I am a better coach today than I was.
I wanted to coach. I love coaching. The Devils have a real bright future. Coaching with Lindy (Ruff) was going to be another way to learn and get better as well. This is not the way I envisioned being behind the bench as a head coach, but sometimes, things happen.
It has been a process since day one behind the bench to install my thoughts on coaching and how teams should play. I like the way things are progressing.
Green on his memories of playing for the Leafs during his playing career:
Great ones. It is a great place to play with the passion in the city. Every player likes to come and play against the Leafs. I remember that well as a player. But I think every player enjoys playing for the Leafs as well. Special place.
Green on the challenges against the current Leafs team:
It is no secret they are one of the better teams in the league. They have skill. They are fast. They can make plays.
We have been talking about our game a lot in the last 10-11 games and how we have to play to have success. We are going to have to be on top of our game.
There is not one area you have to be good at. You have to be good in all areas to beat teams like this.
Keefe on Joseph Woll starting his second consecutive:
If the last game was any indication, he is building momentum and getting back into a groove. That was why getting him back in the net tonight was important.
He has had some tough starts here, right? He has been on the tail end of back-to-backs. He has played some tough opponents. Getting him into this one tonight was important for a lot of reasons — not just the way he played last game, but also getting him the extra start.
With Samsonov having the little bump in the road with an injury, it allows that opportunity and makes it fall into place or makes the decision somewhat easier in that sense.
He is building momentum. He looked great the other night.
Bobby McMann on Woll’s 41-save performance in Carolina:
He faced a lot of shots and a lot of grade-As, too. Credit to him for stopping them for us. We gave up a few too many chances.
That is just the regular for him, though. He is an elite competitor. He is always ready to go.
McMann on the keys to turning it around on the penalty kill:
Pressure. We are a little bit in between. When you aren’t having success, you start to second-guess it a little bit. You are a little bit in between and thinking about it rather than reacting. I think we can just react, play hockey, and pressure their guys.
Head-to-Head Stats: Maple Leafs vs. Devils
In the season-to-date statistics, the Leafs hold the advantage over the Devils in three out of five offensive categories and three out of five defensive categories.
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#59 Tyler Bertuzzi – #34 Auston Matthews – #11 Max Domi
#74 Bobby McMann – #91 John Tavares – #88 William Nylander
#23 Matthew Knies – #29 Pontus Holmberg – #89 Nick Robertson
#24 Connor Dewar – #64 David Kampf – #18 Noah Gregor
LONDON – Canada will meet three-time champion Germany in the Davis Cup quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain this November.
Canada secured a berth in the quarterfinals — also called The Final 8 Knockout Stage — with a 2-1 win over Britain last weekend in Manchester, England.
World No. 21 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal anchored a five-player squad that included Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., Gabriel Diallo of Montreal, Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que., and Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C.
The eight-team draw for the quarterfinals was completed Thursday at International Tennis Federation headquarters.
Defending champion Italy will play Argentina, the United States will meet Australia and Spain will take on the Netherlands. Schedule specifics have yet to be released but the Final 8 will be played Nov. 19-24.
Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz were unbeaten in doubles play last week to help Germany reach the quarterfinals. The country’s top singles player — second-ranked Alex Zverev — did not play.
The Canadians defeated Germany in the quarterfinals en route to their lone Davis Cup title in 2022. Germany won titles in 1988, ’89 and ’93.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Canada, fuelled by a 2-1 win over the U.S. and scoreless draw with Mexico, has jumped two places to No. 38 in the FIFA men’s world rankings released Thursday.
Of the top six CONCACAF teams, Canada was the only one to move up. Mexico was unchanged at No. 17 while the U.S. and Panama each fell two rungs to No. 18 and 37, respectively
Costa Rica slipped one spot to No. 50 and Jamaica two places to No. 61.
It marks Canada’s highest ranking under coach Jesse Marsch, who was hired in mid-May when the Canadians were ranked 50th. Since then, the team has climbed to No. 49, 48, 40 and now 38.
