This quick two-game series was part of a scheduling change in the NBA that has teams periodically playing consecutive games against the same opponent in the same location to reduce travel amid a pandemic.
NBA’s two-game series cut travel, offer playoff-type setups — The Denver Post
Opening day on April 1 will have more energy than anticipated, as the Rockies announced Tuesday that the club has received a variance to allow 21,363 fans into Coors Field.
Rockies announce plans to increase capacity at Coors Field starting opening day — The Denver Post
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KSNT) – David McCormack and Tristan Enaruna will not be available for this week’s Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City according to Kansas head coach Bill Self due to Covid-19 protocols. McCormack and Enaruna are roommates according to Self. David McCormack and Tristan Enaruna are out for the Big 12 tournament because of…
Two Jayhawks to miss Big 12 Tournament due to Covid-19 protocols — KSNT News
It’s worth keeping perspective.
Heat big Meyers Leonard uses anti-Semitic slur during livestream — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
NEW YORK (AP) — Defense wins championships is one of the oldest clichés in sports. It’s mostly been true, too. Now, even coaches who preached defense before look around an NBA where the pace is quicker, the shots come from deeper, and can come to only one conclusion. “It seems like offense wins,” Spurs coach […]
Offense winning in NBA, Nets want to prove it in playoffs — The China Post, Taiwan
WINNIPEG JETS (15-8-1 – 31 Points) vs.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (18-6-2 – 38 Points)
MARCH 9, 2021 ▪ 7:00 PM EST
SCOTIABANK ARENA (TORONTO, ON) ▪
TV: TSN4 ▪ RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus WINNIPEG
| ALL-TIME RECORD: | 35-19-1-9 (64 Games) |
| ALL-TIME on the ROAD: | 18-9-1-4 (32 Games) |
| 2020-21: | 1-0-0 |
| LAST FIVE: | 4-0-1 |
| LAST 10: | 6-2-2 |
MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus WINNIPEG
| GAMES PLAYED: | Jason Spezza (51), Joe Thornton (44), John Tavares (29) |
| GOALS: | Jason Spezza (15), Joe Thornton (12), John Tavares (10) |
| ASSISTS: | Jason Spezza (36), Joe Thornton (32), John Tavares (21) |
| POINTS: | Jason Spezza (51), Joe Thornton (44), John Tavares (31) |
| PENALTY MINUTES: | Joe Thornton (41), John Tavares (25), Jason Spezza (20) |
MAPLE LEAFS – JETS TEAM STATS
| TORONTO | WINNIPEG | |
| GOALS FOR (Rank): | 90 (1st) | 79 (t-8th) |
| GOALS AGAINST (Rank): | 63 (9th) | 68 (t-14th) |
| POWER PLAY [%] (Rank): | 25/80 [31.3%] (1st) | 17/72 [23.6%] (t-12th) |
| PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank): | 58/75 [77.3%] (19th) | 47/61 [77.1%] (t-20th) |
| SHOTS PER GAME (Rank): | 30.2 (13th) | 29.7 (t-19th) |
| SHOTS AGAINST PER GAME (Rank): | 28.7 (7th) | 31.5 (26th) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank): | 1063 (10th) | 1012 (16th) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank): | 48.3% (t-22nd) | 48.4% (21st) |
| FACEOFF % (Rank): | 51.8% (11th) | 48.8% (20th) |
MAPLE LEAFS – JETS NOTES
| First Matchup between Clubs: | Oct. 27, 1999 (Toronto 4, Atlanta 0) |
| All-Time Record: | 35-19-1-9 (64 Games) |
| All-Time Record at Home: | 18-9-1-4 (32 Games) |
| All-Time Record on the Road: | 17-10-0-5 (32 Games) |
| Last Win vs. Opponent on the Road: | Jan. 18, 2021 (Toronto 3, Winnipeg 1) |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| CATEGORY | LEADER |
| GOALS | 18 (Matthews) |
| ASSISTS | 24 (Marner) |
| POINTS | 34 (Marner) |
| POWER PLAY POINTS | 12 (Marner) |
| SHORTHANDED POINTS | N/A |
| PIMs | 22 (Bogosian, Simmonds) |
| SHOTS | 97 (Matthews) |
| FACEOFF WIN% | 58.8% (Nylander) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % | 54.0% (Thornton) |
| BLOCKED SHOTS | 42 (Holl, Muzzin) |
| TAKEAWAYS | 24 (Marner) |
| HITS | 42 (Hyman, Muzzin) |
| TOI PER GAME | 23:50 (Rielly) |
| PP TOI PER GAME | 3:30 (Matthews) |
| SH TOI PER GAME | 2:54 (Holl) |
MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES
| Frederik Andersen | – Tied for second in the NHL in wins (12).- Ranks 11th among NHL goaltenders in saves made (464).- Has a 10-0-2 record with a 2.700 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 13 career games against Winnipeg. |
| Travis Boyd | – Averaging 2.71 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which ranks fourth among Toronto skaters who have appeared in multiple games. |
| TJ Brodie | – Averaging 18:57 in even-strength ice time, which ranks second among Toronto skaters.- Fourth among Maple Leafs defencemen in points (0-8-8). |
| Jack Campbell | – Is 3-0-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average and a .951 save percentage this season. |
| Justin Holl | – Ranks 17th among NHL right handed defencemen who average at least 15 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time (17:27) with a shot attempt percentage of 53.2% when the score is within one goal.- Ranks 31st in the NHL in shorthanded ice time per game (2:54).- Tied for second among NHL defencemen in primary assists at 5-on-5 (5). |
