Habs Headlines: Carey Price hopes to have answers “soon enough” - Habs Eyes on the Prize

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In today’s links, Price addresses media for first time since the Stanley Cup Finals, Habs need to find some passion, Julien no longer coaching Team Canada, and more.

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2022-01-31 09:00:00Z
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Canada controls own destiny heading into final World Cup qualifiers - Sportsnet.ca

Canada's men's national soccer team beat the United States in World Cup qualifying for the first time since 1980 in a massive 2-0 win on home soil on Sunday afternoon.

Despite the result and Canada staying unbeaten in the octagon, they are yet to qualify for the 2022 World Cup due to Panama's 3-2 win over Jamaica keeping them from clinching.

With four games remaining, here is how the table currently stands:

Top of the table, FOUR points clear#CANMNT #WCQ #ForCanada pic.twitter.com/PJKPg51ZPf

— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) January 31, 2022

Now, with a game against El Salvador on Wednesday to finish this window and three more games in March, here's are some ways Canada can secure a spot in Qatar:

• Canada, first in the table, has 22 points. Panama (fourth) has 17 points and Costa Rica (fifth) has 13 points.

• The maximum number of points Costa Rica can finish with is 25, while the most Panama can finish with is 29.

• So, Canada needs a combination of four points to steer clear of Costa Rica -- whether it's by earning points themselves or from Costa Rica dropping points.

• The same goes for Panama, except Canada will need a combination of eight points.

In many ways, Canada controls its own destiny as it faces both Panama and Costa Rica in the final match window. If Canada can keep those two teams from getting full points in those games, it would go a long way towards clinching a berth in the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

Each Concacaf team has one game left in the current window, with the final three games of qualifying in March. Canada faces El Salvador on the road on Wednesday, visits Costa Rica on March 24, hosts Jamaica on March 27 and closes the tournament at Panama on March 30.

The top three teams in Concacaf earn direct berths to the Qatar World Cup (Nov. 21-Dec. 17) while the fourth-place team will face the winner of the Oceania region in a playoff for another chance at a World Cup spot.

TEAMS THAT HAVE QUALIFIED

Qatar
Germany
Denmark
Brazil
France
Belgium
Croatia
Spain
Serbia
England
Switzerland
Netherlands
Argentina
Iran

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2022-01-31 03:10:00Z
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Carey Price: Returning to Canadiens crease 'something that is keeping me motivated' - Yahoo Canada Sports

Despite being sidelined all season for a team that has struggled immensely, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price still hopes to return at some point before the end of the 2021-22 campaign.

Price, 34, proved to the world during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs that he is in fact still a world-class goaltender, leading the Habs all the way to the Cup Final. Unfortunately, he has not been able to build off of that success, as he has yet to appear in the 2021-22 season.

Prior to the season beginning, it was announced that Price had voluntarily entered the NHL’s player assistance program. Though he has since finished the program, the B.C. native has still been unable to play due to a knee injury that required surgery this summer. On Sunday, the veteran netminder spoke to the media about what his future holds, including the possibility that this knee injury could potentially be career threatening.

“Listen, you never know,” said Price. “There’s always a possibility. There’s a lot going on over the next couple of weeks that will determine the rest of my season. So, I’m obviously anxious myself to find out some answers. I don’t have them right now. But we’ll find out soon enough.”

Despite the uncertainty of his remarks, Price seemed quite positive that he will recover from his injury. He also spoke about rumours regarding his future as a Hab, as some believe his permanence with the team is up in the air. From the sounds of things, however, Price isn’t interested in waiving his no-movement clause.

“Being a goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens has been my life for over a decade,” Price told reporters. “Ending the season on such a disappointing note last year, I just want to get back in there and continue playing. And to be able to put that sweater on again is something that is keeping me motivated at this point.”

The Canadiens have been a disaster this season, a big part of which is related to Price being unable to suit up. Through 43 games, they own a league-worst 8-28-7 record, and have allowed the most goals of any team with 166. All of their goaltenders in Jake Allen, Sam Montembeault, and Cayden Primeau have struggled this season, making Price’s absence all the more frustrating for both the organization and its fans.

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Larin, Adekugbe score to lead Canada past U.S. in World Cup qualifier in Hamilton - CBC Sports

Cyle Larin shot his way into the record book and Canada continued its march towards Qatar 2022 with a 2-0 win over the U.S. in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying play Sunday.

The 40th-ranked Canadians went ahead early with an opportune goal through Larin and then stood their ground, bending but not breaking as the 11th-ranked Americans — who had more of the ball — probed the home defence without success.

It came down to Canada finishing a chance and the Americans unable to take theirs. Still it made for a tense finale as the U.S. pressed hard through five minutes of extra time.

Sam Adekugbe added the insurance goal in the 95th minute, on a solo rush after the Americans were caught deep in the Canada end. It was his first goal in 26 international appearances.

What an ENDING. <br><br>Sam Adekugbe makes it 2-0 and Canada is still top of the table 🇨🇦<br><br>🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/onesoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@onesoccer</a> <a href="https://t.co/GifrdB0ru6">pic.twitter.com/GifrdB0ru6</a>

&mdash;@cbcsports

Canada (6-0-4, 22 points) remains atop the eight-team standings in the final round of qualifying in CONCACAF while moving another step closer to Qatar 2022. The U.S. (5-2-3, 18 points) lost ground and faced losing second place in the table to Mexico pending later results.

The match at Tim Hortons Field was Canada's 16th in World Cup qualifying since last March, with John Herdman's team improving to 12-0-4 while notching a fifth straight win.

Canada took the lead after just seven minutes when a Matt Turner goal kick hung up in the wind. Kamal Miller headed to the ball to Jonathan Osorio, who flicked it to Larin. The Besiktas striker played a give-and-go with Jonathan David and beat Turner with a right-footed shot as defenders struggled to catch him.

Larin is LETHAL 🍁<br><br>Canada takes the early lead in Hamilton thanks to a goal from Cyle Larin <a href="https://t.co/kMDMDZFGdc">pic.twitter.com/kMDMDZFGdc</a>

&mdash;@cbcsports

It was Larin's record 23rd goal for Canada in his 46th appearance, moving him past Dwayne De Rosario atop the men's scoring list. Canada's Christine Sinclair is the world's all-time leading goal-scorer with 188.

"Goooaall. Congrats Cyle Larin, well done young man and a great way to capture leading scorer," tweeted De Rosario. "Keep it going."

It was also the kind of rapid-fire goal the Canadian men, always dangerous in transition with their speed and finishing ability, have become known for.

In later games Sunday, it was No. 49 Costa Rica at No. 40 Mexico, No. 57 Jamaica at No. 63 Panama and No. 70 El Salvador at No. 76 Honduras.

The Canadian men were coming off a 2-0 win Thursday in Honduras, their first victory there since 1985, while the Americans downed El Salvador 1-0 in Columbus.

