LOCAL SPORTS
Seniors League: The CB West Blackstone Knights doubled the Glace Bay Miners 4-2 at the Dr. Bernie MacLean Centre. In action tonight, the Knights are on the road to face off with the County Islanders at 7:15, then the Pictou County Pipers host the Truro Bearcats at 7:30 at the Hector Arena.
U15: This afternoon, the Novas play the Wolverines at the Halifax Forum, while the Bombers host the Bandits at the Wellness Centre. Both games begin at 2.
U16 AAA: The Cabot Highlanders play host to the Voyageurs at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre – puck drops at 6 pm.
U18 Major: The CB West Islanders travel to Halifax to take on the Macs at 7, while the Weeks Majors are in Dartmouth to face Steele Subaru at 7:45.
High School Hockey: Both the North Nova Gryphons and CEC Cougars boys and girls teams faced off on Friday in Trenton: on the Girls side, North Nova won 4-1, then the North Nova Boys blanked the Cougars 2-0. Tonight in Westville, it’s the North Nova boys facing off with Northumberland at 6:30, then at 7:30 the Dr. JH Gillis Royals boys team plays the Tigers in East Hants .
The Royals Round Robin Christmas Basketball tournament continues at the Dr. J.H. Gillis Gymnasium: action begins at 10 am with the Royals vs Hants North, followed by South Colchester vs Hants East at Noon, the Royals and Hants East at 2, and South Colchester vs Hants North at 4.
Rural League: Tonight at the Sherbrooke Arena, the Pleasantdale Panthers play Heatherton Warriors at 7 and the County Outlaws play the St. Croix Angels at 8:30.
Maritime Major Girls U18 League: The Northern Selects are at the Hector Arena hosting the Stars at 4 pm.
NATIONAL SPORTS
Brent Burns and Martin Necas scored early and the Colorado Avalanche held on to beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 for their fourth straight win. Parker Kelly also scored for the Avalanche, who are 6-0-1 since their last regulation loss, a 6-3 defeat at the New York Islanders on December 4. Morgan Barron and Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg, which has lost three straight.
Phillip Danualt is returning to the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs acquired the veteran centre from the Los Angeles Kings in a trade announced by both teams just before the N-H-L holiday roster freeze began. The Kings landed a second-round draft pick, which Montreal previously acquired in a trade with Columbus.
Victor Wembanyama has joined an exclusive club, recording his 100th consecutive regular-season game with at least one block in the San Antonio Spurs’ 126-98 win over the Atlanta Hawks. The Spurs centre led the charge with a team-high 26 points, 12 assists and two blocks. Only two players have accomplished this feat before: Patrick Ewing and Dikembe Mutombo.
Anthony Edwards returned from a three-game injury absence with 26 points and 12 rebounds, hitting the go-ahead three-pointer with 38.5 seconds left to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-107. Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 35 points and seven assists for the Thunder, who lost for the second time in three games after starting 24-1 on the heels of their N-B-A championship.
N-B-A official Tre Maddox suffered a leg injury at the end of the first quarter of Friday’s game between the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. The 58-year-old Maddox was running off the court during a break in the action when he fell and appeared to roll his ankle.
Friday’s Scoreboard
NHL
Vancouver 4 N.Y. Islanders 1
Florida 4 Carolina 3 (SO)
Colorado 3 Winnipeg 2
New Jersey 2 Utah 1
Dallas 8 Anaheim 3
PWHL
Minnesota 5 Boston 2
NBA
Boston 129 Miami 116
Philadelphia 116 New York 107
San Antonio 126 Atlanta 98
Chicago 136 Cleveland 125
Minnesota 112 Oklahoma City 107
Saturday’s Games (All times Eastern)
NHL
Detroit at Washington, 12:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers, 12:30 p.m.
Chicago at Ottawa, 3 p.m.
Edmonton at Minnesota, 3 p.m.
N.Y. Islanders at Buffalo, 5 p.m.
St. Louis at Florida, 6 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Montreal, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Nashville, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Boston, 7 p.m.
Vegas at Calgary, 10 p.m.
Carolina at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
Columbus at Anaheim, 10 p.m.
Seattle at San Jose, 10 p.m.
PWHL
Montreal at Vancouver, 3 p.m.
NBA
Houston at Denver, 5 p.m.
Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Dallas at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Indiana at New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Charlotte at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Washington at Memphis, 8 p.m.
Phoenix at Golden State, 8:30 p.m.
Orlando at Utah, 9:30 p.m.
Portland at Sacramento, 10 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
NFL
Philadelphia at Washington, 5 p.m.
Green Bay at Chicago, 8:20 p.m.