Rabu, 30 Juni 2021
Will the Bucks have enough to beat the Hawks without Giannis Antetokounmpo? | SportsCenter - ESPN
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2021-06-30 19:15:01Z
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Fan with massive sign who caused Tour de France crash found, arrested - Yahoo Canada Sports
The fan who caused a massive pileup during the opening stage of the Tour de France was arrested on Wednesday, the Associated Press and local media reported.
On the annual event's first day, a fan standing just off the pavement of the road posed for a camera while holding a sign. She was not watching the race and a bike ridden by Tony Martin clipped the sign, sending the race into chaos in a domino effect of downed cyclists.
Fan who caused Tour de France chaos arrested
The fan was tracked down based on "solid" accounts and questioned this week, France's Bleu Finistere radio station reported. Investigators had spoken with dozens of people since the accident, per reports, after officials east of Brest put out a call for witnesses. The fan has not been publicly identified.
The fan got on a flight after the accident and was untraceable, local media reported over the weekend. Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France, said that ASO, the organizer of the race, filed a complaint against the fan that day.
Deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault said the organization planned to sue "so that the tiny minority of people who do this don't spoil the show for everyone."
The fan held out a sign reading “Allez Opi-Omi.” It's a mix of French and German terms that roughly equate to "Go Grandpa-Grandma."
Tour de France continues
The Tour de France runs through July 18 and features 21 days of biking with two days of rest. It returns to its regularly scheduled calendar start after being pushed to August last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mark Cavendish won stage 4 with a down-to-the-wire finish on Tuesday.
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2021-06-30 17:57:47Z
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Woman who allegedly caused Tour de France crash arrested - CNN International
The accident happened 45 kilometers from the finish of the first stage of the race on Saturday -- from Brest to Landerneau -- when a female spectator on the side of the road held up a big sign which caused the pile up.
It's not evident what she meant to say on the sign which said 'ALLEZ OPI-OMI !' in French and German, which translates to 'Go Grandma and Grandpa.'
According to the race's video coverage of Saturday's incident, the sign hit German rider Tony Martin who was cycling near the head of the pack. Martin fell, which led to the subsequent crash of dozens of riders behind him.
Cyclists fell en masse and the crash left bikes and bodies tangled in the road. The fall held the race up for several minutes.
Gendarmes from the Finistere region had posted an appeal on Facebook to track down the female spectator who apparently had left the scene before their arrival.
On Sunday, the Finistère gendarmerie announced the opening of a judicial investigation into "involuntary injuries with disability not exceeding three months by a deliberate violation of an obligation of safety or prudence."
The woman could face up to two years in prison and a fine of $35,000 according to the Brest prosecutor's office.
The opening stages of this year's Tour have been marred by a series of crashes.
On Tuesday, during stage four, the peloton halted the race for about a minute in a silent protest for safer racing conditions.
Riders then cycled the next 10 kilometers very slowly.
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2021-06-30 15:49:31Z
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The Bucks 'play dumb basketball' and make so many careless turnovers - Perk is fired up | First Take - ESPN
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2021-06-30 15:38:31Z
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Wimbledon organizers 'happy' with court conditions as Serena Williams and Adrian Mannarino suffer slips - CNN International
World No. 60 Nick Kyrgios, meanwhile, complained that the courts are "too slow."
Mannarino was forced to retire against Roger Federer after slipping in the fourth set and injuring his knee, while Williams appeared to slip and hurt herself during a return in the first set against Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
After receiving medical attention, Williams then buckled at the baseline midway through a point and gingerly walked off the court in tears, later saying she had a right leg injury.
"Brutal for @serenawilliams but centre court is extremely slippy ... Not easy to move out there," tweeted two-time Wimbledon winner Andy Murray, who had played on the tournament's main show court on Monday.
Federer, who reached the second round through Mannarino's retirement, learned of Williams' injury during his press conference.
"It feels a tad more slippery maybe under the roof, I don't know if it's a gut feel," he told reporters.
"You do have to move very, very carefully out there, and if you push too hard in the wrong moments, you do go down ... this is obviously terrible. I don't think it plays very different but again I'm also moving carefully."
Federer, who is bidding to win a ninth title at Wimbledon, will face two-time semifinalist Richard Gasquet in the second round.
Following the two incidents, which happened just an hour apart, the All England Lawn Tennis Club said in a statement to CNN: "The preparation of the grass courts has been to exactly the same meticulous standard as in previous years.
"Each grass court is checked by the Grand Slam Supervisors, Referee's Office and Grounds team ahead of play commencing, and on both days of the Fortnight they have been happy with the conditions and cleared the courts for play.
"The weather conditions on the opening two days have been the wettest we have experienced in almost a decade, which has required the roof to be closed on Centre Court and No.1 Court for long periods.
"This is at a time when the grass plant is at its most lush and green, which does result in additional moisture on what is a natural surface."
Kyrgios, a man never afraid to speak his mind on the tennis court, had a separate complaint about the grass.
During his match against Ugo Humbert, which was suspended with the score poised at 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-1 3-3, Kyrgios said into a courtside camera: "Guys, for you watching at home, it should be fast in here ... They've made it slow. This isn't grass anymore."
Kyrgios' match against Humbert will conclude on court number one on Wednesday.
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2021-06-30 09:54:23Z
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Giannis Antetokounmpo suffers hyperextended knee in Game 4 loss to Hawks - Yahoo Canada Sports
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo needed help off the court on Tuesday after suffering a hyperextended knee during Tuesday's Eastern Conference finals Game 4 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
He did not return to the game, and his status moving forward was not immediately clear.
Giannis' knee bends the wrong way
The two-time NBA MVP sustained the injury in the third quarter after jumping to defend a Hawks alley-oop. When he landed, his left knee buckled backward, and he fell to the floor in pain.
He eventually stood up and walked to the locker room with assistance.
Moments later, he joined his teammates on the Bucks bench, walking with a limp on his own.
His stay on the sideline was brief. He walked back into the tunnel shortly before the Bucks announced the diagnosis of a hyperextension.