Canada now flies south to wrap up the international window against El Salvador in San Salvador on Wednesday while the Americans host Honduras in St. Paul, Minn.

The Canadian men will have three remaining games after that. Come March, the top three teams will book their tickets to Qatar 2022 while the fourth-placed side will face an Oceania country to see who joins them in representing North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Passionate sell-out crowd

The game sold out within hours with Canada Soccer expecting a crowd of 24,000. But stricter pandemic-related restrictions limited the crowd to 12,000, after the first ticket sale was voided and a smaller second one was held.

Despite such limits, there was plenty of atmosphere. The Canadian bus arrived at the stadium Sunday to cheers, flares and streamers from jubilant fans.

"It was pretty amazing. Goosebumps. You could feel it on the bus," Herdman said of the welcome.

It was -5 C, feeling like -7 C, at the 3 p.m. ET kickoff, and got colder as the afternoon wore on. Despite the chill, there was a festive feel with flag-waving fans singing along to Sweet Caroline while waiting for teams to take the field. The crowd then delivered a passionate rendition of O Canada.

Mexican referee Cesar Ramos let the teams play, allowing for some physical challenges on both sides.

After going down 1-0, the Americans began to mount some attacks but lacked a clinical finish. Canadian defenders did their part, throwing their body in the way as the U.S. held the edge in possession.

Canadian defender Steven Vitoria was cautioned for a professional foul in the 31st minute, a second yellow that means he will miss the El Salvador game.

Chelsea star Christian Pulisic had a chance from a free kick just outside the Canadian penalty box in the 36th minute but fired his shot well high.

It was Milan Borjan, who grew up in Hamilton, to the rescue with a spectacular reflex save in the 43rd minute, using his right hand to claw away a Weston McKennie header off a Pulisic corner. The Red Star Belgrade 'keeper, who made two crucial saves in the win over Honduras, pounded the Canada badge on his chest after denying the Americans.

Gooaall. Congrats Cyle Larin well done young man and a great way to capture leading scorer 👊🏽 Keep it going…

&mdash;@dwaynederosario

The U.S. had 64 per cent possession in the first half but only one of its seven shots was on target in the first 45 minutes.

The Americans kept pressing in the second half, with Canada looking to counterattack through David and Larin. Borjan comfortably handled a Brenden Aaronson shot in the 59th minute.

Turner came up big in the 70th, stopping David's long-range shot and then Larin's close-range effort off the rebound.

Larin exited in the 73rd minute, to a standing ovation. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter turned to his bench, bringing on all his available substitutes by the 76th minute.

The visitors finished with 10 men with defender Chris Robinson limping off in the dying minutes and Berhalter out of subs.

Borjan easily handled a Pulisic free kick in stoppage time.

Support from Davies

Canada was without Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, who has been sidelined by myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, after testing positive for COVID-19.

"Time to show .canmnt is here to stay. Good luck to my teammates tonight," Davies tweeted before kickoff.

Once again, the 21-year-old from Edmonton still managed to entertain, livestreaming on Twitch as he watched the game and celebrated Larin's goal.

THESE HANDS ARE FROM HAMILTON, ON. 🔨<br><br>Milan Borjan makes a HUGE save to keep the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CanMNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CanMNT</a> up 1-0 over the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USMNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USMNT</a> at the stroke of HT 🧤 <a href="https://t.co/DkhPbHf4Sf">pic.twitter.com/DkhPbHf4Sf</a>

&mdash;@onesoccer

Influential midfielder Stephen Eustaquio was also still missing, in wake of reports in Portugal he had tested positive for COVID.

Herdman made four changes to his starting 11, introducing Miller, Osorio, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Richie Laryea. Borjan captained the team with Atiba Hutchinson rested.

The Canadian starting 11 came into the match with a combined 345 caps, compared to 262 for the Americans.

Tyler Adams captained the U.S. for the seventh time. The team had previously gone 4-0-2 in matches where Adams wears the armband.

The U.S. was missing defender Brooks Lennon (ankle) and forward Tim Weah, who was unable to get into Canada due to his vaccination status.

Weah, who plays his club football for Lille, had his first vaccine dose and then contracted COVID-19 while awaiting his second shot, a combination that meets full vaccination requirements in France but not in Canada, according to Berhalter.

Canada and the U.S. tied 1-1 when they met in Nashville in September in both teams' second outing of the final round.

While the Americans led the overall series between the two North American rivals at 16-9-12 (12-1-7 since 1990) coming into the match, Canada had a 6-4-4 edge in World Cup qualifying.

Sunday's game was the first between the two on Canadian soil since October 2019, when Canada downed the U.S. 2-0 in CONCACAF Nations League play to end a 34-year, 17-match winless run against its North American neighbour.

It also marked the first-ever match at Tim Hortons Field for the Canadian men.

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2022-01-30 23:04:20Z
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Rafael Nadal wins record-setting Australian Open title in dramatic fashion - CBC Sports

Rafael Nadal got to 21 first, breaking the men's record for most Grand Slam singles titles and doing it the hard way by coming back from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in an almost 5 1/2-hour Australian Open final that didn't finish until the early hours of Monday morning in Melbourne.

Nadal was broken when serving for the championship at 5-4 in the fifth set but made no mistake two games later by served an ace to earn three championship points and converted it on the first attempt.

The 35-year-old Spaniard now has one more major title than Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, his long-time rivals in the so-called Big Three.

The 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 win that started Sunday night was delayed in the 84-minute second set when a protester jumped onto the court, and then finished early Monday morning, Nadal also became just the fourth man in history to win all four of the sport's major titles at least twice.

"Good evening. No, good morning!" Nadal, looking at his watch, told the crowd at Rod Laver Arena when he finally got up for his acceptance speech at 1:30 a.m.

WATCH | Nadal wins 21st Grand Slam title: 

Rafael Nadal wins Australian Open, breaks men's singles Grand Slam title record

5 hours ago

Duration 3:01

Rafael Nadal stormed back to defeat Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling five-set contest to capture the Australian Open. His 21st men's singles Grand Slam victory moves Nadal past Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic for the most in history. 3:01

In the background, Rod Laver, the aging Australian tennis great, was in the stands holding up his smartphone to capture the scenes. A woman nearby held up a sign that stated: "Rafa is the GOAT."

For now, in terms of men's major titles at least, Nadal is the Greatest Of All Time.

Nadal said it had been "one of the most emotional matches in my tennis career," and he praised Medvedev for the part he played in the five-hour, 24-minute final. It was the second longest Australian Open final ever, after Nadal's loss to Djokovic in the 2012 decider that lasted 5:53.

Without a doubt, [it's] probably been one of the most emotional months in my tennis career.— Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal

Nadal's victory was even more remarkable considering he flew to Australia with just two matches under his belt in the second half of 2021 because he was sidelined with a chronic foot injury that can be treated but not cured. He also had a bout of COVID-19.

"For me, it's just amazing. Being honest, one month and a half ago, I didn't know if I'd be able to play on the tour again," Nadal said. "Without a doubt, [it's] probably been one of the most emotional months in my tennis career.

