Bigras Among Cuts As Canada Trims World-Junior Roster
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014 | WWW.PGCITIZEN.CA Sports 11 Bigras among cuts as Canada trims world-junior roster Stephen WHYNO against in one of the exhibition The Canadian Press games over the weekend. With these five cuts, Canada’s roster has begun to take shape. TORONTO — Canada’s world- At least three more must be junior journey will continue with- made before the world-junior- out Chris Bigras, who was among tournament roster is finalized the first round of cuts despite on Christmas Day, though there being on last year’s team. would have to be more if Horvat Bigras, fellow defenceman or Lazar joins. Travis Sanheim and forwards Nick “Right now that’s a first step,” Baptiste, Morgan Klimchuk and Groulx said. “We want to see how Remi Elie were released Sunday this team is doing together, how evening after a selection camp that they fit together, and when we’re included two exhibition games going to be comfortable at letting against local university all-stars. go other guys, we’ll do it. There’s Canada’s roster stands at 25 play- no rush for us in our mind.” ers with main camp set to open Groulx talked of “building this today in St. Catharines, Ont. team,” a process that continues The message from Benoit Groulx this week at Meridian Centre in St. and his coaching staff to those Catharines. The team will practise players and the one they seemed Monday through Thursday there to receive through the tough news before returning to Toronto for was that this is a deep, difficult Friday’s first international exhibi- group to crack. tion, against Russia at Air Canada “We think that the players that Centre. we decided to keep are in our “We’re moving to another level: plans and I thought also there was one week of preparation in Ni- a separation between those guys agara,” Groulx said. “We’re going CP PHOTO and the players we kept,” Groulx to have to keep working, putting Team Canada’s Brayden Point (centre) scores on CIS All-Stars from Toronto goaltender Michael Nishi said. “That’s the reason why we the system in place, working at our in first period action during an exhibition game in Toronto on Sunday. decided to let them go.” lines, duos on defence, speciality Bigras was the biggest surprise team, all that. We’ve got to have a because he played all seven games Morin and Dillon Heatherington – Up front, forward depth was on a (Memorial) Cup run.” good week of work in front of us.” in last year’s tournament and as a were “ahead” of Bigras. responsible for Baptiste, Klimchuk Coaches told Klimchuk, a Cal- Sweden is the opponent Dec. 21 returning player figured to have “It’s not about [what we didn’t and Elie getting let go. Beyond just gary Flames prospect who plays in Ottawa, and then Switzerland a spot. Instead, the 19-year-old see] from him,” Groulx said. “I the likes of Connor McDavid, Sam for Regina of the WHL, that he at Bell Centre in Montreal on Dec. Colorado Avalanche prospect will think it’s about the other defence- Reinhart, Max Domi, Anthony played well in camp and to keep 23. go back to the Ontario Hockey men we have. We think that the Duclair and Nic Petan, there’s the his chin up. It’s possible McDavid, who has League’s Owen Sound Attack. eight guys we decided to keep are possibility Canada gets Bo Horvat “There’s a lot of positives to been out since last month with “Obviously not the outcome just better than him right now.” from the Vancouver Canucks and/ take out of things like this,” said a broken bone in his right hand, I was looking for,” said Bigras, Better than Sanheim, too. The or Curtis Lazar from the Ottawa Klimchuk, who’s from Calgary. plays in one of those games to get who’s from Elmvale, Ont. “Can’t raw Philadelphia Flyers first-round Senators. “Obviously when you leave early, acclimated to teammates and the dwell on it right now.” pick goes back to the Calgary Baptiste, a 2013 pick of the Buf- it’s pretty upsetting, pretty frus- pace of world-junior games. Groulx was an assistant coach Hitmen of the Western Hockey falo Sabres, will go back to playing trating, but I got a chance to come Among the 25 players left on last year in Malmo, Sweden, and League hoping he can do better in for the McDavid-less Erie Otters to this camp and play with the best the roster are 15 forwards, eight understood it was “devastating” this spot a year from now. of the OHL. Among those cut, he