Will series shift on Giannis' injury?
The Bucks entered the night with a 2-1 series lead facing a Hawks team missing star guard Trae Young, who suffered a bone bruise on his right foot in Game 3. Atlanta held a 62-52 lead when Antetokounmpo left the game and went on to secure a 110-88 win to tie the series at 2-2.
The series returns to Milwaukee for Game 5 on Thursday. Antetokounmpo's status for that game and beyond are in doubt. He's expected to undergo further testing on his knee on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Malika Andrews.
Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer declined to speculate on Antetokounmpo's prognosis after the game, telling reporters "we'll see how he is tomorrow."
Antetokounmpo entered Tuesday's game averaging 29.2 points, 13 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the postseason and is obviously key to Milwaukee's hopes of winning an NBA title.
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2021-06-30 05:10:00Z
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Giannis Antetokounmpo suffers hyperextended knee in Game 4 loss to Hawks - Yahoo Canada Sports
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo needed help off the court on Tuesday after suffering a hyperextended knee during Tuesday's Eastern Conference finals Game 4 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
He did not return to the game, and his status moving forward was not immediately clear.
Giannis' knee bends the wrong way
The two-time NBA MVP sustained the injury in the third quarter after jumping to defend a Hawks alley-oop. When he landed, his left knee buckled backward, and he fell to the floor in pain.
He eventually stood up and walked to the locker room with assistance.
Moments later, he joined his teammates on the Bucks bench, walking with a limp on his own.
His stay on the sideline was brief. He walked back into the tunnel shortly before the Bucks announced the diagnosis of a hyperextension.
Will series shift on Giannis' injury?
The Bucks entered the night with a 2-1 series lead facing a Hawks team missing star guard Trae Young, who suffered a bone bruise on his right foot in Game 3. Atlanta held a 62-52 lead when Antetokounmpo left the game and went on to secure a 110-88 win to tie the series at 2-2.
The series returns to Milwaukee for Game 5 on Thursday. Antetokounmpo's status for that game and beyond are in doubt. He's expected to undergo further testing on his knee on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Malika Andrews.
Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer declined to speculate on Antetokounmpo's prognosis after the game, telling reporters "we'll see how he is tomorrow."
Antetokounmpo entered Tuesday's game averaging 29.2 points, 13 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the postseason and is obviously key to Milwaukee's hopes of winning an NBA title.
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2021-06-30 03:44:31Z
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Selasa, 29 Juni 2021
Match awards from Germany’s disappointing 2:0 loss against England in the last 16 of the Euros - Bavarian Football Works
Jersey swap: Raheem Sterling
Manchester City’s winger was arguably the best player on the pitch tonight, and he was surely the best England player today, alongside Harry Maguire. Sterling scored a brilliant team goal for the Brits, which he started.
Der Kaiser: Mats Hummels
Former Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels had a decent night for Germany and was probably one of the best German players on the pitch. He made tons of well-timed tackles and his most notable moment was when he cleared the ball in front of Sterling at the end of the first half. All in all, a solid performance from Borussia Dortmund’s defender. Hummels proved why Joachim Low recalled him into the national team.
Fußballgott: Toni Kroos
It was hard choosing the best midfielder, as Germany’s midfield was practically nonexistent throughout the match. Germany played well and organized throughout the first half but then fell apart in the second half. And the Brits capitalized. The former Bayern Munich player was composed throughout the match and tried to provide his teammates’ good passes, but it was hard to move forward for Germany because the opposition was so condensed on the center of the pitch, and Joachim Low couldn’t find a solution. In the end, Toni Kroos couldn’t help Germany win the match, and was just above mediocre tonight.
Der Bomber: Kai Havertz
Although Kai Havertz didn’t play a great match, he was one of the best providers for Germany tonight. When Germany’s midfield wasn’t well, Havertz dropped back to help build up a lot of attacks. Germany’s best chances came from Havertz — both Timo Werner’s misses, a great ball for Thomas Muller, and his incredible volley shot. I think Low doesn’t know how to use him properly he doesn’t have the speed nor physique to fight a 5-6 player defense. And on top of that, he’s not a natural winger. And now, Low’s costly mistakes and stubbornness have cost Germany an early exit from the EUROs.
Meister of the Match: Nobody
Not a single player deserved this award, which is very disappointing. I really can’t blame the players for underperforming, when Low’s strategical plan failed miserably — not just tonight, but time and time again, beginning from the 2018 World Cup. With a bitter taste in my mouth, I can happily say that I’m finally looking forward to watching Germany’s national team games in the future. No more Low’s questionable decisions, only brilliant flicky-flacka!
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2021-06-29 18:30:00Z
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Edmonton Oilers, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins reach eight-year, $41M contract - ESPN
Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has signed an eight-year, $41 million contract before he would have reached unrestricted free agency this offseason, the team announced Tuesday.
His $5.125 million cap hit is lower than that of his previous contract, which was $6 million annually on a seven-year deal. His new contract also carries a no-movement clause. His prior deal had no trade protection.
Nugent-Hopkins, 28, has spent his entire 10-season career with the Oilers after they selected him first overall in the 2011 NHL draft.
He had 16 goals and 19 assists in 52 games this season, skating to a minus-4. Although he is considered a natural center, the Oilers have used Nugent-Hopkins on the wing with Connor McDavid and with Leon Draisaitl in recent years.
"I love being an Oiler. I always have. My goal has always been to stay an Oiler," Nugent-Hopkins said after the season. "It's something I've taken a lot of pride in for the last 10 years."
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2021-06-29 15:33:52Z
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‘You’re on pal’: Biden agrees to Trudeau’s bet over Stanley Cup final - Global News
It isn’t just hockey fans on both sides of the border who are glued to the NHL playoffs — the leaders of Canada and the United States have agreed to a bet as the Stanley Cup final gets underway in both countries.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly reached out to President Joe Biden late Monday as the Montreal Canadiens took on the Tampa Bay Lightning for Game 1 in Florida.