"The huge support I've received for the last three weeks will stay in my heart for the rest of my life."

Celebration nearly spoiled

Nadal won his first Australian Open title in 2009 and lost four other finals at Melbourne Park before his dramatic win over U.S. Open champion Medvedev. His conversion rate in major finals is now 21 out of 29. Federer and Djokovic each have 20 majors from 31 finals appearances.

Medvedev, who was aiming to be the first man in the Open era to win his second Grand Slam title at the very next major, was ever-so-close to spoiling another 21st celebration.

Djokovic was chasing the same record at the U.S. Open last year, and a calendar-year Grand Slam, when Medvedev beat him in straight sets in the final.

Federer also had his chance at 21, but Djokovic stopped that when he saved match points before winning the 2019 Wimbledon final.

Federer posted an Instagram message he addressed "to my friend and great rival."

"A few months ago we were joking about both being on crutches. Amazing. Never underestimate a great champion," Federer wrote. "Your incredible work ethic, dedication and fighting spirit are an inspiration to me and countless others around the world."

Djokovic praised Nadal's "amazing achievement" in a Twitter post that added: "Always impressive fighting spirit that prevailed another time."

Medvedev now joins Andy Murray among those who've lost the final at the next major tournament after their career breakthrough at the highest level.

It was just the fourth time Nadal has rallied from two sets down to win a best-of-five-set match, and the first since a fourth-round victory in 2007 at Wimbledon over Mikhail Youzhny.

Medvedev made Nadal go the distance and win from two sets down in the Australian Open final. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

He is the first Australian Open champion to come back to win after dropping the first two sets of the final since Roy Emerson in 1965.

Chair umpire urged to quiet crowd

Medvedev continued his love-hate relationship with Australian crowds, following trouble in earlier victories over Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas. He stayed calm for the first two sets before complaining about the yelling and noise between first and second serves.

After Nadal broke him in the third game of the fourth set, on a double-fault, Medvedev walked to the changeover giving an ironic thumbs-up to the crowd.

There was an exchange of breaks but Nadal got the upper hand after a long game when he converted his seventh breakpoint with an angled backhand winner.

Medvedev urged chair umpire John Blom to shut the crowd up.

"Step up Man, it's the final of a Grand Slam. Please is not enough," he said. "They're idiots. With idiots, please doesn't work."

Medvedev recovered his composure for his post-match speech, praising Nadal for his incredible endurance.

"Tough to talk about [5 1/2] hours and losing. I want to congratulate Rafa," the 25-year-old Russian said. "What he did today was amazing.

"You're an amazing champion."

Krejcikova, Siniakova are women's doubles champs

Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova moved a step closer to a career Grand Slam in doubles when they won their first Australian Open title on Sunday, beating Anna Danilina and Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4.

The Czech pair had already won twice at the French Open to go with a Wimbledon title and Olympic gold medals. But their win on Sunday gave them their fourth Grand Slam title in five finals and their first on hard courts.

The top seeds were forced to fight all the way by their unseeded rivals, dropping a set for the first time at the tournament and battling two hours 42 minutes before clinching their victory.

Siniakova first served for the match at 5-2 in the third set, but Danilina of Kazakhstan and Haddad Maia of Brazil broke her serve to prolong the match. Krejcikova finally served out the match at the next opportunity.

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2022-01-30 17:27:54Z
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Final 1:20 Wild 3OT ENDING Heat vs Raptors - NBA

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2022-01-30 04:29:23Z
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What to Watch: Canada faces United States for top spot in World Cup qualifier - Yahoo Canada Sports

Canada and the United States face off on Sunday. (Reuters)

Canada is coming off a resounding 2-0 victory over Honduras on Thursday, overcoming the absences of Alphonso Davies and Stephen Eustáquio seamlessly. It was Canada’s first win in Honduras since 1985, and now the national team is one step closer to clinching its first World Cup bid since 1986.

Here’s what you need to know about Canada’s match against the United States on Sunday.

Canada vs. United States

Sunday, January 30 at 3:05 PM | Live Stream

In any international competition, Canada-United States will be a heated rivalry but Sunday’s contest has some additional weight. Despite the United States boasting more headliners, including Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Weston McKinnie (Juventus) and Sergiño Dest (Barcelona) Canada enters the matchup in much better form and could genuinely establish itself as CONCACAF’s true power with a win.

Timothy Weah, Pulisic and Jesus Ferreira formed a three-man front against El Salvador but were largely ineffective as the United States walked away with a 1-0 win Thursday on the strength of a 52th minute goal from left back Antonee Robinson. Pulisic, in particular, could swing the balance of the match. He was awful against El Salvador and has struggled to find meaningful minutes at Chelsea this season, but a standout performance against Canada could reinvigorate his confidence. The United States will be forced to revise its formation ahead of Sunday, as Weah wasn’t allowed to cross the border, having only received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and getting infected prior to receiving the second dose. 

Robinson and Dest have been in better form for the United States and if Canada is to emerge with a victory, Junior Hoilett and Tajon Buchanan (who was excellent Thursday) will have to win those individual matchups. Buchanan is a veritable nightmare down the wing, with his stepover tutorial leading to the game’s first goal against Honduras after whipping in a cross that led to an own goal.

Canada doesn’t need to win the possession battle. Against Honduras, they were firmly out possessed and never ceded control of the game. Certainly, the United States pose a greater threat but with Hoilett, Buchanan, Cyle Larin and Jonathan David – who notched a wondergoal to secure the win against Honduras — at John Herdman’s disposal, Canada can win this game with a vicious, precise counterattack.

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2022-01-30 00:09:00Z
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Ash Barty wins drought-breaking Australian Open women’s title - Sportsnet.ca

MELBOURNE, Australia — Ash Barty really didn't know how to react to this drought-breaking triumph.

The usually so reserved and understated champion just let it all out, yelling "yes ... yes."

A quick walk to the net to congratulate the Australian Open runner-up, 28-year-old American Danielle Collins. Yes, that restored some sense of order. Acknowledge the umpire with a handshake. Yes, that's another important task for the women's top-ranked tennis player.

Then back onto Rod Laver Arena to scream out again: "yes ... yes."

Yes, it had been 44 years since an Australian won a singles title at the Australian Open. So no need to keep a lid on the celebrations. An almost full house at Rod Laver Arena, despite ticket restrictions imposed for the COVID-19 pandemic, was rocking.

Barty knew what to do when she saw who was presenting the trophy. Her mentor, the Indigenous and Australian tennis icon Evonne Goolagong Cawley, had flown in secretly from Queensland state to hand it over to the next generation star with Indigenous heritage.

Instinct kicked in for Barty. It was a big, loving hug.

Barty will no longer be weighed down by the 1970s.

She recovered from 5-1 down in the second set to beat Collins 6-3, 7-6 (2) in the final on Saturday night, becoming the first Australian to win the Australian Open women's singles championship since Chris O'Neil in 1978.