| Michael Hutchinson | – Has a .934 save percentage and a 2.03 goals-against average through five starts this season. |
| Zach Hyman | – Leads Maple Leafs forwards in shorthanded ice time per game (2:03).- Has the second-highest on-ice goals for percentage (66.6%) at 5-on-5 among Toronto forwards. |
| Alex Kerfoot | – Leads the Maple Leafs in on-ice goals for percentage (68.4%) at 5-on-5.- Had an assist in Toronto’s game against Winnipeg on January 18 vs. Winnipeg.- Sixth among Toronto forwards in shifts per game (19.9). |
| Mitch Marner | – Third among NHLers in assists (24)- Fourth among NHLers in points (10-24-34).- Tied for fifth in the NHL in even-strength goals (10).- Leads NHL forwards in time on ice per game (22:25).- Has played 39.3% of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time.- Has the third highest on-ice goals for percentage (65.8%) at 5-on-5 among Toronto forwards.. |
| Auston Matthews | – Leads the NHL in goals (18).- Sixth among NHLers in points (18-13-31).- Averaging 21:49 in time on ice per game, which is tied for fourth among NHL forwards.- Third among Maple Leafs forwards in 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage (51.4%).- Tied for third in the NHL in shots on goal (97). |
| Ilya Mikheyev | – Ranks third among Maple Leafs forwards in shorthanded ice time per game (1:50).- Has an average of 17.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes of shorthanded ice time, which ranks fourth among NHLers who have played at least 45 minutes of shorthanded ice time (47:45). – Has started 34.8% of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which is the lowest percentage among Maple Leafs. |
| Jake Muzzin | – Tied for fourth among NHL defencemen in assists at 5-on-5 (8).- Tied for 29th among NHL defencemen and ranks eighth among Maple Leafs in points (1-12-13). – Has started 46.2 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which is the lowest mark among Toronto defencemen. |
| William Nylander | – Has the seventh highest points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (1.75) among Toronto skaters who have appeared in over five games.- Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 52.9%, which is the second-highest percentage among Maple Leafs.- Has an on-ice goals for percentage of 60.0% at 5-on-5.- Averaging 1.99 takeaways per 60 minutes of ice time, which ranks fifth among Maple Leafs. |
| Morgan Rielly | – Leads Maple Leafs in average time on ice (23:50).- Tied for fifth among NHL defencemen in points (3-16-19).- Has a pair of goals and six assists in 13 games at home this season.- Tied for ninth among NHL defencemen in assists at 5-on-5 (7). |
| Jason Spezza | – Has the highest points per 60 minutes rate (3.17) at 5-on-5 among Maple Leafs who have appeared in over five games.- Has won 57.3% of his defensive zone faceoffs, which is tied for the sixth highest percentage among NHLers who have taken at least 100 defensive zone draws (117). |
| John Tavares | – Tied for the third-highest faceoff win percentage (58.3%) among NHLers who have taken at least 375 faceoffs (386).- Had a goal in Toronto’s January 18 game against the Jets.- Has 10 goals and 21 assists in 29 career games against Winnipeg.- Has an on-ice goals for percentage of 63.1% at 5-on-5 in 2020-21, which ranks fifth among Toronto skaters. |
| Joe Thornton | – Has the highest 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage among Toronto skaters at 54.0%.- Averaging 2.28 points per 60 minutes of ice time this season, which ranks fifth among Toronto skaters.- Has three goals and eight assists in 14 games this season. |
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
| Pierre Engvall | Points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games. |
| Ilya Mikheyev | Points (1-2-3) in three consecutive games. |
UPCOMING MILESTONES
| Zach Bogosian | Two points from 200 NHL points |
| William Nylander | Four goals from 100 NHL goals |
| Joe Thornton | Three assists from 1,100 career NHL assists |
RECENT MILESTONES
| None | |
INJURY REPORT
| Jack Campbell (Lower Body) | Did not play on March 6 at VAN. |
| Wayne Simmonds (Wrist) | On injured reserve. |
| Man Games Lost: 68 | |
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
| None | |
TORONTO FC STATEMENT
“During mandatory testing as part of preseason training, multiple members of the Toronto FC team delegation tested positive for COVID-19. As a precaution, club personnel are currently isolating and TFC has discontinued training until contact tracing and follow-up testing has been conducted. The club will continue to follow, and strictly enforce, all health and safety protocols, and is working with Toronto Public Health to ensure the players return to training as soon as is safely possible. Toronto FC will provide further updates later in the week as additional information becomes available.”