“Two of the best teams in the NHL are facing off right now… how about a friendly wager, POTUS?” he wrote on Twitter.
Biden quickly responded, “You’re on pal.”
The odds have shifted since Trudeau’s tweet — posted around 9 p.m. with the Canadiens already down by at least a goal — after the Lightning dominated Montreal to win 5-1 in the first game of the series Monday night.
The terms of the stake weren’t revealed online, but the Lightning weighed in after their victory.
“We’re intrigued….what are your thoughts, Mr. President?” Tampa Bay replied.
This isn’t the first time a bet has been made between the two neighbouring nations. In 2014, it was the Olympic Games that were the source of a wager.
READ MORE: 3-year-old boy fighting cancer sees dream of attending a Habs Stanley Cup game come true
After the Canadian men’s and women’s hockey teams both won their games against the U.S., President Barack Obama had to send two cases of beer to Stephen Harper, who was prime minister at the time.
The Canadiens, which have been the underdog in the NHL playoffs, bounced back from a 3-1 deficit to win the first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The storied club then swept the Winnipeg Jets before eliminating the Vegas Golden Knights in a 3-2 overtime win last Thursday.
Montreal will be back on Tampa Bay ice Wednesday night, before Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup final unfold at the Bell Centre. It is the first time since 1993 that the Habs have made it this far in the playoffs.
— with files from The Canadian Press
© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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2021-06-29 13:54:47Z
CAIiEJkfleTGxWzjKwTAssIHpGAqGQgEKhAIACoHCAowqeP_CjDdg_oCMNTh6QU
Lightning Surge To Convincing Win Over Canadiens In Game 1 Of Cup Final | Morning Glory - SPORTSNET
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2021-06-29 13:00:04Z
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Former Blackhawks player opens up about alleged sexual abuse at hands of video coach - Yahoo Canada Sports
Warning: This article contains descriptions of alleged sexual abuse
A former Chicago Blackhawks player was allegedly sexually assaulted by ex-video coach Bradley Aldrich in 2010 and is still dealing with the long-term effects of the abuse.
“Every day is a work in progress,” the player told TSN. “It comes when I wake up and much worse when trying to fall asleep, especially in light of all the activity now. I have not come to terms with it. It is ongoing. I don’t think I will ever fully come to terms with it.”
When asked about others who have been potentially assaulted by Aldrich, the former Blackhawks player had one simple message.
“I would tell them that it’s very hard to deal with the pain of coming out with what happened,” the player wrote to TSN. “But the minute you come out, the healing begins. It’s very uplifting to know how much support I’m getting from the public and other players.”
The player said he wasn’t sure what would happen if he was in the same room as Aldrich now.
“That question is too hard to answer...Obviously, it is an illness and I hope he heals for his sake and everyone else.”
First reported on May 13 by TSN’s Rick Westhead, a member of the 2010 Stanley Cup champions filed a lawsuit on May 7 accusing the Blackhawks of ignoring the allegations against Aldrich.
Included in the lawsuit was a detailed meeting in which former Blackhawks mental skills coach James F. Gary allegedly convinced the player “that the sexual assault was his fault, that he was culpable for what had happened, [and had] made mistakes during his encounter with the perpetrator and permitted the sexual assault to occur.”
In addition to his alleged abuse in the NHL, Aldrich quickly disappeared after the Stanley Cup was awarded in 2010 and went to coach high school hockey voluntarily, which the Blackhawks gave him a positive reference letter for while purportedly knowing he was a sexual predator.
A second lawsuit was filed on May 26 by a former player of that high school team, which alleges that in 2013, Aldrich sexually assaulted him when he was just 16 years old. “At an end of season gathering for the players, Aldrich provided alcohol to the then-minor plaintiff and performed oral sex on the plaintiff without his consent,” the six-page lawsuit says.
Since the initial report, other sources such as former Chicago coach John Torchetti confirmed that the team’s management group met to discuss the alleged abuse. Former players have also come forward to allege that everybody on the team knew of the abuse in 2010.
In the weeks since the initial report, the Blackhawks have hired former federal prosecutor Reid Schar to conduct an independent review of the allegations.
Before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly were called upon to give some answers regarding the allegations.
‘‘We’ll await the results of the investigation and then decide what, if anything, needs to be done from our standpoint,’’ Bettman said. ‘‘All options are available if there’s something that warrants punishment. . . . What we know is based on what’s public. That’s why we’re going to be interested to see what the investigation reveals and doesn’t reveal.’’
Bettman said he found the allegations ‘‘concerning’’ but repeatedly emphasized a patient approach, saying it might take ‘‘a little bit of time to piece things together.’’
‘‘Everybody is jumping too far, too fast,’’ he said. ‘‘This is going to be handled appropriately and professionally and done right.’’
More from Yahoo Sports
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2021-06-29 03:26:00Z
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Team Canada can’t just rely on talent in quest for Olympic berth - TSN
TORONTO – When FIBA tips off its last-chance Olympic qualifier in Victoria, B.C., on Tuesday, the team from Canada will be considered a frontrunner, and with good reason.
They’re playing at home. Even without a full building of fans to lend support – the Save-On-Foods Centre was recently cleared to hold up to 10 per cent capacity for games later in the week – being the host country should still have its perks.
They’re loaded with talent. Despite the notable names that could not make the commitment due to injury, contractual situation or personal obligation, this is arguably the deepest and most skilled group of players that the senior men’s program has ever assembled.
Thirteen NBA players are expected to take the court in this week’s six-day, six-team tournament. Canada’s roster features eight of them: Warriors wing Andrew Wiggins, Knicks wing RJ Barrett, Mavericks big man Dwight Powell, Pistons guard Cory Joseph, Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, Pelicans guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Spurs forward Trey Lyles and Warriors guard Mychal Mulder, as well two players with recent NBA experience in forward Andrew Nicholson and former first-overall pick Anthony Bennett.
“Obviously, Canada is the favourite of this group in my mind,” said Czech Republic captain and Chicago Bulls guard Tomas Satoransky, who is one of the five NBA players that won’t be wearing Canada’s white and red. “When you put them on paper I would say they are the second-best team in the world, if you just go by names.”
