Morgan Rielly may be pleased to learn that on his crosscheck on a showboating Ottawa Senator that could get him suspended, he’s got the Coach in his corner.
Sports
WARMINGTON: Don Cherry in Morgan Rielly’s corner on crosscheck on Sens hot-dog Greig
Time will tell what the NHL decides when they hold a hearing for the Maple Leafs defenceman on Tuesday, but Cherry said when Ridly Greig took a slapshot into the empty net to ice the win for the Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre in the capital and rub salt into the Leafs’ wounds, he broke an unwritten NHL code about showing up a team when they are down.
“I am glad Rielly was on and I’m glad he did it,” said Cherry, the former coach of the Boston Bruins and longtime star of Coach’s Corner on Hockey Night in Canada. “I know there is no rule in the book that says you don’t do that but you just don’t do that.”
Rielly certainly didn’t like it. After Greig wound up for empty-net slapshot, Rielly give the rookie a two-handed crosscheck that appeared to hit him on the face and head before Greig doubled over on the ice.
Cherry pointed to the unwritten rule that you don’t ‘spike the football’ in hockey. He raised the question of what was going through Greig’s mind and why he did it.
Grapes, who also had Rielly’s back when his playoff goal was called back against Florida last spring, has a theory.
Certainly the arena seemed to be filled with a majority of Leafs Nation. Grieg was making his point that the home team was going to win this round of the Battle of Ontario.
Veteran Rielly made his own statement.
“It was a spur of the moment thing,” said Cherry.
That said, Cherry took a little dig at Grieg when he teased, “He laid there pretty good.”
Ouch. Times two.
It’s great to hear Don’s perspective because as Tim said, “Everybody wants to know what you think.”
That’s why he should be back on Hockey Night in Canada!
Maybe even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford agree – since Grapes said he received notes for his recent 90th birthday from both. “I want to thank everybody for their kind wishes,” Cherry said.
My feeling was it was an illegal, dirty play that could have hurt Grieg who didn’t break a rule and can score anyway he chooses. I also noted the Leafs didn’t show this kind of fire in the belly when the Bruins’ Brad Marchand tripped Timothy Liljegren can opener-style into the boards in November or last year when Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett put rookie Matthew Knies out of the playoffs with a concussion.
But as Grapes has explained — the Leafs players and coaching staff talked about that lack of response and vowed to never let that happen gain.
Whether it’s on the Michigan-style lacrosse-like goals where players put the puck on the blade of their stick and fling it into the net or an over-the-top celebration of a goal that embarrasses the other team, Cherry says on the ice, the players don’t like that kind of one-upmanship.
And you pay a price if you decide to do something like that. Greig paid that price. Rielly may as well in terms of games and salary missed and perhaps a fine.
If Cherry had a say in it, Rielly would be back in the lineup on Saturday, Feb. 17 against the Anaheim Ducks.
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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.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Sports
Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere
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.”
Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.
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.
___
AP cricket:
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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