-TORONTO FOOTBALL CLUB-
BLUE JAYS ANNOUNCE 2021 MINOR LEAGUE APPOINTMENTS
The Toronto Blue Jays today announce the following appointments to the High Performance and Player Development departments for the 2021 campaign.
Field Managers for the upcoming Minor League season will be Casey Candaele (Triple-A Buffalo), Cesar Martin (Double-A New Hampshire), Donnie Murphy (High-A Vancouver), Luis Hurtado (Low-A Dunedin), Brent Lavallee (Gulf Coast), and Dane Fujinaka (Dominican Summer League).
Below is a complete listing of the Blue Jays’ 2021 Player Development and High Performance staffs.
| Buffalo | |
| Casey Candaele | Manager |
| Jeff Ware | Pitching Coach |
| Corey Hart | Hitting Coach |
| Devon White | Position Coach |
| Jake McGuiggan | Development Coach |
| Caleb Daniel | Trainer |
| Justin Batcher | S&C Coach |
| Kat Mangieri | Dietitian |
| John Lannan | MP Coach |
| New Hampshire | |
| Cesar Martin | Manager |
| Jim Czajkowski | Pitching Coach |
| Matt Hague | Hitting Coach |
| Chris Schaeffer | Position Coach |
| Evan Short | Development Coach |
| Luke Greene | Trainer |
| Casey Callison | S&C Coach |
| Kara Terry | Dietitian |
| Rob DiBernardo | MP Coach |
| Vancouver | |
| Donnie Murphy | Manager |
| Antonio Caceres | Pitching Coach |
| Ryan Wright | Hitting Coach |
| Danny Canellas | Position Coach |
| Taylor Hill | Development Coach |
| Brandon Hammerstrom | Trainer |
| Tommy LaBriola | S&C Coach |
| Geoff Stallman | Dietitian |
| Rob DiBernardo | MP Coach |
| Dunedin | |
| Luis Hurtado | Manager |
| Phil Cundari | Pitching Coach |
| Matt Young | Hitting Coach |
| George Carroll | Position Coach |
| Drew Hayes | Development Coach |
| Roelvis Vargas | Trainer |
| Matt Hunter | S&C Coach |
| Lauren Poole | Dietitian |
| Ben Freakley | MP Coach |
| Gulf Coast | |
| Brent Lavallee | Manager |
| Jose Mayorga | Bench Coach |
| Cory Riordan | Pitching Coach |
| Paul Elliott | Hitting Coach |
| Dennis Holmberg | Position Coach |
| Zach Stewart | Development Coach |
| Jon Woodworth | Trainer |
| Taylor Haslinger | S&C Coach |
| Trevor Lomax | Dietitian |
| Matthew Galvez | MP Coach |
| Dominican Summer League | |
| Pablo Cruz | Field Coordinator |
| Dane Fujinaka | Manager |
| Yoel Hernandez | Pitching Coach |
| Andy Fermin | Hitting Coach |
| Petr Stribrcky | Hitting Coach |
| Deiferson Barreto | Position Coach |
| Jose Mateo | Position Coach |
| Alain Pacheco | Trainer |
| Ysidro Reyes | Trainer |
| Imbewer Alvarez | S&C Coach |
| Roswell Del Rosario | Asst. S&C Coach |
| Matthew Galvez | MP Coach |
| Player Development | |
| Gil Kim | Director, Player Development & Major League Coach |
| Charlie Wilson | Director, Minor League Operations |
| Joe Sclafani | Assistant Director, Player Development |
| Casey Candaele | Field Coordinator & Buffalo Manager |
| John Tamargo Jr. | Short-Season Field Coordinator |
| Dallas McPherson | Skill Development Coordinator |
| Hunter Mense | Hitting Coordinator |
| Danny Solano | Infield Coordinator |
| Matt Buschmann | Director, Pitching Development & Major League Bullpen Coach |
| Cory Popham | Pitching Development Coordinator |
| Matt Tracy | Pitching Development Coordinator |
| Will Habib | Coordinator, Player Development & HP Operations |
| Matt Hague | New Hampshire Hitting Coach & Swing Consultant |
| Reed Kienle | Minor League Hitting Analyst |
| Evan Short | Pitching Skills Coach & Strategist |
| Billy Wardlow | Equipment Coordinator |
| Matt von Roemer | Technology Operations Coordinator |
| Tim Raines | Special Assistant to Player Development |
| Sonia De La Cruz | Education Coordinator |
| Michelle Rodgers | Business Manager, Minor League Operations |
| Michael Rivera | Assistant, Player Development |
| David Howell | Complex Pitching Coach |
| Demetre Kokoris | Rehab Pitching Coach |
| Luis Silva | Rehab Position Player Coach |