But it’s never that simple. Twenty-one Canadian players appeared in at least one NBA game this past season. Outside of the United States, Canada was the most represented country in the league for the seventh consecutive year. However, for all that young up-and-coming talent, for all the promise and excitement surrounding basketball north of the border, it has yet to translate on the world stage.
Canada hasn’t been to the Olympics for men’s basketball since 2000. They currently sit 21st in FIBA’s world rankings.
“I don't feel like we're the [favourites] because, I mean, in my mind, we haven't done anything yet,” said Joseph, who has participated in 11 FIBA tournaments with Canada dating back to 2008, when he made his national team debut with the junior team. “Yes, we have a talented group of players, but we got to put it all together. We’ve got to be a team out there and go get the job done. We've had talented groups before.”
If this is in fact the most talented Canadian basketball roster ever, the team they put together for the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship – which also included eight NBA players – would be a close second. That team was, and still remains, an instructive reminder that talent is important at these events but it’s not everything; it only takes you so far.
That tournament served as the qualifier for the 2016 Olympics. The two finalists would punch their ticket to Rio.
Canada swept its four-game tune-up in Puerto Rico, claiming the Tuto Marchand Continental Cup, and was steamrolling its way through the competition in Mexico City. It won seven of eight games in the preliminary round, six of them by at least 20 points, including 37 and 42-point victories.
Then came the game that actually mattered, a semi-finals date with a Venezuelan team it had just defeated by 20 points, and Canada fell apart. Turnovers, missed shots and an overall lack of physicality gave way to a controversial call at the buzzer. The result was a one-point loss, one of the most devastating moments in the program’s history. It cost them a trip to the Olympics.
Without an NBA player on its roster, Venezuela had a fraction of Canada’s talent. What it did have was chemistry – a product of more experience together – and greater familiarity and comfort with the international game, which is different from the NBA game in its rules and the way its officiated.
“We definitely remember it,” said Joseph, one of six holdovers from that 2015 club, along with Wiggins, Powell, Nicholson, Bennett and Aaron Doornekamp. “I think we're all at different points individually now and I think we're all different players now, but we definitely remember it and it still stings.”
“I think about it sometimes, but it was a long time ago, so I'm just looking forward to this time around,” said Wiggins. “I feel like our team is even better now, a lot of good talent, some of the guys are older, experience is there, and we've got a lot of great, good young guys.”
In Mexico City, Wiggins was a 20-year-old coming off his rookie season in the NBA. It was his first time playing for the senior national team and, afterwards, many believed it might be his last. Wiggins was billed as the future face of the program, and for most of the tournament he looked the part. However, he was held to just nine points in the loss to Venezuela and then-head coach Jay Triano benched him in favour of the more experienced Doornekamp for stretches of the fourth quarter. According to sources close to Wiggins, it’s something that never sat well with the former first-overall pick.
But a lot has changed in six years, including Canada’s coaching staff. Wiggins is 26 now, and coming off what many consider his best season as a pro. The trade to Golden State helped alleviate some of the pressure he faced in Minnesota and he was able to grow into his role, playing alongside champions like Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
He’s back in the spotlight with Team Canada, only this time he’ll share it with a more balanced group. Barrett is one of the few Canadian basketball players that’s experienced success on the world stage over the past two decades, having won gold and silver medals at the junior level. Rising stars Dort and Alexander-Walker are debuting for the senior club. The vets, Joseph and Powell, bring the stability and leadership this team is going to need.
While Wiggins, Joseph and others are looking for redemption, some of these guys are hoping to pick up where they left off, or just make a strong first impression.
The challenges that they’ll face in Victoria are familiar ones, though. Once again, they’ll have more talent than the competition, but most of these other clubs should come in better prepared, with more reps together and more FIBA experience under their belts. Having only scrimmaged against itself this past week, head coach Nick Nurse’s team is learning and building chemistry on the fly.
This is where the loss of stalwart and consummate glue-guy Melvin Ejim, who was in camp with the team but had to withdraw for personal reasons, really hurts. He would have helped fill in a lot of those gaps, and you can see how his absence may have influenced some end-of-roster decisions – with Doornekamp, who’s played in more FIBA games than anybody else on the team, making the final cut over 19-year-old seven-footer Zach Edey, who would have given them more size.
The question is, can Nurse and this Canadian team make up for those inherent disadvantages by taking advantage of the things they do have: speed, versatility, depth and, of course, skill?
If everything goes according to plan, they’ll play four games. They open the tournament against Greece on Tuesday before facing China Wednesday evening. The top-two teams from that group advance to play the top-two from the other group, consisting of Czech Republic, Turkey and Uruguay. The semi-finals are on Saturday, with the last two teams standing going head-to-head for a spot to the Olympics on Sunday. Winner takes all. Only one of these six teams will represent its country in Tokyo later next month.
You can only afford to lose once, at most, and that loss would have to come in the first two games and by a small margin, as point differential matters.
The level of competition figures to be stiff, as well. They catch a break with the Bucks competing in the Eastern Conference Finals. While Lakers forward Kostas Antetokounmpo will play for Greece, his brothers Thanasis and, notably, Giannis are currently preoccupied. Canada’s biggest tests are waiting in the opposite group. Led by Satoransky and former NBA lottery pick Jan Vesely, the Czechs are a tough, experienced team. Without the injured Shane Larkin, Turkey is missing a key player but still features three NBA players in 76ers sharpshooter Furkan Korkmaz, Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman and Jazz veteran Ersan Ilyasova, as well as a potential lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft, intriguing big man Alperen Sengun.
The degree of difficulty is high. The margin for error is small. If this is the summer the Canadian senior men’s basketball team finally breaks through on the world stage, they’ll have to exorcise a few demons. First, we’ll find out if they’ve learned anything from them.