players in the country.” defencemen and two goalies. to Bigras to get cut this year. But it “[Coaches told me] just that appeared to take it the best. Like Klimchuk, Elie was told the Zach Fucale is the favourite was his judgement that the eight I’m 18 years old and I’ve got a lot “It’s such a good competition depth up front was responsible for to start in goal over Eric Comrie defencemen Canada kept – Dar- to look forward to,” the Elkhorn, here,” said Baptiste, a native of Ot- him going back to the Belleville because he played for Canada last nell Nurse, Josh Morrissey, Madi- Man., native said. “Next year they tawa. “Just proud to be one of the Bulls of the OHL. The Dallas Stars year, but as the Bigras cut shows, son Bowey, Joe Hicketts, Shea hope I come in and make a differ- top 30 in Canada, move forward, prospect had a noticeable turn- past performance isn’t a guarantee Theodore, Haydn Fleury, Samuel ence and make this hockey team.” go back to Erie and hopefully go over that led to a scoring chance of anything for this team. SPORTS IN BRIEF of Curling title this season for injured guards Iman Shumpert Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gal- and J.R. Smith. Caps capitalize on lant and Geoff Walker. Tim Hardaway Jr. got the start Muirhead wins Gushue went into the fi nal end and scored 18 points, but missed trailing 5-4, but made a double eight of his fi nal 10 shots and Canadian Open takeout with his fi rst shot. fi nished 4 of 15. chances to beat Kings YORKTON, Sask. (CP) — Scot- Laycock placed his fi nal rock in The Knicks, who ended a 10- land’s Eve Muirhead defeated Ot- the four-foot, then Gushue went game losing streak with a victory tawa’s Rachel Homan 5-3 in the for two, easing his last rock into at Boston on Friday, fell to 5-21. Andrea JOHNSON Citizen staff Merritt]. It was a big point for us Canadian Open women’s curling the house for the deuce. Ross gave the Raptors an 86-84 and we deserved to get the win. [email protected] fi nal on Sunday. lead on a short jumper with 2:39 Tonight [Saturday] we’re very Muirhead went 6-1 through The Cowichan Valley Capitals disappointed with the result and BASKETBALL remaining in regulation and the round-robin play and the knock- handed the Prince George Spruce we battled.” teams then went scoreless across Kings their third-straight loss Sat- Capitals netminder Lane Mi- out phase – including two upset Raptors beat the next 2 minutes before the urday night at the Coliseum. chasiw swept aside 42 of 43 shots victories over Sochi gold medal- Knicks fi nally tied it on Anthony’s The Caps, who travelled he faced by Prince George, while list Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg Knicks in OT drive with 28 seconds to go. throughout the night from Lang- Alex Brooks-Potts stopped 31 of – to win the fi rst Canadian Open Lowry missed a short jumper be- women’s championship. NEW YORK (AP) — Kyle Lowry ley, defeated Prince George 5-1 to 36 shots. had 21 points and 11 assists, con- fore the buzzer but Toronto then earn only their 10th victory of the With seven regulars out of Muirhead, who earned bronze at held the Knicks without a basket the Sochi Olympics, opened up a trolling the overtime period and season in the B.C. Hockey League their lineup due to injury, the leading the Toronto Raptors to a in overtime until and improve to 10-22-0-1. list includes forwards Chad 2-0 advantage in the second end 95-90 victory over the New York Hardaway’s meaningless layup The Kings, with nine regulars Staley (sprained ankle), Justin Rai and never trailed. with 5.2 seconds left. out of their lineup, now fall to (concussion-like symptoms), Jar- Homan and her rink of Emma Knicks on Sunday night. Lowry missed a jumper that Patrick Patterson’s 3-pointer third place in the Mainland Divi- ryd Leung (sprained thumb), Riley Miskew, Joanne Courtney and opened the scoring in OT and sion to sit at 17-13-0-3 with 37 Hawes (concussion) and defence- Lisa Weagle, counted one in the would’ve won it to end regula- tion, but then had two baskets put Toronto ahead for good. points, four points behind second men Alex Stoley (shoulder), Adam third end to cut Muirhead’s lead Lowry later made a pair of jump- place Langley. The Chilliwack Clements (upper body) and Karan in half. That, however, was as and an assist in overtime, ac- counting for more points than ers before feeding Amir Johnson Chiefs lead the division with 46 Toor (groin).