The pressure is off the 25-year-old Aussie, who has made a remarkable career comeback after taking time off — missing every Grand Slam tournament in 2015 and '16 — and briefly flirting with a professional cricket career.

"It was a little bit surreal," Barty said. "I didn't quite know what to do or what to feel — just being able to let out a little bit of emotion, which is a little bit unusual for me, and being able to celebrate with everyone who was there in the crowd, the energy was incredible."

Barty now has Grand Slam singles titles on three surfaces, adding the hard courts of Melbourne Park to her titles on grass at Wimbledon last year and on clay at the 2019 French Open. Serena Williams is the only other active player on the women's tour with majors on all three surfaces.

"This is just a dream come true for me," Barty said. "I'm just so proud to be an Aussie."

Goolagong Cawley was a trailblazer. She won four of her seven Grand Slam singles titles at the Australian Open from 1974-77, after winning the French Open at the age of 19. She won Wimbledon in 1971 and, after having a baby, in 1980. She reached 11 other major finals, including four in a row at the U.S. Open.

And she spotted Barty's talent at a young age.

"Very lucky to be able to give her a hug in some of the biggest moments in my life," Barty said. "To be able to experience that together on such a big occasion, on such a beautiful court, and in a tournament that means so much to both of us — it was really nice to have her there just as someone to lean on when I wasn't really sure what to do."

O'Neil was involved in the night, too, bringing the trophy into the stadium.

Barty had only conceded one service game through six matches leading into the final.

And Collins was the fourth American in as many rounds to take her on, with Barty beating Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula and 2017 U.S. Open runner-up Madison Keys in straight sets.

Collins, meanwhile, had to rally from a set and break down to beat Danish teenager Clara Tauson in the third round. She was hampered by a sore back, which prevented her from sitting down in changeovers.

Barty took the first set after saving a break point in the fifth game and then breaking in the next.

Collins hit back, unloading with her powerful ground strokes and relying on her high-intensity game to break Barty's serve in the second and sixth games.

She twice served for the second set, and twice was within two points of taking her first Grand Slam final to a third.

But she lost momentum when Barty jumped into a second serve and sent a return winner down the line in the seventh game.

Collins went to talk to the chair umpire when she faced a break point, and got booed by the crowd. When she lost the game, Collins got another chorus of boos.

Revived by that energy, Barty won five of the next six games and then dominated the tiebreaker.

"This crowd is one of the most fun I've ever played in front of," Barty said. "You relaxed me, forced me to play my best tennis."

Until Saturday, Barty's best run in Australia had ended in a semifinal loss to eventual champion Sofia Kenin in 2020.

Australian flags and the red, black and yellow Aboriginal flag were waved around in the crowd. Cathy Freeman, who carried both flags to celebrate her gold medal in the 400 meters at the Sydney 2000 Olympics — one of the defining images of those Games — was in the house, too.

Collins, whose previous best run at a major was a semifinal loss here in 2019, paid tribute to her longtime mentor Marty Schneider and her boyfriend Joe Vollen.

"Thank you for believing in me," she said, crying. "I haven't had a ton of people believing me in my career."

Collins, who doesn't have a permanent coach, said she came up just short.

"I was pushed to the max, and I gave myself a chance there," she said. "So it was a great event for me. Accomplished some new things. Learned a lot of new things."

Australia's drought in the men's singles dates back to Mark Edmondson's victory in 1976, but the men's doubles title is back with a homegrown team for the first time since 1997.

Wild-card entrants Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis — the so-called Special Ks — finished off a fairly wild men's doubles campaign by beating Matt Ebden and Max Purcell 7-5, 6-4.

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2022-01-29 12:58:00Z
1267584502

Tom Brady reportedly ending legendary football career after 22 seasons - CBC Sports

Tom Brady is retiring from the NFL after an unprecedented career in which the quarterback won seven Super Bowls and set numerous passing records, his company's Twitter account said Saturday.

The 44-year-old goes out after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title last season and NFC South championship this season.

ESPN reported Brady's retirement on Saturday, citing unidentified sources.

Brady had cited a desire to spend more time with his wife and children despite still playing at the top of his game. He led the National Football League this season in yards passing (5,316), touchdowns (43), completions (485) and attempts (719), but the Buccaneers lost at home to the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday in the divisional round.

Brady won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots in 20 seasons playing for coach Bill Belichick. He joined the Buccaneers in 2020 and led them to the second Super Bowl title in franchise history.

Brady leaves the game as the career leader in yards passing (84,520) and TDs (624). He's the only player to win more than five Super Bowls and was MVP of the championship game five times.

Widely considered the greatest quarterback to play the game of football, Brady won three NFL MVP awards, was a first-team All-Pro three times and was selected to the Pro Bowl 15 times. He was 243-73 in his career in the regular season and 35-12 in the playoffs.

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2022-01-29 20:44:01Z
1239908076

Here’s how Canada can qualify for the World Cup next week - Sportsnet.ca

| January 28, 2022, 1:01 PM

January 28, 2022, 1:01 PM

Not only did the Canadian men's national soccer team record a huge 2-0 win in Honduras on Thursday night, it got help on the out-of-town scoreboard.

As a result, there is a chance -- albeit slim -- that Canada could nail down a spot in the 2022 World Cup next week.

Here's what has to happen:

• Canada must beat the United States in Hamilton on Sunday and then record a road win against El Salvador on Wednesday.

• Panama must do no better than recording one tie in its next two games (vs. Jamaica on Sunday and at Mexico on Wednesday).

• Costa Rica must lose one of its two games (at Mexico on Sunday and at Jamaica on Wednesday).

Even if Canada does not secure a spot next week, it is in great shape.

Each Concacaf team has three games left in late March after this window. Canada is five points up on fourth-place Panama with the top three teams earning direct berths to the Qatar World Cup (Nov. 21-Dec. 17).

The fourth-place team will face the winner of the Oceania region in June for another World Cup spot.

TEAMS THAT HAVE QUALIFIED

Qatar

Germany

Denmark

Brazil

France

Belgium

Croatia

Spain

Serbia

England

Switzerland

Netherlands

Argentina

Iran

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2022-01-28 18:01:00Z
1268736594

Predictions for Scotties champion, dark horses and playoff teams - TSN

The 2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts is finally here and that means it's time to make some bold predictions. 

The 18-team field that will begin their pursuit of Canadian curling glory Friday night in Thunder Bay is filled with some of the best rock throwers in the nation, so picking a winning is no easy feat. 

TSN's curling commentators Vic Rauter, Cheryl Bernard, Russ Howard and Cathy Gauthier as well as TSN senior reporter Bob Weeks, Rocky Fourfoot, otherwise known as the Curling Mystic and TSN.ca's Ryan Horne are here to make their predictions for the Scotties champion, playoff teams and dark horses. 

Let the fun begin!