“We definitely have a good shot here,” Joseph said on the eve of the tournament opener. “We put together a great group of guys. But I’ve been here for a while, I’ve had talented groups before and we couldn’t get the job done. So we got to be extremely focused and put it all together and get out there and just play extremely hard. If we play together and we play hard, I think our talents can show.”
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiXWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRzbi5jYS90ZWFtLWNhbmFkYS1jYW4tdC1qdXN0LXJlbHktb24tdGFsZW50LWluLXF1ZXN0LWZvci1vbHltcGljLWJlcnRoLTEuMTY2MTQ5OdIBZWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRzbi5jYS90ZWFtLWNhbmFkYS1jYW4tdC1qdXN0LXJlbHktb24tdGFsZW50LWluLXF1ZXN0LWZvci1vbHltcGljLWJlcnRoLTEuMTY2MTQ5OT90c24tYW1w?oc=5
2021-06-29 02:43:24Z
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Canadiens’ mistakes, atypical puck management give Lightning Game 1 win - Sportsnet.ca
It was the most notable deviation from the plan that got the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final, and it cost them Game 1 against their most formidable opponent of these playoffs.
Artturi Lehkonen said, “You need to beat the best to be the best,” before this series against the Tampa Bay Lightning got underway, and his Canadiens won’t have a chance to do it if they commit the same mistakes they made over the 60 minutes played in this 5-1 loss in Tampa on Monday.
The mistakes interim to the interim head coach Luke Richardson said earlier on Monday would be the most important ones to avoid.
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“I think puck management is going to be on our table, No. 1,” Richardson started. “They are an offensive team, but they do play hard and tight goal-scoring games. And they probably worked at it and got better at it over the last few years. You don’t win the Stanley Cup without doing that. So, I think the thing for us is that, managing those pucks in certain danger zones so we don’t turn it over and put ourselves in outnumbered situations, because that’s where they feed off teams and do their best work offensively and counter on you quick and outnumber you so they can strike quick.”
When Cole Caufield tried to hit Jeff Petry with a pass across the offensive blue line in the seventh minute of the first period, he fell right into the trap. Brayden Point transitioned the play the other way for Erik Cernak to tip Ondrej Palat’s perfect pass for his first goal of the playoffs.
You could actually hear Brendan Gallagher yell in frustration after he made the same error in the second period by trying to force a pass through Barclay Goodrow, which deflected to Jan Rutta and started the counterattack Yanni Gourde capitalized on to make it 2-0 Tampa.
The game was less than 16 minutes old, and the only egregious errors the Canadiens had made had resulted in goals against. They were trying to create offence on both plays, but they got burned trying to do it at the expense of the structure that proved so effective in propelling them past the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights — teams who counterpunch exceptionally well, but not quite as lethally as this Lightning team does.
“I think it was a couple of the plays that we made laterally, we were standing still,” said Richardson. “You’ve got to have that motion and our speed going on the rush and laying pucks through triangles if we’re doing that to another player into the middle of the ice, where we have motion going forward and that puck is going forward. We can’t be standing still and making it a lateral puck, because they’re tracking hard and they have good gaps and they have great eye-hand coordination with their skill and their sticks. So, it led to turnovers…
“If we can’t make a play with speed on the rush, we’ve gotta put pucks in behind those Ds and go to work there.”
For the portions of the game the Canadiens did that, they were effective, with Ben Chiarot’s first-ever playoff goal in the 18th minute of the second period the product of good work down low from Josh Anderson, Paul Byron and Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
But with the margins razor-thin and the stakes as high as they can get, executing the plan part of the time doesn’t get the job done. It rarely does even under normal circumstances.
The Canadiens weren’t good enough in this game. Not even close.
“We had our game for a short period of time,” Chiarot said, “but we’ll look to put a full game together here in Game 2.”
The Lightning had their game all the way through this first one, churning well-oiled after dispatching the New York Islanders in seven games of a hard-fought semifinal that followed series wins over the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes. By the time the clock ran out on the third period, they had the thundersticks clapping at full volume in Amalie Arena, with two goals flying off playoff-leading point-man Nikita Kucherov’s stick and a power-play marker for Steven Stamkos that snapped a streak of 32 consecutive penalties killed for the Canadiens.
Behind the bench, Jon Cooper guided the reigning champs masterfully, deploying Kucherov’s line with Palat and Brayden Point against the Tyler Toffoli–Nick Suzuki-Caufield combination and keeping them away from shutdown mavens Phillip Danault, Brendan Gallagher and Lehkonen, who spent most their night chasing around Goodrow, Gourde and Blake Coleman.
“I liked the way things were going for us,” he said, “and so we stuck with it.”
Adjusting to that will be a greater challenge than anything the Canadiens must focus on for Game 2.
“There’s not much to do other than maybe (catching them on) icings,” said Richardson. “But, we’ll try and change the order at times during the game just to shake things up.
“But on the road, you’ve got to compete in the playoffs no matter who you’re against, and just limit our mistakes and we’ll be fine.”
That’s what the game comes down to when the rest of it is a tight-wire fencing match.
The Canadiens were out-shot 26-19, marginally out-chanced, matched with 57 hits to their 58 and tied in the faceoff circle, but they beat themselves as much as Tampa beat them.
They did it by committing the type of errors they knew to avoid against the reigning Cup champs, the type they managed to avoid at all costs to get to this stage.
“The positive is we didn’t play our best game,” said Richardson. “We can get better. I think they’re always a talented team that plays well and definitely creates off mistakes that you make. So, by us playing better and managing the puck better and maybe limiting those mistakes and creating a little bit more ourselves, I think we have a good way to go up, and that’s going to be the positive out of it.”
