Friday 43 Sports Friday, March 16, 2018 Toronto Maple Leafs rally to a 6-5 victory over Dallas Stars Riemsdyk notch his third career hat trick TORONTO: Tyler Bozak and Mitch Marner Kadri, racing in from the left side, flicked the both scored in the shootout and James van puck into the net after Lehtonen lost control Riemsdyk notched his third career hat trick as while trying to clear it in front of his own crease, the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied for a 6-5 victory and van Riemsdyk followed 25 seconds later over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night at the with a rebound from the slot. Air Canada Centre in Toronto. But Dallas rallied to tie it later in the period Patrick Marleau and Nazem Kadri also when Benn, left alone in the slot, slapped in a pass scored for Toronto and Curtis McElhinney came from the corner from Seguin for his 25th goal of off the bench for 13 saves and stopped both the season, and Faksa followed with his 14th 1:32 shootout attempts he faced, as the Maple Leafs later when Greg Pateryn’s slap shot ricocheted extended their franchise record home win streak off his skate and over Andersen’s shoulder. to 11 games. Seguin then notched his 37th goal of the sea- Frederik Andersen finished with 17 saves be- son at the 4:30 mark of the second period, put- fore leaving midway through the second period ting in his own rebound on a shot from the high with an upper-body injury apparently suffered slot that bounced off Andersen’s pads and right when Dallas forward Alexander Radulov fell on back to him to give the Stars a 3-2 lead. After his head during a goal-mouth scramble midway McElhinney replaced Andersen at the first TV through the first period. timeout, Elie gave Dallas a two-goal lead when Brett Ritchie, Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Remi he one-timed a pass from Devin Shore from the Elie and Radek Faksa scored for Dallas, which right side of the net. lost its third straight game and for the fifth time But Toronto tied it, 4-4, with a pair of van in six contests. Kari Lehtonen finished with 27 Riemsdyk goals to start the third period, the first saves but was beaten by Bozak in the first round when he flipped in a rebound on his third at- of the shootout and Marner to start the third tempt over a sprawling Lehtonen and the second round. The Stars, playing the second half of a when he redirected a shot by Marner for a TORONTO: File photo shows Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his back-to-back that started with a 4-2 loss at power-play goal. goal during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. —AFP Montreal on Tuesday night, fell behind 2-0 in the Ritchie put the Stars back up, 5-4, when he first five minutes with Kadri and van Riemsdyk one-timed a Seguin crossing pass past McElhin- McElhinney with two minutes to go, forced shot through Lehtonen’s pads with 15.3 seconds both scoring their 27th goals of the season. ney’s blocker side, but Toronto, which pulled overtime when Marleau redirected Marner’s left for his 22nd goal of the season. —Reuters Wales ring changes for France with eye ‘Super sub’ Our Duke set to on second spot strike gold for Harrington CARDIFF: Wales coach Warren Gatland has recalled LONDON: Jessica Harrington can capture the blue riband of National Hunt rac- captain Alun Wyn Jones in one of seven changes to the ing the Cheltenham Gold Cup for a second successive year today with her “super team to play France in their final Six Nations outing of the sub”, Our Duke. The vibrant 71-year-old Irish trainer admitted to AFP even if season tomorrow. The Welsh team are set on the Six Na- her 2017 champion Sizing John had been fit to run she would have been hard tions runners-up spot, knowing a bonus-point victory MARCOUSSIS: French rugby union team head pressed as to which one she would favour. Harrington’s confidence in Our Duke- against France will guarantee them second place behind coach Jacques Brunel addresses a press con- who completed a remarkable season for her last year by landing the Irish Grand champions Ireland. ference in Marcoussis yesterday.— AFP National-is based on the testing conditions. They will favour her runner and not “Saturday is a huge opportunity for us to finish the the long time favourite Might Bite, whose trainer Nicky Henderson she stays with campaign well, at home in front of our fans,” Gatland said, Parkes and Scott Williams in the midfield. Liam Williams, for the Festival which should make for an interesting conversation. “God he is a predicting a French team in fine spirits after their 22-16 George North and Leigh Halfpenny form an all Lions back- pretty good super sub,” Harrington said. “I think it is a pretty open race but if it win over England.“France will be coming to Cardiff in three. “There have been some tough selection calls, but that gets softer it will be good for my runner and would incovenience Might Bite. good spirits after their victory over England last weekend is exactly what we want, we want to be in a position where “Our Duke is a smashing horse to have, in fact I would have been pushed to so it is set to be a huge encounter.” Lock Jones returns to there are selections and decisions to be made and we have know which would have been the proper horse for the Cup.” Henderson, who captain the Welsh team, having been rested for last week’s had to make some tough ones this weekend,” said Gatland. increased his record Champions Hurdle haul to seven on Tuesday with Buveur Italy match that Wales won 38-14. Jones, who will be part- “We have picked a team and a squad we believe can d’Air defending his title, admitted his chasing star, who was an impressive winner nered by Cory Hill with Bradley Davies on the bench, deliver this weekend against France.” Elliot Dee, Nicky of the King George VI Chase in late December, could be troubled by the going. comes back into the pack along with Scarlets front rowers Smith and Samson Lee are named as the front-row re- “The slight worry is going to be the ground,” said Henderson. “He won’t relish it Rob Evans and Ken Owens and flanker Josh Navidi. placements with Davies and Shingler completing the for- as much as some of our others but the Cheltenham going can change very Navidi lines up alongside British and Irish Lions Justin ward contingent. Aled Davies, Anscombe and Steff Evans quickly. “He is in great form and I couldn’t be happier with him,” added the ur- Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau at six and eight respectively, provide the backline cover. bane 67-year-old Old Etonian. meaning Aaron Shingler will have to do with a place on Harrington believes the great danger to Our Duke-whose hopes were boosted the replacements bench. Prop Tomas Francis is retained Team (15-1) by Presenting Percy winning the RSA Chase on Wednesday as he had beaten from the victory over Italy to start alongside Evans and Leigh Halfpenny; George North, Scott Williams, Hadleigh him last time out-among the other 16 runners will be last year’s third Native River. hooker Owens. Parkes, Liam Williams; Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Taulupe “It (the testing going) would really benefit Native River, he will be a big danger,” Looking to lead Wales, unbeaten at home against Faletau, Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric; Alun Wyn Jones (capt), said Harrington. The runner-up from last year Minella Rocco returns to try and France since 2010, around the park will be Dan Biggar, pre- Cory Hill; Tomas Francis, Ken Owens, Rob Evans Replace- go one better for popular trainer Jonjo O’Neill whilst Willie Mullins tries to finally ferred at fly-half with Gareth Anscombe dropping to the ments: Elliot Dee, Nicky Smith, Samson Lee, Bradley Davies, end years of frustration saddling four including two-time runner-up Djakadam, although his best chance may have come and gone and Killultagh Vic may be bench. Gareth Davies, yellow carded for a deliberate Aaron Shingler, Aled Davies, Gareth Anscombe, Steff Evans the 61-year-old’s likeliest contender. — AFP knock-on against Italy, starts at half-back with Hadleigh Coach: Warren Gatland (NZL). —AFP.