---

Note: Tracy Fleury, skip for Wild Card 1, was one of two participants in this year's Scotties Tournament of Hearts that tested positive for COVID-19 on their pre-departure PCR tests. However, Team Fleury says the skip could return to the team as soon as this weekend.

Odds to Wins Scotties                                                                                     

Canada +168
Wild Card 1 (Fleury) +450
Northern Ontario +495
Alberta +600
Wild Card 3 (Miskew) +880
Wild Card 2 (Carey) +1800
Ontario +2000
Manitoba +2600
Saskatchewan +3550
Prince Edward Island +4100
Northwest Territories +4500
New Brunswick +4800
British Columbia +5000
Quebec +5000
Nova Scotia +5000
Newfoundland and Labrador +10,000
Yukon +100,000
Nunavut +100,000

Odds to Make Playoffs

Canada -2000
Wild Card 1 (Fleury) -213
Northern Ontario -385
Alberta -323
Wild Card 3 (Miskew) -182
Wild Card 2 (Carey) -109
Ontario -128
Manitoba +111
Saskatchewan +158 
Prince Edward Island +185
Northwest Territories +189
New Brunswick +189
British Columbia +300
Quebec +250
Nova Scotia +268
Newfoundland and Labrador +1000
Yukon +50,000
Nunavut +50,000

Vic Rauter	Fleury, Carey, McCarville	Einarson, Walker, Zacharias	Arsenault	Einarson
Cheryl Bernard	Fleury, Carey, Miskew	Walker, Einarson, Arsenault	Arsenault	Fleury
Russ Howard	Fleury, McCarville, Miskew	Einarson, Walker, Arsenault	McCarville	Fleury
Cathy Gauthier	Fleury, McCarville, Carey	Walker, Einarson, Arsenault	Zacharias	Einarson
Bob Weeks	Fleury, McCarville, Miskew	Einarson, Walker, Galusha	Duncan	Einarson
Rocky Fourfoot	Fleury, Carey, McCarville	Walker, Einarson, Zacharias	Zacharias	Einarson
Ryan Horne	Fleury, Miskew, Carey	Walker, Einarson, Arsenault	Arsenault	Walker

Vic Rauter, TSN Curling Commentator 

Playoff Teams - Pool A: Tracy Fleury, Chelsea Carey, Krista McCarville
Playoff Teams - Pool B: Kerri Einarson, Laura Walker, Mackenzie Zacharias
Dark Horse: Mary-Anne Arsenault
Champion: Kerri Einarson

Kerri Einarson wins her third straight. She's been there and done that. Although they came up short in the trials, Team Einarson is just that good.

For the playoffs, coming out of Pool A will be Tracy Fleury if her game is settled after the Trials and a crash at the Manitoba provincials. Joining her will be Chelsea Carey, she's a winner. The third spot will come down to Team Rachel Homan (can Emma Miskew handle the skipping?), Krista McCarville playing at home and Suzanne Birt, who seems to be playing better all the time. The final spot will go to Team McCarville, who just missed out at the Trials. They will need that again plus a little more in Thunder Bay.

For Pool B, Einarson, Laura Walker and Mackenzie Zacharias have the top three. 

Dark horse is Mary-Anne Arsenault and her team turning back to the clock.

Cheryl Bernard, TSN Curling Analyst 

Playoff Teams - Pool A: Tracy Fleury, Chelsea Carey, Emma Miskew
Playoff Teams - Pool B: Laura Walker, Kerri Einarson, Mary-Anne Arsenault
Dark Horse: Mary-Anne Arsenault
Champion: Tracy Fleury

Tracy Fleury wins her first Canadian women’s title, bouncing back from a heartbreaking run at the Trials, and disappointing Manitoba provincials. This team’s motto is "You either win or learn.” I think they have learned many valuable lessons and it’s time for the podium.

The Page 1 vs. 2 game will feature Team Kerri Einarson vs Team Fleury. For Team Canada, winning a third straight Canadian title would take the sting out of not standing on the podium at the Olympic Trials and put them in a very elite category.

Page 3 vs. 4 game will feature Team Rachel Homan vs Team Laura Walker. Emma Miskew will be reinvigorated, temporarily taking over the reins for Rachel at the T-head. Sarah Wilkes will be playing third and has the experience of winning a Canadian championship playing third for Chelsea Carey in 2019. Team Walker has been inching closer to the podium with each event they play in. That experience combined with a team that is learning how to win together will make them tough to beat.

The other two playoff contenders will be Carey who just knows how to win Canadian championships with first year teams and Team Mary-Anne Arsenault, who together with Kelly Scott’s old team have too many Scottie appearances to count!

Russ Howard, TSN Curling Analyst 

Playoff Teams - Pool A: Tracy Fleury, Krista McCarville, Emma Miskew
Playoff Teams - Pool B: Kerri Einarson, Laura Walker, Mary-Anne Arsenault
Dark Horse: Krista McCarville
Champion: Tracy Fleury

Kerri Einarson will be upset by Laura Walker in the semifinal then Tracy Fleury will beat Walker in the final. 

Not only does Pool A have the No. 1 team in the world in Fleury, but also a two-time Canadian champion in Chelsea Carey and a three-time Canadian champion in Team Rachel Homan. Add to that, four very solid teams led by Penny Barker, Krista McCarville, Andrea Crawford and Suzanne Birt. All four of these teams are much better than their CTRS rankings because they don’t play a full schedule, or play locally, for less points. This adds up to seven good teams with only three advancing. Fleury is a safe choice, then McCarville and Homan, skipped by Emma Miskew. 

In Pool B, you can’t go wrong with Einarson, the two-time defending champion or Walker last year’s bronze medalist. Both are very dependable and with the weaker pool should get through. The last spot in my humble opinion is between the former world junior champion in Mackenzie Zacharias of Manitoba and the former world champion in Mary-Anne Arsenault of British Columbia. Go with the experience of Team Arsenault.

When it comes to a dark horse, Team McCarville are an extremely consistent foursome that's capable of beating any team in the field. McCarville's delivery is close to perfection, allowing her to execute a high degree of difficult shots, hopefully when it really matter. This team has been close before and this time it's a home game. Team McCarville doesn't play as much as the top seeds, but don't let that fool you, they're motivated for Thunder Bay. 

Cathy Gauthier, TSN Curling Analyst 

Playoff Teams - Pool A: Tracy Fleury, Krista McCarville Chelsea Carey 
Playoff Teams - Pool B: Laura Walker, Kerri Einarson, Mary-Anne Arsenault
Dark Horse: Mackenzie Zacharias
Champion: Kerri Einarson

Three-peats are not easy but Team Kerri Einarson has just too much pure talent at each position to ignore. While the season has been quieter, after two world championships for Kerri last year, it was likely needed. Reid Carruthers stepping in the coaching role will bring a new energy to the team. His focus on strategy and brushing will energize and elevate this team to a new level.