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMia2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNwb3J0c25ldC5jYS9uaGwvYXJ0aWNsZS9jYW5hZGllbnMtbWlzdGFrZXMtYXR5cGljYWwtcHVjay1tYW5hZ2VtZW50LWdpdmUtbGlnaHRuaW5nLWdhbWUtMS13aW4v0gFyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3BvcnRzbmV0LmNhL25obC9hcnRpY2xlL2NhbmFkaWVucy1taXN0YWtlcy1hdHlwaWNhbC1wdWNrLW1hbmFnZW1lbnQtZ2l2ZS1saWdodG5pbmctZ2FtZS0xLXdpbi9zbi1hbXAv?oc=5
2021-06-29 04:34:00Z
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Senin, 28 Juni 2021
Montreal Canadiens' Joel Armia travels to Tampa, but not in lineup for Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final - ESPN
Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia traveled to Tampa, Florida, on a private jet, but he was a late scratch Monday for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Armia did not travel with the team originally because he was in the COVID-19 protocol. However, interim coach Luke Richardson said earlier on Monday that Armia would be a game-time decision, implying that Armia had tested negative to clear the protocol.
"He got clearance, so we're excited to have him join us," Richardson said. "But we'll have to make all those decisions around game time because we don't know when everybody's getting here and who will be ready."
Montreal coach Dominique Ducharme has been isolated from the team since Game 3 of the semifinal series after positive COVID-19 tests. Ducharme is expected to rejoin the bench for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final after serving a full 14 days of quarantine.
Armia was not at Monday's morning skate at Amalie Arena. Instead, Jake Evans took rushes in Armia's usual spot on the Habs' fourth line, alongside Corey Perry and Eric Staal. Evans took Armia's spot in the lineup for Game 1.
Evans has not played since suffering a concussion in Game 1 of the second-round series against the Winnipeg Jets on June 2. Evans was stretchered off the ice after absorbing a high hit from Jets forward Mark Scheifele, who was suspended four games for the play.
"I think there's always probably awareness when anyone comes back from an injury, and you know you're going to protect yourself," Richardson said. "But I think a hockey player's instinct is you play the game and you play the way you play it. And Jake's a guy that plays the game hard."
Armia was also on the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list earlier this season, and he was out of the Montreal lineup from March 22 to April 10 after testing positive for a variant of the coronavirus. The Canadiens had four games postponed because of COVID-19 around the same time.
Armia is tied for the team lead with five goals this postseason and has eight points in 17 games. Evans has one goal -- an empty-netter preceding Scheifele's hit -- in four games this postseason.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMifGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmVzcG4uY29tL25obC9zdG9yeS9fL2lkLzMxNzI1OTA5L21vbnRyZWFsLWNhbmFkaWVucy1qb2VsLWFybWlhLXRyYXZlbHMtdGFtcGEtbm90LWxpbmV1cC1nYW1lLTEtc3RhbmxleS1jdXAtZmluYWzSAYkBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXNwbi5jb20vbmhsL3N0b3J5L18vaWQvMzE3MjU5MDkvbW9udHJlYWwtY2FuYWRpZW5zLWpvZWwtYXJtaWEtdHJhdmVscy10YW1wYS1ub3QtbGluZXVwLWdhbWUtMS1zdGFubGV5LWN1cC1maW5hbD9wbGF0Zm9ybT1hbXA?oc=5
2021-06-29 00:27:57Z
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FIBA Men’s Olympic Qualifying FAQ: Will we see Canada in Tokyo? - Sportsnet.ca
Canada’s 12-man roster for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Victoria, B.C., is set and no matter how you feel about the roster, it is what it is, and there’s no point anymore in crying over what could’ve been.
Now all that matters is accomplishing the task at hand: Winning the tournament and qualifying for the Olympics.
Canada will begin its tournament Tuesday against Greece at 4:05 p.m. PT in what could be the team’s most important game of the qualifiers, at least until the knockout round.
Don’t understand what we mean by that or anything else in regards to this tournament and what’s at stake for Canada? Have no fear, here’s an FAQ that will hopefully answer some of the big questions you might have.
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What is the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament?Who is playing for Team Canada?
In case you’re unaware, here’s a look at Canada’s roster:
Senior Men's National Team announced ahead of FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Read more: https://t.co/jITbxFW32I#FIBAOQT pic.twitter.com/EsRCZwtKyx
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) June 28, 2021
This is a roster that’s composed of eight NBA players, two more with NBA experience and two others with valuable international experience playing in Europe.
Is this the absolute strongest roster Canada could theoretically roll with? No, but that roster you might be thinking of is probably only possible in your dreams.
Between contract situations, injuries and just real life getting in the way, the ideal, perfect roster will likely only be possible in a work of good fiction.
But even if this Team Canada roster isn’t the supposedly best one ever, there’s certainly an argument to be made that this is still the most talented squad ever assembled.
Eight players from the world’s greatest basketball league — three being regular starters — is nothing to snuff at and is an obvious advantage over the other teams Canada will see in the tournament.
What is Canada’s schedule?
And while on the topic of other teams Canada will see, here’s a quick glance at their schedule:
• June 29 – Canada vs. Greece at 4:05 p.m. PT
• June 30 – Canada vs. China at 4:05 p.m. PT
As you may have noticed, that isn’t exactly a very robust schedule, but that’s because Greece and China are the only teams in Canada’s Group A.
In Group B, there’s Uruguay, the Czech Republic and Turkey.
The way the group stage works is the top two teams from each group advance to the knockout round, which begins on July 3.
According to FIBA World Rankings, here’s a general look at the relative strength of each of the six teams in Victoria:
• Greece (No. 6)
• Czech Republic (No. 12)
• Turkey (No. 15)
• Canada (No. 21)
• China (No. 29)
• Uruguay (No. 45)
These rankings, of course, aren’t an exact indication of the strength of each nation, but gives a good indication of who the main competitors Canada will be seeing.
Additionally, this is why Canada’s opening game against Greece is so important. Beating the most accomplished team in the tournament from the offset would go a long way. It wouldn’t just help secure first place in the group — something that’s advantageous in its own right as the first-place team from Group A will see the Group B runner-up in the semifinals — but could also allow Canada to grab some important momentum moving forward.
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What’s at stake for Canada?
Besides the obvious of a berth in the Tokyo Olympics this summer, the reputation of the men’s basketball program will be put on the line once again.
