LOCAL SPORTS
AUS: On Coach K Court, the UPEI Panthers put on a defensive display in a tight 55-47 win over the X-Women. Rookie Ayla White was named Gabriel Pizza player of the game for the X-Women with 18 points, three rebounds, and an assist. The X-Men improved to 6-1 with a decisive 75-58 win over the Panthers. DJ Jackson picked up a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the X-Men, while Gatluak James had one of his own with 19 boards and 14 points.
On the ice, the X-Women, ranked 8th in the country, made it six wins in a row with a 3-1 victory over Université de Moncton at the Keating Centre. Scoring for the X-Women were Kalle Hastman, Ireland McCloskey and Joanna Martinsen. Meanwhile in Halifax, X-Men forward Raegan Wiles scored the overtime winner, as the X-Men came back from a two goal deficit to defeat the Saint Mary’s Huskies 5-4. Also scoring for the X-Men were Alex Christopoulos, Ryan Struthers, and Cole Stewart with 2.
Maritime League: The Pictou County Weeks Crushers fell 7-5 to the Western Capitals in Summerside. The Crushers are back at the Wellness Centre tonight to tangle with the Campbellton Tigers. Game time is 6 pm.
U15: The Wearwell Bombers doubled the Valley Wildcats 4-2. In action today, the Bombers host the Novas at 11 am at the Wellness Centre.
U16 AAA: In Port Hawkesbury, the Cabot Highlanders lost 4-3 to the Voyageurs. The teams meet again at the Civic Centre at 12:30.
U18 Major: Two losses for local teams – In Port Hood, the CB West Islanders were outscored 5-3 by Steele Subaru, while at the Wellness Centre, the Weeks Majors fell 7-6 to the Mustangs. The Islanders host Steele again at 1 pm, while the Weeks Majors travel to the Valley to face off with the Wildcats at 3:30.
High School Boys: In Trenton, the Royals could not find their groove at a tournament this weekend. On Saturday, they lost to Millwood Knights 7-0 and then fell to Avon View 2-1 in OT. Scoring for the Royals was Charlie VandenHeuvel.
Maritime Major Female League: The Northern Subway Selects had a rare loss in Pictou, falling 3-2 in overtime to the Stars, who now sit second place in the standings, one point behind the Selects. The teams tangle again at the Hector Arena at Noon.
Junior B: Two games tonight featuring local teams: The Antigonish Bulldogs host the Strait Pirates at the Arena, while the Scotians face the Junior Eagles in Eskasoni. Both games begin at 7:30.
NATIONAL SPORTS
Connor McDavid scored twice and had an assist for the Edmonton Oilers in a 6-2 win over the visiting New York Rangers. Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse scored a short-handed goal in his first game back in the lineup since a check to his head by Toronto’s Ryan Reaves. The Maple Leaf was given a five-game suspension by the NHL.
The Montreal Canadiens gave up five goals in the second period to the Vegas Golden Knights in a 6-2 loss. Elsewhere, the Ottawa Senators dropped their fifth straight in a 4-3 loss to the visiting Vancouver Canucks, who opened a six-game road trip. The Winnipeg Jets fell 4-1 to the Predators in Nashville.
A few tears from Joe Thornton as the San Jose Sharks retire his number. He joins longtime teammate Patrick Marleau as the only players to have their jerseys retired by the Sharks. Thornton from London, Ontario, played 15 seasons for San Jose. He helped transform the Sharks from a middling franchise to a perennial contender.
Auston Matthews is back in Toronto and says a return to action on Wednesday is possible after the injured Maple Leafs captain visited a doctor in Germany. Matthews has missed seven games with an undisclosed upper-body ailment.
The Laval Rouge et Or are the Canadian university football champions for the second time in three years. Felipe Forteza kicked a Vanier Cup record six field goals in a 22-17 win over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in Kingston, Ontario. Next year’s Vanier Cup will be played in Regina.
Max Verstappen cruised to a fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship Saturday night by finishing fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Dutchman started fifth but was already up to second by the 10th lap around the street circuit that includes the famed Las Vegas Strip. Lando Norris of McLaren, who had to score at least three points more than Verstappen to extend the championship fight, finished sixth. Verstappen won the title with two races remaining in the season.
Saturday’s Scoreboard
Vanier Cup
Laval 22 Wilfrid Laurier 17
NHL
Philadelphia 3 Chicago 2 (OT)
Calgary 4 Minnesota 3 (SO)
Los Angeles 2 Seattle 1
Colorado 7 Florida 4
Vancouver 4 Ottawa 3
Vegas 6 Montreal 2
Nashville 4 Winnipeg 1
Boston 2 Detroit 1
Columbus 5 Carolina 4 (SO)
Dallas 4 Tampa Bay 2
New Jersey 3 Washington 2
Utah 6 Pittsburgh 1
N.Y. Islanders 3 St. Louis 1
Buffalo 4 San Jose 2
Edmonton 6 N.Y. Rangers 2
NBA
Utah 121 New York 106
Orlando 111 Detroit 100
Memphis 142 Chicago 131
Milwaukee 125 Charlotte 119
Portland 104 Houston 98
San Antonio 104 Golden State 94
Denver 127 L.A. Lakers 102
MLS
Eastern Conference Semifinals
NY Red Bulls 2 New York City FC 0
Western Conference Semifinals
Seattle 2 Los Angeles FC 1
Sunday’s Games (All Times Eastern)
NHL
Utah at Toronto, 7 p.m.
NBA
Minnesota at Boston, 3:30 p.m.
Washington at Indiana, 5 p.m.
Dallas at Miami, 6 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.
Toronto at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
Brooklyn at Sacramento, 9 p.m.
NFL
Arizona at Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Houston at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
Indianapolis at New England, 1 p.m.
L.A. Chargers at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Seattle at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.
Tennessee at Washington, 1 p.m.
L.A. Rams at New Orleans, 4:05 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Carolina, 4:05 p.m.
Philadelphia at Baltimore, 4:25 p.m.
San Francisco at Buffalo, 8:20 p.m.
MLS
Eastern Conference Semifinals
Atlanta at Orlando, 3:30 p.m.
Western Conference Semifinals
Minnesota at LA Galaxy, 6 p.m.