For a dark horse, keep an eye out for Mackenzie Zacharias. This is a very good young team with all the shots to be competitive in this field. The Achilles' heel has been strategy errors and timing of misses and inability to quickly recover from them. The addition of their team leader from their world championship win in Lori Olson-Johns makes her the fifth in the field that can have the most significant impact on a team. Seeing this team in the final four would not be a shock.

Bob Weeks, TSN Senior Reporter

Playoff Teams - Pool A: Tracy Fleury, Krista McCarville, Emma Miskew
Playoff Teams - Pool B: Kerri Einarson, Laura Walker, Kerry Galusha
Dark Horse: Hollie Duncan
Champion: Kerri Einarson

Team Kerri Einarson have been the best and most consistent team in the land over the last few years. After coming up a little short at the Trials, they are rested and ready to go for a three-peat, which they will secure with a win over Team Fleury in the final.

For a dark horse pick, Hollie Duncan's Ontario team got caught in the middle of a controversy that was none of its making, but despite all that, this squad is very talented and is more than deserving of its spot in this field. The lack of crowds may help the rink, that has limited Scotties experience, ease into the week.

Rocky Fourfoot, Curling Mystic

Playoff Teams - Pool A: Tracy Fleury, Chelsea Carey, Krista McCarville
Playoff Teams - Pool B: Laura Walker, Kerri Einarson, Mackenzie Zacharias
Dark Horse: Mackenzie Zacharias
Champion: Kerri Einarson

In 2014 Rachel Homan took advantage of Jennifer Jones being at the Olympics and in 2018 Jones took advantage of Homan being at the Olympics. This year I believe its Team Canada that will take advantage of both those skips being in Beijing. They have not been dominant since the bubble, but it's strange that the two-time defending champions are under the radar. A three-peat would put them among the all time greats. Speaking of going for a third title, don’t count out Chelsea Carey who likes to win every three years – 2016, 2019 and 2022 maybe??

For a dark horse, I would love to go with one of the experienced East coast teams in Prince Edward Island or New Brunswick, but with Pool A being so deep it’s going to be hard to crack the top three, so I'm going to go with Manitoba and Mackenzie Zacharias. They are young, but winning Manitoba is never easy so the talent is obviously there. They also gained some valuable experience last year at the Scotties. They might have to hold off the veteran British Columbia team skipped by Mary-Anne Arsenault for that third spot in Pool B. Both making the final six would be a great story.

Ryan Horne, TSN.ca

Playoff Teams - Pool A: Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, Chelsea Carey
Playoff Teams - Pool B: Laura Walker, Kerri Einarson, Mary-Anne Arsenault
Dark Horse: Mary-Anne Arsenault
Champion: Laura Walker

Laura Walker and Team Alberta are one of the few teams in this year's field that had the opportunity to compete in playdowns as most got cancelled due to COVID-19. Walker had to outlast tough teams led by Casey Scheidegger and Kelsey Rocque earlier this month to win Alberta and that recent competitive action could give her squad an edge at the Scotties. After a bronze medal performance inside the Calgary bubble last season, Team Walker will take the next step in Thunder Bay and capture their first Scotties title with a win over Team Einarson in the final. 

As for a dark horse, British Columbia's Team Mary-Anne Arsenault are easily the most talented 14th seed in Scotties history. Arsenault's rink has a combined 11 Scotties titles and 38 total appearances at the Canadian championship. They might not be in the prime of their career anymore, but this foursome is loaded with experience and could be the No. 1 dark horse pick at this year's Tournament of Hearts. 

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2022-01-28 14:46:00Z
1250458338

Canada remains unbeaten atop World Cup qualifying group with victory over Honduras - CBC Sports

Canada continues its march to Qatar 2022, showing off an array of talent along the way.

The Canadian men put on what coach John Herdman called a "professional performance" in a 2-0 victory over Honduras in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying play Thursday.

"It was never going to be a pretty match for us but it had to be disciplined," he said. "That [Honduran] team has massive threats, transitional threats. But we also knew we could be really dangerous in the transition. I thought that's where we were clinical tonight.

"We bent a little bit but we didn't break. And that's the story, I think, of the identity of this team."

The win kept Canada (5-0-4, 19 points) atop the eight-team qualifying standings although the second-place U.S. (5-1-3, 18 points) and third-place Mexico (5-2-2, 17 points) kept pace with victories of their own. With fourth-place Panama losing in Costa Rica, the top three are beginning to put some distance between them and the rest of the field, which bodes well for World Cup qualification.

The 40th-ranked Canadians can stretch that lead when they face the Americans in a top-of-the-table tilt Sunday at Hamilton's Tim Hortons Field. Canada will then make the 3,400-kilometre trip to San Salvador to face El Salvador next Wednesday.

WATCH | David scores highlight reel goal to clinch victory:

Jonathan David seals road win over Honduras to keep Canada atop the CONCACAF table

7 hours ago

Duration 1:17

Jonathan David capped off Liam Fraser's long pass in the 73rd minute as Canada shut out Honduras 2-0 to remain atop the FIFA World Cup CONCACAF qualifiers table. 1:17

Canada went ahead in the 10th minute on a Honduran own goal, looked comfortable through the first half and held off the Hondurans in the second half as the home side showed more on offence.

After a huge save by Milan Borjan midway through the second half maintained Canada's lead, Jonathan David delivered the coup de grace on a remarkable rapid-fire transition goal in the 73rd minute.

After Honduras lost possession on the edge of the Canadian box, thanks to some well-timed thievery by Tajon Buchanan, Sam Adekugbe slipped the ball to nearby Liam Fraser, who found David on the Honduras edge of the centre circle behind two defenders with a perfectly measured 40-yard ball.

Without missing a step, David angled his chest to control the ball, then headed it forward and — when he caught up with it — chipped the keeper with his left foot.

Three beautiful touches at full speed produced his 19th goal in 25 matches for Canada.

David continues to impress

The 22-year-old from Ottawa continues to put himself in the shop window, with several big English Premier League clubs reportedly watching him closely for the summer transfer window.

It was a world-class goal with an assist to match.

"The pass [Fraser] made to Johnny was a laser," said Herdman, savouring another player stepping up.

"It's a special story that's unfolding here and it seems like every man is being able to contribute on the journey."

Toronto FC loaned Fraser out to Columbus last season and then saw him move to Belgium's KMSK Deinze after his contract ran out at the end of the year. They may rue losing him.

WATCH l Canada's Borjan makes terrific diving save to keep clean-sheet:

Milan Borjan's 'massive' save preserves Canada's clean sheet victory over Honduras

6 hours ago

Duration 1:21

Milan Borjan made a terrific diving save in the 70th minute as Canada blanked Honduras 2-0 in FIFA World Cup CONCACAF qualifying. 1:21

Borjan made another remarkable save in second-half stoppage time, pushing away an Alberth Elis header.

Canada went ahead in the 10th minute via an own goal from Denil Maldonado, set up by some fine work by Buchanan. The Club Brugge wingback, after a give-and-go with David, danced around defender Diego Rodriguez near the by-line and fired in a hard cross that Maldonado, with Cyle Larin behind him, had to address just in front of goal.

