Sports

Toronto Raptors vs New York Knicks recap

Published

5 years ago

January 25, 2020

The Toronto Raptors have developed a reputation for taking care of business. They have only lost to a sub-.500 team twice this whole season. If their game against the New York Knicks was taking care of business, however, the Raptors did so by showing up late, taking an hour and a half lunch break, falling asleep at the desk once or twice, then cobbling together just enough work in the eleventh hour to call it a productive day, pulling away late to win 118-112.

The two teams entered this game trending in two very different directions. The Raptors were in the midst of a five-game win streak, hoping to tack on a sixth in a row, while the Knicks have only won one of their last five. To make things even more difficult on the Knicks, their top rookie, RJ Barrett is out with an ankle injury for time being. On the other side, the Raptors have a few games under their belt with a fully healthy roster and are clearly gaining steam.

Barrett, the third overall pick in last summer’s NBA draft, has had an up-and-down rookie year, but has flashed enough potential to give a success-starved fan base in New York hope for the future. He is one of the few Knicks on the roster that appear to factor into their long term plans. His absence, however, is not just a disappointment for Raptors fans. Barrett is from Toronto, and one of the talented young Canadians that Torontonians are no doubt keeping their eye on.

Give the Knicks credit, as they refused to roll over as the Raptors got out to multiple double-digit leads, but this is a game that Toronto should have put to bed far earlier. The Knicks worked the Raptors on the glass, out-rebounding the Raptors 14-5 on offensive boards and 46-31 overall. Leading the Knicks on the glass and on offense were their two big, tough forwards Julius Randle and Marcus Morris, who both had close to 20-and-10 with points and rebounds, with Randle adding one more rebound and Morris one more point.

As usual, the Raptors benefited from the steady play and leadership of Kyle Lowry, who led the team with 26 points and stellar night from the free throw line, going 13-for-14. Pascal Siakam, in his first game since being named an All-Star Game starter, had his best game since returning from injury, scoring 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting and going 2-for-5 from three.

The Raptors got out to a sluggish start, lacking connectivity on offense and allowing the Knicks to crash the offensive glass. Toronto simply did not look mentally prepared in a physical first quarter, and allowed the Knicks to get out to a lead as big as 13 in the frame. As is customary for the Raptors, an injection of energy was provided by a Lowry-and-bench unit towards the end of the first.

Eventually shifting to a VanVleet-and-bench unit, this group closed the gap slowly but surely, although some hot shooting from Damyean Dotson temporarily kept the Raptors at bay. Dotson finished the half with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Serge Ibaka responded with an offensive flourish of his own, hitting two threes in as many attempts en route to 10 first half points.

To further reclaim the game, the Raptors went to the zone defense midway through the second quarter. If momentum is a game of tug-of-war, the zone defense has often been the equivalent of tying the end of the rope to a Clydesdale and sending it in the Raptors’ direction. It was effective once again, and a Lowry three-pointer punctuated a 13-0 run for the Raptors that saw them take a 43-40 lead. By halftime, they had maintained this pace for a 56-53 lead.

The Raptors came out in the third appearing ready to run away with the game. Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet hit consecutive threes, and then Pascal Siakam had a five point run of his own. The Raptors’ lead grew to twelve at 67-55, but the Knicks refused to let the them start coasting and went on a run of their own to get it as close as 70-69.

Norman Powell, however, does not mess around in the second half. Showing a penchant for late-game scoring on his hot streak, Powell carried this trend into tonight’s game. He hit a couple threes, got to the rim, and threaded the needle on a nice pass to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to help get the Raptors lead to a more comfortable margin in his time on the floor.

Once again, the Knicks would not go away, tying the game at 103 late in the fourth. Moments later, however, Siakam reminded everyone why he is an All-Star starter. He got to the line, and hit both free throws, then he blew by Marcus Morris Sr. for an authoritative dunk. Following that, after a couple of Kyle Lowry free throws, Siakam came down and hit a pull-up three to make the game 115-109 with 22 seconds left, essentially ending the game.

So, it was far from pretty, but the Raptors extended the win streak to six, and escaped a lively performance by the Knicks. It is good to get one in the win column, but the Raptors will have to show up mentally for their next game, as they travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs.

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Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.

Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.

He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.

Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.

Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.

Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.

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Veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin lead Canada’s team at WXV rugby tournament

Published

6 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.

WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).

Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.

“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.

“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”

Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.

Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.

Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.

Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.

The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.

Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.

The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.

WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.

The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.

Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad

Forwards

Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);

Backs

Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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Vancouver Canucks star goalie Thatcher Demko working through rare muscle injury

Published

6 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.

The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.

He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.

Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.

He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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