Canada has been as high as No. 33 in the men’s ranking, achieved in February 2022 under John Herdman with Canada, named the “Most Improved Side” in 2021 by FIFA, turning heads with an unbeaten run in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
The new rankings encompass 184 internationals involving teams from all six confederations including 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia, Oceania and South America.
The top 10 was unchanged with Argentina ahead of France, Spain, England, Brazil, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Colombia and Italy. But the gap at the top is closing with Argentina losing 2-1 away to Colombia and 3-1 at home to Italy.
Teams 10 through 15 were also unchanged. But there was movement after that in the form of Japan (, up two), Iran (No. 19, up one) and Denmark (No. 20, up one). Egypt (No. 31), Ivory Coast (No. 33), Tunisia (No. 36) and Algeria (No. 41) all jumped five places while Greece (No. 48) climbed six spots.
The biggest movers were Brunei Darussalam (No. 183) and Samoa (No. 185), who vaulted seven spots on the back of two wins apiece.
Qatar suffered the biggest drop, tumbling 10 places to No. 44.
San Marino remains at the bottom of the rankings in 210th place despite recording its first victory in more than 20 years, San Marino defeated Liechtenstein 1-0 on Sept. 5, ending a 140-game winless run since a 1-0 decision over the same opponent in April 2004.
Liechtenstein fell four places to No. 203.
Canada’s next match is an Oct. 15 friendly against Panama at Toronto’s BMO Field. The next men’s ranking will be released Oct. 24.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024
It has been a difficult start to the NFL season for quarterback Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers.
Carolina has dropped its opening two games after Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. And Young, the first player taken in the ’23 NFL draft, was 18-of-26 passing for 84 yards with an interception while being sacked twice.
As a result, veteran Andy Dalton will start Sunday when Carolina faces the Las Vegas Raiders (1-1).
According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., the Chargers’ win was the most accurately predicted moneyline selection by Proline bettors. A whopping 92 per cent of wagers were on Los Angeles beating Carolina with 92 per cent also picking the Chargers to cover -4.5.
In other action that went in favour of Proline bettors: Kansas City edged Cincinnati 26-25 (86 per cent correctly selected the Chiefs to win); Houston got past Chicago 19-13 (81 per cent); the New York Jets defeated Tennessee 24-17 (78 per cent); Pittsburgh beat Denver 13-6 (76 per cent), Washington beat the New York Giants 21-18 (73 per cent); and Seattle toppled New England 23-20 (62 per cent).
However, only five per cent of bettors had the Raiders upsetting Baltimore 26-23.
And there was one winner of Proline’s second week main NFL pool of $407,613.
In NFL futures bets after the second week of the season, the odds for offensive player of the year got shorter for running backs Breece Hall (Jets) and Bijan Robinson (Atlanta) and Detroit receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. But they got longer for running backs Kyren Williams (Rams), Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco) and Jonathan Taylor (Colts).
Quarterbacks Bo Nix (Denver), Jayden Daniels (Washington) and Caleb Williams (Chicago) all had their odds for offensive rookie of the year go up while they went down for running back Ray Davis (Buffalo), tight end Brock Bowers (Raiders) and receiver Malik Nabers (Giants).
Quarterbacks Patrick Mahones (Chiefs), Aaron Rodgers (Jets) and Jalen Hurts (Eagles) all had their odds for regular season MVP go up. But quarterbacks Jordan Love (Packers), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) and Joe Burrow (Cincinnati) all saw theirs go down.
Kansas City, Philadelphia and Houston had their Super Bowl odds increase while Green Bay, Baltimore and Cincinnati all decreased.
Not surprising, the week’s top events were all NFL games. In order, they were; Buffalo-Miami, Chicago-Houston, Cincinnati-KC, Raiders-Ravens; and Saints-Cowboys.
A Proline retail player cashed in a $26,183 winner from a $10 bet on a 12-leg major-league baseball parlay. Another won $24,602 from a $10 wager on a 12-leg NFL parlay.
A third received $1,737 from a $3 bet on a six-leg NFL parlay.
A digital bettor earned $2,927 from a $25 bet on a five-leg NFL parlay while a second had a $704.35 return from a $1 wager on a seven-leg NFL parlay.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