His attempted block went straight into the Honduran goal, giving the Canadians an early cushion. Defender Steven Vitoria started the attack with a fine ball from the back.

Tajon Buchanan puts the Honduran backline under attack and leads to the own goal. This man... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/problem?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#problem</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CANMNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CANMNT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForCanada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForCanada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WCQ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WCQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/XFzhNuqEJe">pic.twitter.com/XFzhNuqEJe</a>

&mdash;@CanadaSoccerEN

Canada needed an enormous save from Borjan in the 70th minute to preserve the lead. The 'keeper got his left hand to a well-placed Kervin Arriega header off a Honduran free kick.

It was only Canada's second win ever in Honduras — and the first since August 1985 in the capital of Tegucigalpa with substitute George Pakos scoring the only goal of the game.

Long-awaited revenge

And it was especially sweet coming at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano, a house of horrors where Canada's 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign ended in October 2012 in a humiliating 8-1 drubbing. The Canadian men came into Thursday's game with an 0-4-1 record at the stadium.

Other games Thursday saw the 11th-ranked U.S. defeat No. 70 El Salvador 1-0 in Columbus, No. 14 Mexico beat No. 57 Jamaica 2-1 in Kingston and No. 49 Costa Rica downed No. 63 Panama 1-0 in San Jose.

Three games remain for Canada after this international window. Come March, the top three teams will represent North and Central America and the Caribbean in Qatar while the fourth-place side faces an Oceania country in an intercontinental playoff to see who joins them.

Herdman's team is on track to make it to soccer's showcase for the first time since 1986, its only visit to the men's World Cup.

Thursday's contest matched the top and bottom teams in the final qualifying round-round in CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.

No. 76 Honduras (0-6-3) has been on a downward spiral since tying Canada 1-1 in September at Toronto's BMO Field in the opening game of the round.

Canada was without Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, who has been sidelined by myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, after testing positive for COVID. Influential midfielder Stephen Eustaquio was also missing, with Portuguese report saying he had tested positive for COVID. Herdman said prior to the game that he hoped Eustaquio could play some part in the games ahead.

But there was plenty of offensive punch even without Davies, with David, Larin and Junior Hoilett leading the attack in a starting 11 that came into the game with a combined 406 caps.

And Davies was there in spirit, celebrating the Canadian goals as he watched live-streamed on Twitch.

🗣 "<a href="https://twitter.com/TajonBuchanan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TajonBuchanan</a> let me see something,"<a href="https://twitter.com/AlphonsoDavies?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlphonsoDavies</a> loves to see that early lead for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CanMNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CanMNT</a> 🇨🇦<br><br>📺: <a href="https://t.co/M2sOAvwfpx">https://t.co/M2sOAvwfpx</a> <a href="https://t.co/I39s0cL1ix">pic.twitter.com/I39s0cL1ix</a>

&mdash;@CPLsoccer

Veteran midfielder Atiba Hutchinson captained the team, earning his 91st cap — a record for Canadian men.

Canada's Samuel Piette needed treatment after his ankle was caught in a clumsy challenge by Edwin Rodriguez in the 34th minute. Jamaican referee Daneion Parchment reviewed the play on a sideline monitor, on the prompting of the video assistant referee, but there was no further sanction.

Piette could not continue, giving way to Fraser in the 39th minute.

One concern was Fraser and Hutchinson earning yellow cards. Toronto FC midfielder Jonathan Osorio, coming off the bench, earned his 50th cap for Canada.

Capacity at the 37,325-capacity venue was limited to 50 per cent Thursday due to the pandemic, with wide swaths of empty seats. The field cut up as the match wore on, with chunks being kicked up.

Canada has had little success on Honduran soil in the past however, with a 1-7-3 career record there prior to Thursday's meeting. Its overall record against Honduras improved to 8-11-7.

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2022-01-28 04:02:00Z
1268736594

Senators' Batherson out two months with high ankle sprain - TSN

TSN.ca Staff

Ottawa Senators leading-scoring Drake Batherson will miss at least the next two months with a high ankle sprain after taking a hit from Buffalo Sabres goalie Aaron Dell on Tuesday.

Drake Batherson will be “out a couple of months” with a high ankle sprain according to #Sens coach DJ Smith.

After the Sabres game though, the forward didn’t make it about himself, the first thing Batherson said was “what a hat trick from Ennis.”

— Claire Hanna (@clahanna) January 27, 2022

Dell appeared to shove Batherson with his right shoulder as he was attempting to skate behind the net. Batherson went feet-first into the boards and needed help to leave the game.

Dell was suspended three games for interference on Wednesday. 

Batherson, a 23-year-old right winger, is having a career season with 13 goals and 21 assists over 31 games with the Sens in 2021-22, his fourth year with the franchise. 

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2022-01-27 16:07:32Z
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Giovinco listed on Toronto FC camp roster - TSN

The Canadian Press

TORONTO — Former MLS MVP Sebastian Giovinco is back with Toronto FC, training with the team without a contract at present.

The Italian star, who turned 35 on Wednesday, left the MLS club in January 2019 when Toronto, unwilling to meet his contract demands, sold him to Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal FC.

Giovinco, who maintained a residence in Toronto, left the Saudi club last August by mutual agreement and has made no secret of his desire to rejoin TFC.

But the fact he is with the team in camp does not mean he will be back in red this season.

Check out the Preseason roster here ⤵️#TFCLive

— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) January 27, 2022

The former Juventus forward would have to go through the league's allocation process, which regulates the return of former MLS players, among others, to the league. Toronto currently stands third on the allocation list, behind Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati.

And before Toronto sorts that out, it would have to determine if the player known as the Atomic Ant was worth bringing back -- and at a price it could afford.

News of Giovinco being back surfaced Thursday when the club, which arrived in California on Jan. 18 for training camp, finally released its camp roster.

Giovinco, the top earner in MLS in 2018 at US$7.115 million, is Toronto's all-time leading scorer.

In four seasons with Toronto, Giovinco had 68 goals and 52 assists in 114 regular-season games (111 starts).

He won MVP honours in his debut 2015 season, when he was directly involved in 65 per cent of Toronto's 58 goals with 22 goals and 16 assists. In all competitions, he had 83 goals and 64 assists in 142 appearances.

With question-marks over the future of designated players Jozy Altidore and Yeferson Soteldo, who are both not in camp, and Italian star Lorenzo Insigne not coming to the club until July, TFC is short on attacking options.

The camp roster lists returnees Ifunanyachi Achara, Ayo Akinola, Jayden Nelson and Jordan Perruzza, plus 2022 draft pick Reshaun Walkes, trialist Wilson Harris, Hugo Mbongue of Toronto FC II and recent signing Deandre Kerr at forward.

