Team Latvia knew there was no room for mistakes or undisciplined play if they were to keep Wednesday’s round-robin matchup against Canada close, let alone have a chance at pulling off the upset, so suffice it to say taking four minor penalties within the first 22 minutes was not an ideal game plan.
Even when the teams were playing at even strength it often looked and felt like Canada had an extra skater. That was especially true when Canadian forward Macklin Celebrini was on the ice.
Celebrini’s incredible vision, passing, puck sense and knack for the net were all on display in Canada’s 10-0 rout of Latvia on Wednesday and the projected first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft finished the game with one goal and four assists.
The top prospect assisted on three of Canada’s first four goals before scoring his second of the tournament after receiving a terrific stretch pass from Matthew Wood.
The 17-year-old added another apple in the final period and, unsurprisingly, was named Canada’s player of the game. He was one of eight different players to score a goal and one of 14 Canadians to register at least one point in the game.
Celebrini now leads the entire tournament with six points heading into Thursday.
REHKOPF MAINTAINS GOAL-PER-GAME PACE
Kitchener Rangers forward Carson Rehkopf got in on the action with an even-strength marker to make it 4-0. Rehkopf took a puck poked ahead by Celebrini and shielded it masterfully as he beat the defender wide before cutting inside and switching to his forehand to bury his first of the tourney.
Rehkopf looked like a prototypical power forward during the highlight-reel goal and capitalizing on nifty moves like that has become standard practice for the Ontario Hockey League star.
The Seattle Kraken second-rounder scored his second of the game, also assisted by Celebrini, in the third period as Canada continued extending their lead. Rehkopf is the active OHL goals leader with 31 in 31 games, and if you add his two world junior outings to his 2023-24 totals, he’s at 33 goals in 33 games so far this season.
GEEKIE REDEEMS HIMSELF AFTER MISSED TAP-IN
Conor Geekie opened the scoring for Canada by firing a great shot from his off-wing into the mesh just four seconds into Canada’s first power-play opportunity early in the game.
Save for a couple sloppy penalties and giveaways in the neutral zone – both occasional symptoms of one-sided contests such as this one – there wasn’t too much to nitpick on the Canada side, yet had Geekie only managed that initial goal, he would’ve certainly left the game disappointed.
The Arizona Coyotes prospect, selected 11th overall in 2022, had several other quality chances before finally getting his name back on the scoresheet in the third period.
Geekie was visibly frustrated after missing what should’ve been an automatic tap-in goal in the second period. Geekie flubbed an unreal Celebrini pass and the miss resulted in a funny reaction from Geekie’s family, who watched in disbelief from the stands.
ROUSSEAU IN CONTROL OF CANADA’S CREASE
You might’ve figured a game against an overmatched Latvian team would be one for Canada’s backup goalies to see some action, and most years you would’ve been right. However, it was Mathis Rousseau between the pipes for Canada again on Wednesday and the decision paid off.
Rousseau stopped 24 of the 26 shots he faced in Canada’s 5-2 win over Finland on Tuesday and set the tone early with his phenomenal save of the tournament candidate, robbing Finland of an early lead. He had a much less arduous outing Wednesday. The undrafted 19-year-old, who spends his time in the QMJHL with the Halifax Mooseheads stopped all 22 shots he faced against Latvia to earn the shutout.
The ice was tilted for the duration of the game, so the scoring chances Rousseau faced were few and far between. He only needed to make five saves in the opening 20 minutes as Latvia failed to generate any chances off the cycle, on the rush or from the slot. He was tested nine times in the second period and had to be sharp on a handful of scoring chances in tight. Same deal in the third period. Rousseau was sharp when he needed to be and was unscathed after 60 minutes. Mission accomplished.
In the other net, Linards Feldbergs had the unenviable task of starting against Canada and he was pulled early in the third after allowing his seventh goal on the 31st shot he faced. Aksels Ozols entered the game in relief of Feldbergs and allowed three goals on the 10 shots he faced.
NEXT UP: Team Canada gets to rest Thursday before returning to the ice Friday for an anticipated Group A matchup with Sweden, which will likely determine the top seed going into the quarterfinals. Canada will be playing with a rest advantage as Sweden faces Germany Thursday in their attempt to match Canada’s 2-0-0 record. Latvia, meanwhile, will look to score their first goal of the tournament Friday against Finland.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
