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With 'weird' Super Bowl week underway, ticket prices aren't going to the moon as brokers initially expected – Yahoo Canada Sports

Published

4 years ago

February 2, 2021

Harry Miller

The Canadian Press

Toffoli, Anderson each score twice, Canadiens down Canucks 5-3 in Weber’s 1,00th game

MONTREAL — Led by Tyler Toffoli and Josh Anderson, the Montreal Canadiens’ off-season acquisitions are paying big dividends 10 games into the 2020-21 season. Toffoli and Anderson each scored twice on Tuesday as the Montreal Canadiens celebrated captain Shea Weber’s 1,000th game with a 5-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Toffoli and Anderson, as well as other newcomers including veteran forward Corey Perry, backup goaltender Jake Allen and defenceman Joel Edmundson, have fit like a glove so far with a Canadiens team looking to build on an unexpected post-season run last year. “We’re having success because that was the goal from the get-go when we made those kinds of deals,” Canadiens head coach Claude Julien said. “So far it’s working out well. “We’re 10 games in so that’s certainly encouraging, but as I often mention it’s a long year and we’ve just got to keep plugging away.” Toffoli, whose second goal was a highlight reel-worthy backhander, continued to haunt his old team as the Canadiens swept a two-game series with Vancouver and improved to 7-1-2 to move a point ahead of idle Toronto into first place in the North Division. Eight of Toffoli’s nine goals this season have come against the Canucks. “We always thought that Tyler Toffoli was really good at scoring goals and was a smart player we could use in all sorts of situations, well that’s what he’s doing,” Julien said. “He’s killing penalties, on the power play, 5-on-5, and that goal he scored tonight on the backhand was a beauty.” Toffoli added an assist on Jeff Petry’s empty-net goal to cap the scoring. Montreal forward Nick Suzuki had two assists. Weber had an assist on Toffoli’s second goal, giving the 35-year-old bruising defenceman seven points (two goals, five assists) in 10 games this season. Antoine Roussel, Elias Pettersson and Tanner Pearson scored for the Canucks (6-7-0). Allen made 36 saves for Montreal, while Thatcher Demko stopped 28 shots for Vancouver. Montreal, which kicked off the two-game series between the teams with a 6-2 win on Monday, improved to 4-0-1 against the Canucks, outscoring them 28-15 over those five games. Anderson, acquired from Columbus in an off-season trade that sent forward Max Domi to the Blue Jackets, is proving to be every bit the power forward the Canadiens have been craving for years. He scored the first two goals of the game and now has six on the season. He had just one goal in 26 games last year with Columbus. The big winger opened the scoring at 14:53 of the first period. Ben Chiarot sent the puck toward the Vancouver goal and it wound up in front of Anderson, who outmuscled Canucks defenceman Jalen Chatfield and put the puck past Demko. Montreal went up 2-0 with three minutes left in the opening period after Suzuki picked off a bad outlet pass in the Canucks zone. Suzuki’s shot was blocked by Tyler Myers but the puck went right to Brett Kulak, whose shot was tipped in by Anderson. The Canadiens rode their momentum into the second period and had a couple of chances to score on an early power play, but Demko made a couple of big saves on Perry. That seemed to give the Canucks some life, and Roussel scored his first of the season when picked up a rebound and beat Allen at 4:20 of the second. Toffoli restored Montreal’s two-goal lead when he tipped in a Joel Edmundson shot at 12:29 of the second, then put the Canadiens up 4-1 around three minutes later when he outmanoeuvred former Hab Jordie Benn and fired a backhand past Demko. Toffoli played 10 regular-season games and seven post-season games with the Canucks last season after Vancouver acquired him in a trade with Los Angeles. He signed a four-year, US$17 million contract with the Canadiens in October. Pettersson scored his fourth of the year on a power play 53 seconds into the third period with a slick wrist shot over Allen form the right face-off circle. The Canucks sent Demko to the bench for an extra attacker and were rewarded for late pressure when Pearson scored with 42 second left. But Petry put the game away with an empty-netter. Toffoli passed up a chance at a hat trick to set up Petry, who was in a better position to score. “I think if we had have had a two-goal lead I would have tried to be a bit selfish,” Toffoli said. “But honestly we had a good game and Jake played well in net, so didn’t want to mess that up for him.” Vancouver was 1-for-3 on the power play, while Montreal was 0-for-4. “I thought we played well tonight,” Canucks coach Travis Green said. “Played like a team that knew what it needed to do to win. It was a grinding game early, slowly got a few more chances, just came up short.” Weber’s 1,000th game was acknowledged at a stoppage in play halfway through the first period. Players from both teams tapped their sticks on the ice and Weber waved as crowd noise was piped into the empty Bell Centre. Weber was toasted by members of the Canadiens and his former team, the Nashville Predators, in video messages during breaks in the action, and posters created by his daughters were on display. “Maybe it’s a little unfortunate that his family and friends couldn’t go to the game with the situation going on, but I thought they did a tremendous job,” Anderson said Weber’s tribute. “Not every day you get to play your 1,000th game and it was such a special night just to be a part of it, and seeing Webs being such a great leader and going through that.” NOTES: The Canadiens will show a video tribute during Montreal’s game Thursday against Ottawa as part of ceremony with Weber’s family present. Additionally, a painting of Weber will be unveiled and he will be presented with a silver stick by Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin. … Weber has 220 goals and 357 assists over his 1,000 games. … Roussel returned to the Canucks’ lineup after being held out as a healthy scratch on Monday. … The Canucks open up the first of three games in Toronto on Thursday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 2, 2021. The Canadian Press

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

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.

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

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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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