LOCAL SPORTS
AUS: In Hockey, the X-Men skated away with a 5-2 victory over the UPEI Panthers, their third straight win. Scoring for the X-Men were Alex Christopoulos with a pair, with singles from Logan Chisholm, Ben Mercer & Jacob Maillet. Meanwhile at the Keating Centre, the X-Women – ranked fifth in the country – extended their winning streak to ten games with a lopsided 8-3 win over the visiting Mount Allison Mounties. Gabriel Pizza Player of the game Anna MacCara led the way with four points on the night, which saw eight different X-Women light the lamp.
On Coach K Court, the Acadia Axewomen emerged victorious over St. FX 74-66. Ekaterina Karchevskaya led the X-Women with 16 points and 5 assists, while Shannon Neita added 12 points and 8 rebounds. Then the X-Men delivered a dominant performance, defeating Acadia 93-59 in front of a sold-out crowd. The win also earned the X-Men the Coach K Challenge trophy, in the annual game played between the two schools in honour of former X-Men coach and Acadia player Steve Konchalski. The X-Men’s DJ Jackson led all scorers with 16 points in game, adding 5 rebounds and 3 steals. The win extends the X-Men winning streak to eight games as they sit atop of the AUS conference with an 11-1 record.
Junior B: The Antigonish Bulldogs are in Trenton tonight to face the Pictou County Scotians. Puck drops at 6:30.
Maritime League: The Pictou County Weeks Crushers doubled the Western Capitals 6-3 at the Wellness Centre. This afternoon at the Centre, the Crushers host the Amherst Ramblers at 4.
U15: The Wearwell Bombers outscored the Bandits 8-5, while the Novas fell 4-2 to the Valley Wildcats. In action this morning, the Bombers hit the road to take on the Rangers at 11, while the Novas are at the Arena at 11:30 against the Whalers.
U16 AAA: The Cabot Highlanders are in Bedford to face off with the Armada at 11:45 am.
U18 Major: Both the Weeks Majors and CB West Islanders had shutouts in their matches, but were on opposite sides: the Majors lost 3-0 to the Halifax Macs, with the Islanders blanking the Mustangs 6-0. Today, it’s the Majors vs the Islanders at the Wellness Centre: game time is 1 pm.
High School Boys: The Northumberland Nighthawks defeated the Tigers 3-2. In Port Hood this afternoon, Dalbrae Academy hosts North Nova at 4 pm.
Maritime Major Female League: The Northern Subway Selects found themselves in a rare position: scoreless. The Cape Breton Lynx got the victory 6-0 over the Selects in Port Hawkesbury. The teams play again at the Hector Arena in Pictou at Noon.
NATIONAL SPORTS
Captain Quinn Hughes scored two of his team’s three goals in the first period and the Vancouver Canucks held on to beat the visiting Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Danton Heinen also scored for the Canucks and J-T Miller chipped in with two assists. Leon Draisaitl scored twice for the Oilers to pad his season total to 33 goals.
Chandler Stephenson’s goal at 1:37 of the third period snapped a 2-2 tie and lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 4-2 win over the visiting Los Angeles Kings. Jaden Schwartz scored three goals for the Kraken, while Adrian Kempe (KEHM-peh) and Jordan Spence had the Kings’ goals.
Jayden Daniels threw for two touchdowns in a flawless performance by Washington’s dazzling rookie quarterback, and the Commanders stunned the Detroit Lions 45-31 to reach the N-F-C championship game for the first time since winning the Super Bowl 33 years ago. Detroit, the number 1 seed for the first time, doomed its chances by turning the ball over over five times.
He hadn’t played since Christmas Day, but quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 177 yards and a touchdown, Travis Kelce caught seven passes for 117 yards and a T-D, and the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 23-14 to advance to the A-F-C championship game for the seventh straight season. Andy Reid became the fourth N-F-L coach to record 300 career wins.
Canadian Andrew Wiggins had 31 points and 11 rebounds as the Golden State Warriors defeated the visiting Washington Wizards 122-114. Stephen Curry added 26 points for the Warriors, who won their second in a row. Jordan Poole scored 38 points for the Wizards, who lost their ninth straight game.
Jake Burger will wear Number 21 after being acquired by the Texas Rangers. The number has special significance for his family after his daughter was born in October with Down syndrome. The clinical name for Down syndrome is trisomy 21, a condition in which a person is born with an extra chromosome. Burger was working to change his number with Miami before getting traded to Texas in December.
Saturday’s Scoreboard
NFL Divisional Round Playoffs
Kansas City 23 Houston 14
Washington 45 Detroit 31
NHL
Vancouver 3 Edmonton 2
Toronto 7 Montreal 3
Calgary 3 Winnipeg 1
Ottawa 6 Boston 5 (SO)
Philadelphia 3 New Jersey 1
Colorado 6 Dallas 3
Florida 3 Anaheim 0
Tampa Bay 5 Detroit 1
Washington 4 Pittsburgh 1
N.Y. Islanders 4 San Jose 1
Nashville 6 Minnesota 2
Chicago 5 Vegas 3
Utah 4 St. Louis 2
Seattle 4 Los Angeles 2
N.Y. Rangers 1 Columbus 0 (SO)
NBA
Phoenix 125 Detroit 121
Atlanta 119 Boston 115 (OT)
Indiana 115 Philadelphia 102
Golden State 122 Washington 114
Cleveland 124 Minnesota 117
Houston 125 Portland 103
Sunday’s Games (All times Eastern)
NHL
Ottawa at New Jersey, 1 p.m.
NY Rangers at Montreal, 7 p.m.
Detroit at Dallas, 8 p.m.
NFL Divisional Round Playoffs
NFC: L.A. Rams (4) at Philadelphia (2), 3 p.m.
AFC: Baltimore (3) at Buffalo (2), 6:30 p.m.
PWHL
Ottawa at Montreal, 1 p.m.
NBA
San Antonio at Miami, 3 p.m.
Denver at Orlando, 6 p.m.
Brooklyn at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.
Chicago at Portland, 9 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers, 9 p.m.
Washington at Sacramento, 9 p.m.