| High Performance – Dunedin | |
| Angus Mugford | Vice President of High Performance |
| Dehra Harris | Assistant Director of High Performance |
| Andrew Pipkin | Medical Director |
| Brandon Stone | Sports Science Coordinator |
| Scott Peters | Medical Research Coordinator |
| Michael Rendon | Athletic Training Coordinator |
| Phillip Dimino | Rehab Coordinator |
| Jon Woodworth | GCL ATC & Latin American Medical Coordinator |
| Steve Rassel | MiLB S&C Coordinator |
| Kyle Edlhuber | MiLB S&C Rehab Coordinator |
| Aaron Spano | MiLB S&C Asst. Coordinator |
| Ben Freakley | Head of Mental Performance |
| Rob DiBernardo | Mental Performance Coach (New Hampshire & Vancouver) |
| John Lannan | Mental Performance Coach (Buffalo & Dunedin) |
| Matthew Galvez | Mental Performance Coach (GCL & DSL) |
| Jeremy Chiang | Nutrition Coordinator & ML Dietitian |
| Sam Lima | EAP Director |
| Ted Farrar | Florida Physician Coordinator |
| Alex Suerte | Assistant Physical Therapist |
| Reeve Bergesen | High Performance & Player Development Project Manager |
| Clare Padmore | High Performance Analyst |
– BLUE JAYS –
T
AMALIE ARENA AND RAPTORS TO WELCOME LIMITED NUMBER OF FANS BACK TO GAMES BEGINNING MARCH 19
Vinik Sports Group and the Toronto Raptors announced Thursday that it will welcome a limited number of fans, with a capacity of 3,500, back to AMALIE Arena for games starting on March 19 when
the Raptors face the Utah Jazz. Tickets for the 18 remaining Raptors games at AMALIE Arena will go on sale to the general public on March 11 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster following pre-sale
opportunities for Raptors and Tampa Bay Lightning members on March 10.
The health and safety of fans, staff and the teams were prioritized in the process with local healthcare and government officials to determine the protocols for welcoming guests back to AMALIE
Arena. In December, Vinik Sports Group announced its ‘Play it Safe’ campaign, providing a roadmap to ensure the safety of guests and those around them.
Upon entering AMALIE Arena via mobile ticketing, fans will notice increased measures to promote physical distancing, including entry points, concessions and restrooms. Concession and retail stands will be cashless and contactless and hand sanitizing stations have been installed throughout the
facility for use. Arena staff will increase frequency of cleaning and sanitation in all areas being used with an emphasis on commonly used surfaces such as seats, handrails and bathrooms. Signage and physical distancing measures have been added to assure six-foot separation between patrons. Ultraviolet disinfectant lights have been installed at various locations including escalator handrails and the number of people allowed on elevators at one time will also be limited. Masks will be required throughout the arena concourses and seating areas when not eating or drinking.
Other GMs around the league took one key lesson away from Sam Hinkie’s “process” in Philadelphia — he got fired.
Rockets reportedly do not want to follow “the process,” will not dump veterans for picks — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
The Calgary Flames hired Darryl Sutter as their head coach Thursday night, and on Friday a talk-show host congratulated him. “Thanks, John,” Sutter said. “Now I won’t be able to listen to you on the tractor while I’m feeding the cows.” This was reminiscent of Dec. 19, 2011, when the Kings tried to rescue a…
Flames are the latest NHL team to call for Darryl Sutter’s unique intervention — Orange County Register
Kawhi Leonard gave the closest public statement of any American male basketball player of his caliber to accepting a Tokyo Olympic roster spot if offered.
Kawhi Leonard makes his Olympic stance clear as other NBA superstars wait — OlympicTalk | NBC Sports
The view from left field 