Canada’s men’s team hasn’t played in an Olympic Games since Steve Nash helped guide them there in 2000, and despite this being considered a golden generation of Canadian hoops with more Canadian NBA talent than ever before, for a multitude of reasons, this is a program that has continually disappointed.
This is in stark contrast to the women’s program which has flourished and has shot up to the No. 4-ranked team in the world and a favourite to medal in Tokyo.
The frustrations the men’s team has experienced hasn’t been for a lack of trying to turn things around, though.
This is a program that’s brought on former national team members — like Nash and Rowan Barrett — from the last time it made the Olympics and even a respected basketball executive in Glen Grunwald to head Canada Basketball to help it reach its goals.
Additionally, making the bid to host the OQT in Victoria in the first place was a calculated move by Canada Basketball to try to get some home cooking to try to qualify. Even though we’re still in the midst of a pandemic, the organizing committee managed to allow 10 per cent of the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre’s capacity into the building.
As well, Canada Basketball spent money to bring the actual court that the Toronto Raptors clinched their 2019 NBA championship on as an extra measure of luck to bring to Team Canada.
It’s a win-or-go-home tournament, for sure, but for Canada, it also feels like so much more.
The effort and importance put on making the games for the first time in 21 years feels tangible.
What are Canada’s biggest obstacles during the tournament?
As is always the case in a major international tournament, there will be challenges along the way, but for Canada it feels like there are more obstacles.
First off, as great as their NBA talent is, that also means these are players without a lot of experience playing the FIBA game. A far more physical brand of basketball than the NBA, there’s only so much Canada head coach Nick Nurse and his staff can do to simulate the kind of beating some of these players will be in for in practice.
And that brings us to the next problem, Canada wasn’t afforded a chance to play exhibition games against other teams in advance of the tournament. Sure, the quality of scrimmages were probably very high at Team Canada practices, but, again, a scrimmage isn’t a real game, and to go from just scrimmaging to key games immediately could prove to be dangerous.
That’s because this is a team that hasn’t had much of a chance to build chemistry with each other as a two-week training camp isn’t a ton of time — especially compared to other teams like Greece, Turkey and the Czech Republic with far more experienced players both in terms of playing together and in the FIBA game.
And on the topic of some of those three tough teams Canada could see in the tournament — Greece, Turkey, Czech Republic — the major apparent weakness that Canada has up front with its bigs could be exposed by some of the giants seen on these other teams like former NBA lottery pick Georgios Papagiannis of Greece, the Czech Republic’s Jan Vesely — another former NBA lottery pick — and the giants seen all across the Turkish team, including Ersan Ilyasova who last played with the Utah Jazz this season.
Canadian players Dwight Powell, Trey Lyles and Andrew Nicholson are probably Canada’s only true bigs and will have their work cut out for them against some of the behemoths they’ll see in the tournament, particularly because FIBA rules — a more physical game, no defensive three-second rule — allow big men to play more like the bigs you saw in the 1980s and 1990s of the NBA.
In order to counter this, Nurse and his staff will probably have to play small with players like Aaron Doornekamp and Anthony Bennett playing some four with, perhaps, Nicholson at centre to allow for maximum floor spacing.
An idea like that would probably be Canada’s best bet as it’ll likely want to use its skill to win rather than get involved in a war of attrition with these bigger and stronger teams.
What are Canada’s chances to win and qualify for the Olympics?
Lastly, as grim a picture we just painted there for Canada, this is still a squad that should be expected to win the tournament and reach the Olympics.
As mentioned before, this is probably the most talented roster the program has ever assembled, and, as much as strategy plays a big role, in basketball, generally speaking, talent wins out.
Yes, Greece, the Czech Republic and Turkey are all formidable foes, but you can’t say they’re as talented as Canada is.
So have faith, Canadian hoops heads. This team is good enough to get the job done.
All it comes down to now is execution.
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2021-06-28 20:36:00Z
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Yanni Gourde Gets A Piece Of Blake Coleman's Wrister To Score On Carey Price - SPORTSNET
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2021-06-29 01:40:55Z
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How Did The Montreal Canadiens Turn Their Season Around And Make The Stanley Cup Final? - SPORTSNET
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2021-06-28 16:43:50Z
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Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia traveling to Tampa, game-time decision for Stanley Cup Game 1 - ESPN
Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia is traveling to Tampa on a private jet and will be a game-time decision for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, interim coach Luke Richardson said Monday.
Armia did not travel with the team originally as he was in the COVID-19 protocol. By announcing he could be available Monday night, Richardson implied that Armia had tested negative to clear the protocol.
"He got clearance, so we're excited to have him join us," Richardson said. "But we'll have to make all those decisions around game time because we don't know when everybody's getting here and who will be ready."
Montreal's coach, Dominique Ducharme, has been isolated from the team since Game 3 of the semifinal series with positive COVID tests. Ducharme is expected to rejoin the bench for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final after serving a full 14 days of quarantine.
Armia was not at Monday's morning skate at Amalie Arena. Instead, Jake Evans took rushes on Armia's usual spot on the Habs' fourth line, alongside Corey Perry and Eric Staal. According to Richardson, Evans will also be a game-time decision.
Evans has not played since suffering a concussion in Game 1 of the second-round series against the Winnipeg Jets on June 2. Evans was stretchered off the ice after absorbing a high hit from Jets forward Mark Scheifele, who was suspended four games for the play.
"I think there's always probably awareness when anyone comes back from an injury, and you know you're going to protect yourself," Richardson said. "But I think a hockey player's instinct is you play the game and you play the way you play it. And Jake's a guy that plays the game hard."
Armia was also on the NHL's COVID protocol earlier this season, and he was out of the Montreal lineup from March 22 to April 10 after testing positive for a variant of the coronavirus. The Canadiens had four games postponed due to COVID-19 around the same time.