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2022-01-27 14:04:27Z
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With a mix of old, new and borrowed tricks, the Flames make franchise history - Sportsnet.ca

Something old, something new, something borrowed and something Blue Jackets fans will want to move on from as soon as possible.

Flames fans won’t soon forget the record-setting outing from a resurgent Calgary squad that fired a franchise-record 62 shots on goal as part of a 6-0 trouncing of Columbus Wednesday. The total also made them the first team to fire that many pucks at the net in a regulation game since the Chicago Blackhawks on March 12, 1989 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It marked the second-straight slaughter by the Flames, who have outscored their last two opponents 13-1 while outshooting them 110-44.

Much like their 7-1 win over St. Louis two nights earlier, the Flames had 12 different players find the scoresheet, with all but one player -- Adam Ruzicka -- recording at least one shot on Elvis Merzlikins.

“It doesn’t happen very often, but I’m going to bet there was a lot of high quality (chances) in that tonight,” said Darryl Sutter, whose club had an incredible 34 scoring chances, including 15 of the high danger variety.

“After the second period we had three different lines score, which is critical for this team to win hockey games. You can get by once in a while with special teams, or one line, but we need something out of everybody, and tonight was a little more complete in that.”

Nine different players had at least four shots on goal, in a game that remained just 1-0 until late in the second period when the Flames scored two late goals after outshooting the hosts 39-17 after two.

“I think the first period we had a really good start -- we dictated how we wanted to play,” said Sutter, whose club eclipsed the previous club record of 59 shots set by Flames teams from 1977 and 1991. “In the second period we had a lengthy 5-on-3 in which we didn’t score, but the players didn’t get beat up about it, they stayed the course.”

Sure did.

Here’s how they did it:

SOMETHING (SAME) OLD

The top line was at it again, dominating from the opening shift.

One game after racking up ten points against St. Louis the lads took their show on the road with a six-point outing that included three assists from Johnny Gaudreau, two goals from Matthew Tkachuk and a goal by Elias Lindholm.

Gaudreau and Tkachuk each have 22 points in their last 11 games (yes, 44 points combined) and Lindholm became the fourth player from his 2013 draft class to notch his 400th NHL point, (behind Nathan MacKinnon, Aleksander Barkov and Sean Monahan).

“They scored some highlight goals for sure,” said Sutter, who marvelled at the setups Gaudreau made on three of the team’s last four goals. “Johnny was in full control of the puck, Matthew was going to the net. That’s a big goal he scored at the end of the second and that’s a slick play.”

Tkachuk has goals in five of his last six outings, as one of the league’s hottest players.

SOMETHING NEW

Mikael Backlund opened the scoring with his first goal in 19 outings, Andrew Mangiapane made it 2-0 with his first in nine games and Erik Gudbranson scored late for his first goal in 60 games.

Depth scoring is what this team craves, and got it in spades Wednesday with three players getting off the snide.

Asked if he remembered his last goal, Gudbranson chuckled.

“Ya, I scored against Calgary when I was playing for Ottawa,” beamed the rugged defenceman. “I have so few of them that, ya, I do remember, believe it or not. Nice to score. Of course, it’s not my job, but if you can chip in that way then it’s always nice.”

Mangiapane’s 19th of the season gave the sixth-round revelation his 100th NHL point.

“Starting where I came from, up and down roller coaster my whole life in the OHL and the AHL and now kind of making it to the NHL and being able to help the team win and produce, it will be nice,” he said of the milestone before the game.

SOMETHING BORROWED

Jacob Markstrom borrowed a page from his remarkable start to the season with a 23-save shutout that included several key stops early in a 1-0 game that could easily have been tied had he not robbed Patrik Laine twice, as well as Oliver Bjorkstrand.

The goose-egg extended his league-lead in the category to six, punctuating a two-and-a-half-month stretch since his last bagel in Buffalo.

More importantly, it marked back-to-back brilliance for the veteran who had struggled to find his groove since Christmas.

“I felt good,” said Markstrom, heaping praise on teammates who had several big blocks in an early first period penalty kill prompted by his well-advised trip on Jakub Voracek. “We haven’t had a busy schedule before so we had a chance to work a lot on goalie stuff and technique and get back to where we were in October and November. A little slump in December that lasted a little too long for my liking.”

Asked how it would feel for a goalie to face 62 shots, Markstrom smiled.

“Busy, for sure,” he laughed.

“I don’t think I’ve been up there in my whole career, but I’ve seen a lot of rubber.”

Added Sutter of Markstrom’s return to form, which has seen him stop 43 of the last 44 shots he’s faced, “it’s good, he’s back on track again.

“What gets overlooked with our team, at the end of day, he is our best player and he has to be our best player.”

Flames play in St. Louis Thursday.

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2022-01-27 05:19:00Z
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Sabres goalie Dell suspended 3 games for hit on Senators' Batherson - CBC Sports

The Buffalo Sabres' injury-depleted goalie ranks were thinned further on Wednesday after the NHL issued Aaron Dell a three-game suspension for body-checking Ottawa forward Drake Batherson into the end boards.

In determining the length of the suspension, the NHL took into account that Batherson suffered an ankle injury after being shoved by Dell late in the first period of Ottawa's 5-0 win on Tuesday night.

Buffalo is already missing four goalies due to injury. Dell's suspension means the team will likely need to sign another netminder before leaving for a three-game western swing starting at Arizona on Saturday.

The play happened shortly after Tyler Ennis scored to put the Senators up 3-0.

Dell played a dump-in to the right of his net, leaving the puck for defenceman Mattias Samuelsson. With Batherson closing in from behind Samuelsson, Dell stepped into the Senators player's path and struck him with his shoulder.

WATCH | Batherson exits Tuesday's game with injury after getting hit by Dell:

Senators all-star Drake Batherson leaves game after getting levelled by Sabres goalie

1 day ago

Duration 1:04

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Aaron Dell checked an unsuspecting Drake Batherson, forcing the Ottawa Senators all-star to leave the game with an injury. 1:04

Dell was not penalized for the hit. The NHL suspended the goalie by ruling he interfered with Batherson by initiating contact.

Batherson needed assistance to be helped off the ice. The rookie was scheduled to represent the Senators at the All-Star Game next week, with his spot now replaced by teammate Brady Tkachuk.

Batherson had scored his team-leading 13th goal earlier in the period.

Senators coach D.J. Smith called the hit dangerous.

"I was just trying to buy some time for my defenceman and step into [Batherson's] lane," Dell said after the game. "I hope he's all right. I wasn't trying to hurt anybody."

The suspension will cost Dell $11,250 US in salary.

Minus Dell, Michael Houser is Buffalo's lone goalie.

Season-opening starter Craig Anderson, who has missed 32 games with an upper-body injury, has resumed skating but likely won't be available until after the road trip.

Dustin Tokarski has missed 20 games while recovering from COVID-19.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (lower body) and Malcolm Subban (upper body) have each missed seven games since both were hurt in a 6-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Jan. 11.

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2022-01-27 00:53:00Z
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