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Wednesday Wagers: Can Maple Leafs’ Marner stay hot in milestone game? – Sportsnet.ca

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The goals have been flowing in the NHL over the past week. In fact, six of the past seven days have seen at least one team score seven or more goals.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had the biggest outburst of offence during this stretch with their 10-7 win over Detroit this past weekend and are riding high off a dramatic win over the Capitals Monday. Toronto hosts the Buffalo Sabres in this week’s featured Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey game looking for a fourth consecutive victory.

Mitch Marner had a career-best four goals and six points in that wild 10-7 win and added another pair of assists against Washington.

After a mere three points in October, Marner went on a tear from November through February scoring 20 goals and 33 assists in 35 games. Marner is among the hottest forwards in the league right now with 11 points on his four-game point streak.

Marner, who will be skating in his 400th career regular-season game, has points in 27 of his 44 games this season and in those 27 games, he has recorded multiple points a whopping 17 times.

The winger’s points total for Monday against Buffalo is listed at 1.5 instead of the usual 0.5. You get -160 odds if you bet the underthinking Marner will be held off the scoresheet or limited to one point. He has 16 points in 16 career games versus Buffalo. If you think Marner will register two or more points for a fourth consecutive outing then betting the over will fetch a +125 return.

Marner’s shot total is 2.5 with the over set at -170 and the under at +130. He logged three or more shots in seven of his past 10 games played. Marner only has one power-play point in the past month yet he has relatively short PP point odds Wednesday at +160 while fading that is a chalky -205.

The Maple Leafs are heavy favourites with a -425 moneyline and -165 puckline so it isn’t surprising Auston Matthews leads the way with -175 anytime goal odds followed by Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares each at +145 anytime goal odds. Marner has five goals in his past 10 games but keep in mind four occurred in the same game.

There are three other games on the Wednesday slate. The Rangers host the Blues plus the Kings visit the Stars on SN NOW Premium while the Predators meet the Kraken in Seattle in a game available on SN NOW.

Here are a couple of other prop bets to consider during tonight’s action.

CAN BUCHNEVICH HAVE SUCCESS AGAINST HIS FORMER TEAM?
Pavel Buchnevich is enjoying a career year in his first season with the St. Louis Blues after being acquired from the New York Rangers in the off-season in exchange for Sammy Blais and a second-round pick.

The winger is tied for second on the Blues in goals (19) and points (46) in 46 games played this season playing on a line with Vladimir Tarasenko and Rob Thomas.

Buchnevich has four goals and six assists in his past 10 games and there’s some solid value on Buchnevich if the 26-year-old can produce in his first game playing against the team that drafted him back in 2013.

Buchnevich’s betting odds against the Rangers:
Anytime point -140
Over 2.5 shots on goal +100
Anytime assist +140
Anytime goal +250
Anytime PP point +330

CAN KINGS OVERWHELM STARS WITH SHOTS?
One contributing factor to the Los Angeles Kings currently sitting second in the Pacific Division is the fact they lead the NHL in shot differential per game. The Kings are coming off a 7-0 loss to Boston the other night and they’ll be motivated to get back on track after a blowout like that. They had won seven of eight prior to that blowout.

Dallas allowed 40 shots against Buffalo over the weekend and L.A. averages 35.5 shots per game, which ranks third in the league, so it could be worth focussing on the Kings’ shot market when they face the Stars.

Kings player odds for over 2.5 shots on goal vs. Stars:
Adrian Kempe -135
Anze Kopitar -105
Alex Iafallo +105
Drew Doughty +105
Arthur Kaliyev +140
Denis Gurianov +145

A better bet might end up being Phillip Danault over 1.5 shots listed at -165. It’s chalkier, sure, but Danault only needs two shots for the bet to win and the centre has hit that total in six of his past eight games.

All betting odds via the DraftKings sportsbook as of Wednesday morning

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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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:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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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.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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