Armia is tied for the team lead with five goals this postseason and has eight points in 17 games. Evans scored one goal -- an empty-netter preceding Scheifele's hit -- in four games this postseason.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMigwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5lc3BuLmNvbS9uaGwvc3RvcnkvXy9pZC8zMTcyNTkwOS9tb250cmVhbC1jYW5hZGllbnMtZm9yd2FyZC1qb2VsLWFybWlhLXRyYXZlbGluZy10YW1wYS1nYW1lLWRlY2lzaW9uLXN0YW5sZXktY3VwLWdhbWUtMdIBkAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5lc3BuLmNvbS9uaGwvc3RvcnkvXy9pZC8zMTcyNTkwOS9tb250cmVhbC1jYW5hZGllbnMtZm9yd2FyZC1qb2VsLWFybWlhLXRyYXZlbGluZy10YW1wYS1nYW1lLWRlY2lzaW9uLXN0YW5sZXktY3VwLWdhbWUtMT9wbGF0Zm9ybT1hbXA?oc=5
2021-06-28 17:14:06Z
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Canada announces roster for Olympic qualifier - TSN
The Canadian Press
VICTORIA — Eight NBA players have been named to arguably the most talented Canadian men's basketball team in history for this week's last-chance Olympic qualifying tournament.
The Canadians, who tip off Tuesday against Greece, must win the six-country tournament to clinch their first Olympic berth since the 2000 Games in Sydney.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (New Orleans), RJ Barrett (New York), Luguentz Dort (Oklahoma City), Cory Joseph (Detroit), Trey Lyles (San Antonio), Mychal Mulder and Andrew Wiggins (Golden State), and Dwight Powell (Dallas) make up the NBA contingent.
The 12-man roster is rounded out by Trae Bell-Haynes, Anthony Bennett, Aaron Doornekamp, and Andrew Nicholson.
Purdue's Zach Edey and Gonzaga's Andrew Nembhard had been in camp but weren't on the final roster.
Edey is expected to be with the U19 team for the FIBA world championships in Latvia.
"Hosting the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament is a great occasion for basketball in our country and the team that's been selected to represent Canada this week is committed to our goal of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympic Games," Rowan Barrett, GM of the senior men's program, said in a statement.
Canada faces China on Wednesday. Uruguay, Czech Republic and Turkey are in Group B. Each team plays the other teams in its group once, then the top two teams in each group will advance to Saturday's semis. The two semifinal winners meet Sunday, with the champion clinching a spot in Tokyo.
In addition to Canada, there are three other last-chance tournaments happening this week to determine the final spots, in Croatia, Lithuania and Serbia.
Canada is ranked No. 21 in the world.
The Canadian women's team, ranked fourth, booked its third consecutive Olympic berth back in February of 2020.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2021.
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2021-06-28 16:13:55Z
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Stanley Cup Final betting guide: Odds, picks, props and more - Sportsnet.ca
In a shortened season that began in January, we’re now down to just two teams left to fight for the right to lift Lord Stanley’s mug. The Stanley Cup Final gets going Monday night, but there is still time to place some NHL bets if you’re so inclined.
Below is a breakdown of the Stanley Cup Final with the latest lines, complete with a player prop and a value pick on the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
(All betting lines are courtesy of Sports Interaction, and current as of time of publication.)
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No. 3 Central Division Tampa Bay Lightning vs. No. 4 North Division Montreal Canadiens
The Habs have played the Lightning three times in the playoffs, winning once, and losing their most recent matchup in six games in the 2015 Eastern Conference semifinal.
SERIES WINNER ODDS: Tampa Bay -238, Montreal +190
KEY INJURIES:
Montreal: Joel Armia (out for Games 1 and 2 — COVID-19 protocol)
Tampa Bay: No significant injuries
WHY YOU TAKE THE CANADIENS AT +190: The number two, perhaps? The Habs are 11-2 since their 4–0 Game 4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in round one; they’re 11-2 when scoring first; and they’re 11-0 this post-season when they score at least two goals.
Montreal’s penalty kill has also been lights out. The Canadiens are 31 for 31 on the PK since that Game 4 against Toronto and have allowed just three power-play goals and have scored four times while short-handed. They also have Carey Price, whose shorthanded save percentage through three rounds is 95.2%.
Montreal has allowed just one first period goal on home ice this post-season. Phillip Danault could be the key to the Canadiens having success if he’s able to shut down Tampa’s stars — like his line has done through three rounds.
WHY YOU TAKE THE LIGHTNING AT -238: The defending Stanley Cup champions will be leaning on their power play and the dynamic duo of Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. The pair have combined to score 19 goals and 28 assists for 47 points this post-season.
Tampa’s PP is also operating at a 37.7% clip, which ranks second in the playoffs, and the team has a plus-21 goal differential overall heading into the Stanley Cup Final.
And while Montreal’s goalie has been getting all the headlines up north, Andrei Vasilevskiy has been rock solid in goal for the Bolts. The 2019 Vezina Trophy winner is 12-6 with a 1.99 GAA and a post-season-leading .936 SV% with four shutouts in 18 playoff games.
The Lightning are also 13-0 following a playoff loss, which is the longest such run in NHL history.
MY PICK: If Danault can shut down Kucherov and Point, I think that’s the key for Montreal to win this series. And if the Canadiens and their stingy penalty kill can slow down Tampa’s power play, that increases their chances even more. In my mind, that makes Montreal the value play here. I’ll take the Habs to win this series at +190.
CONN SMYTHE TROPHY WINNER: Price (+136) and Vasilevskiy (+142) are the favourites to win the Conn Smythe, but I think there is a lot of value here on Point at +345. Tampa’s No. 1 centre leads the playoffs with 14 goals, and has seven power play markers and three game-winning goals.
PLAYER PROPS TO WATCH: Cole Caufield total series goals 2.5 (over +115, under -159)
‘Goal’ Caufield is coming off a four-goal performance against the Vegas Golden Knights in round three. The 20-year-old has 39 shots on goal and a 10.26 shooting percentage while averaging 15:11 minutes of ice time per game.
If you believe that the Habs will keep this series competitive — which I do — Caufield will need to produce. I’d lean the over 2.5 goals here at +115.
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2021-06-28 13:43:00Z
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