LOCAL SPORTS
AUS: The X-Men soccer team are still undefeated after winning 4-1 over Acadia at STFX Stadium. The X-Women also got a win on Homecoming weekend, dropping the visiting Axewomen 1-0 to improve to 4-3-2 and sit three points behind Acadia in the standings.
In the first game of their season, the X-Men hockey team fell 6-3 to the Aigles Bleus in Moncton. Meanwhile, the X-Women opened their season by defeating the Mount Allison Mounties 3-1 in Sackville. Next up, the X-Men travel to Fredericton to face-off against UNB tonight, while the X-Women stay in New Brunswick to take on St. Thomas. Both games start at 7 pm.
The men’s and women’s cross-country teams are also in New Brunswick for the Moncton Invitational. Races begin at Noon.
The X-Men Football Homecoming Game is set for 3 pm today versus Bishops.
In pre-season action, the X-Women Basketball team host Bishops at 1:30 on Coach K Court, then the X-Men Basketball team visits Cape Breton University tonight at 8.
Junior B: The Antigonish Bulldogs edged out the Junior Eagles 3-2 at the Antigonish Arena, while the Strait Pirates scored three times in the final period to defeat the Capstone Colts 3-2 in Port Hawkesbury.
U15: The season begins today with the Wearwell Bombers hosting the Dartmouth Whalers at the Wellness Centre at 2, then the Novas are on the road against the Rangers at 3.
U16 AAA: The Cabot Highlanders improve to 1-2 after a 4-1 victory over the Fundy Thunder in East Hants.
U18 Major: The Weeks Majors are at the Wellness Centre to host the Valley Wildcats at 4 pm, while the CB West Islanders visit the Mustangs tonight at 7.
NATIONAL SPORTS
The Calgary Stampeders saw their faint playoff dreams snuffed out in a 32-15 loss to the B-C Lions. Mathieu Betts and T.J. Lee each running in touchdowns off of turnovers as B-C’s defence carried the day. Nathan Rourke connected on 20 of his 24 attempts and put up 218 passing yards for the Lions.
Brady Oliveira and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers continue to roll along. Oliveira ran for a season-high 147 yards and a touchdown to power Winnipeg past the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 31-10. The Bombers earned their eighth straight win to move five points ahead of second-place Saskatchewan in the West Division. Winnipeg clinched a home playoff game.
Paul Cotter had a goal and an assist in his Devils debut as New Jersey beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 in the N-H-L regular-season opener in Prague. The teams’ series of games this weekend are part of the N-H-L global series. Two more will be played in Finland next month when defending Stanley Cup champion Florida faces the Dallas Stars.
Kyle Connor scored the third-period winner to lift the Winnipeg Jets over the Calgary Flames 3-2 in the final N-H-L pre-season game for both teams. Both rosters resembled opening-day lineups, although the Flames rested winger Blake Coleman and newly-signed defenceman Tyson Barrie.
Arshdeep Bains made a pitch to be on the Canucks’ opening night roster, scoring on the power play and adding an assist as Vancouver defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-1 in exhibition play. Quinn Hughes, Carson Soucy and Jake DeBrusk, into an empty net, also scored for the Canucks. Defenceman Evan Bouchard scored for the Oilers.
Noah Gregor scored his second goal of the night in overtime as the Ottawa Senators edged the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in N-H-L pre-season action. Donovan Sebrango tied the game 3-3 for Ottawa with 3:25 left in regulation time. Adam Gaudette also scored in the third period.
Greg Landry, the former Detroit Lions quarterback and assistant coach, has died. He was 77. Landry played in the N-F-L from 1968 to 1981, the first 11 years with the Lions, and also played for the then-Baltimore Colts. After two seasons in the U-S-F-L, he returned to the N-F-L and played one game with the Chicago Bears.
Friday’s Scoreboard
NHL
New Jersey 4 Buffalo 1 at Prague, Czechia
NHL Pre-season
Pittsburgh 7 Columbus 3
Carolina 2 Tampa Bay 1 (OT)
N.Y. Islanders 5 N.Y. Rangers 2
Ottawa 4 Detroit 3 (OT)
Minnesota 6 Chicago 1
Winnipeg 3 Calgary 2
Vancouver 4 Edmonton 1
Anaheim 3 San Jose 2 (SO)
CFL
Winnipeg 31 Hamilton 10
British Columbia 32 Calgary 15
WNBA Playoffs – Best-of-5 Semifinals
New York 95 Las Vegas 81 (New York leads series 3-0)
Minnesota 90 Connecticut 81 (Minnesota leads series 2-1)
NBA Pre-Season
Boston 107 Denver 103
Utah 116 New Zealand 87
Minnesota 124 L.A. Lakers 107
Saturday’s Games (All times Eastern)
MLB Playoffs – Best-of-Five Division Series
American League
Detroit at Cleveland, 1:08 p.m. (Start of series)
Kansas City at New York Yankees, 6:38 p.m. (Start of series)
National League
New York Mets at Philadelphia, 4:08 p.m. (Start of series)
San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 8:38 p.m. (Start of series)
NHL
New Jersey vs. Buffalo at Prague, Czechia, 10 a.m.
NHL Pre-season
Ottawa at Detroit, 7 p.m.
Columbus at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
N.Y. Rangers at N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Carolina, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
Winnipeg at Calgary, 9 p.m.
Edmonton at Vancouver, 10 p.m.
Anaheim at San Jose, 10 p.m.
CFL
Saskatchewan at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
MLS
Miami at Toronto FC, 4 p.m.
Minnesota at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
CF Montréal at Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.
New York at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
Orlando City at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at Columbus, 7:30 p.m.
D.C. United at New England, 7:30 p.m.
Los Angeles FC at Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m.
Houston at St Louis City, 8:30 p.m.
Seattle at Colorado, 9:30 p.m.
Austin FC at LA Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
Real Salt Lake at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.
NBA Pre-Season
Golden State at L.A. Clippers, 7 p.m.