LOCAL SPORTS
University Sports:
On Coach K Court, the X-Women suffered a second defeat at the hands of the UPEI Panthers, 85-44. St. FX player of the game Melina Collins led all scorers with 16 points and two rebounds, while Katie Upham had 11 points, six rebounds, and three assists. A strong fourth quarter and shooting 50 per cent from the three-point-line helped the UPEI Panthers drop the X-Men 76-71, avenging a blowout loss from the previous night. Deon Ejim lead the way for St. FX, scoring 16 points and picking up five rebounds.
On the ice, the Panthers clinched a playoff spot at home in dramatic fashion, scoring three unanswered goals to defeat the X-Women 3-2 in overtime. Meanwhile at the Keating Centre, UPEI snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the X-Men. Both teams were missing key personnel as St. FX’s Liam Hawel & Matthew Struthers and UPEI’s Matt Brassard & TJ Shea are currently in Lake Placid with Team Canada for the FISU World University Games.
In Lake Placid, Team Canada won gold in women’s hockey at the FISU World University games, shutting out Japan 5-0 in the final. X-Women forward Maggie Burbidge had a goal and assist in the win. Meanwhile, Team Canada’s men’s hockey squad are off to their finals after beating Kazakhstan 4-1. X-Men forward Liam Hawel had two assists in the victory, while Matthew Struthers had one. Canada will face the US for gold tonight at 6:10.
The X-Women and X-Men track teams competed at the Athletics NS Indoor Open in their first meet of the year. On the women’s side, Brynn Hebert came third overall in the 1000m with a time of 2:55.63 and in doing so landed the fifth best time ever amongst the X-Women all-time list. In the 3000m, Caroline Ash (10:17.75) and Quincy Rotsaert-Smith (11:44.07) were second and fifth in the age 18-19 division, while AUS cross country individual champion Allie Sandluck was second in the 20-34 division with a time of 10:01.79. In the men’s 3000m event, Luke MacDonald (8:50.59) and Owen Flemming (8:55.90) had the top two times in the age 18-19 category. Luc Gallant came third in the age 20-34 race with a time of 8:48.49. Veteran runner Jacob Benoit was the lone X-Men in the 1000m race and he placed third overall with a 2:29.42 showing. The time was the second best all-time in X-Men history for the event. Next up for the tracksters is the Athletics NB Open in Saint John this Friday and Saturday.
NS Junior: In Springhill, the Cumberland County Blues handed the Strait Pirates a 6-5 loss in overtime. Tonight, the Pictou County Scotians host Membertou in Trenton at 6 pm, then the Bulldogs face off in Eskasoni against the Eagles at 7:30.
Maritime Junior: The Pictou County Weeks Crushers defeated the Red Wings 9-7 in a high-scoring affair in Fredericton.
U15: At the Antigonish Arena, the WearWell Bombers took it to overtime, defeating the Novas 2-1 at the Arena. Both teams play today – first, the Bombers are on the road against the Cougars at 11:15, then the Novas host the Western Hurricanes at the Keating Centre at 12:30.
U16 AAA: The Cabot Highlanders lost in overtime 5-4 to Kings Hockey Club. The rematch will be at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre at 12:30.
U18: The Pictou County Weeks Majors defeated the Mustangs 4-2 in Lunenberg, while the CB West Islanders lost at home 4-1 to the Macs. Today, the Islanders host Steele Subaru in Port Hood: game time 1 pm.
Maritime Major Female League: The Northern Selects remain atop the standings after a 3-0 shutout of the Western Flames in Pictou.
Rural League: Pleasantdale defeated the Outlaws 5-1, and Heatherton outscored St. Croix 4-1.
NATIONAL SPORTS
Jalen Hurts erased lingering doubts about the state of his right shoulder by throwing two touchdown passes and running for a major during a dominant first half, and the Philadelphia Eagles overwhelmed the visiting New York Giants 38-7 in an N-F-C divisional playoff game. Top-seeded Philadelphia will host the N-F-C championship game next Sunday against either the Dallas Cowboys or San Francisco 49ers.
Zach Hyman had a four-point night and set a new career-high in points as his surging Edmonton Oilers handed the beleaguered Vancouver Canucks a 4-2 loss. Hyman contributed a goal and three assists for the Oilers, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored and added two helpers. The Oilers stretched their win streak to six games, while the Canucks lost their third game in four nights.
Radek Faksa had his first two-goal game in more than three years, captain Jamie Benn and rookie Wyatt Johnston each scored and the Dallas Stars beat the hapless Arizona Coyotes 4-0.
Matt Duchene broke a tie with 6:26 left with his second goal of the game as the Nashville Predators beat the visiting Los Angeles Kings 5-3. Mikael Granlund and Ryan Johansen each had a goal and an assist for the Predators, who have won three of their last four. Sean Durzi scored a goal and assisted on another and Adrian Kempe and Quinton Byfield also scored for Los Angeles.
Anthony Edwards scored a season-high 44 points, D’Angelo Russell added 23 and the Minnesota Timberwolves handed the Houston Rockets their 13th straight N-B-A loss with a 113-104 victory. Edwards eclipsed 40 points for the first time this season on 17-of-29 shooting from the field. Minnesota has won eight of its last 11 games.
Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina has eliminated Number-1 Iga Swiatek and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko has defeated Coco Gauff in the Australian Open’s fourth round of women’s singles. Rybakina and Ostapenko will now face each other for a berth in the semifinals. Neither has been that far at Melbourne Park in the past.
Saturday’s Scoreboard
NFL Playoffs – Divisional Round
Kansas City 27 Jacksonville 20
Philadelphia 38 New York Giants 7
NHL
Edmonton 4 Vancouver 2
Calgary 6 Tampa Bay 3
Montreal 3 Toronto 2 (OT)
Winnipeg 5 Ottawa 1
Buffalo 6 Anaheim 3
Philadelphia 2 Detroit 1
Columbus 5 San Jose 3
Florida 5 Minnesota 3
Carolina 5 N.Y. Islanders 2
Dallas 4 Arizona 0
Chicago 5 St. Louis 3
Nashville 5 Los Angeles 3
Colorado 2 Seattle 1 (SO)
Vegas 6 Washington 2
NBA
Boston 106 Toronto 104
Washington 138 Orlando 118
Charlotte 122 Atlanta 118
Cleveland 114 Milwaukee 102
Minnesota 113 Houston 104
Phoenix 112 Indiana 107
Philadelphia 129 Sacramento 127
Sunday’s Games (All Times Eastern)
NFL Playoffs – Divisional Round
Cincinnati at Buffalo, 3 p.m.
Dallas at San Francisco, 6:30 p.m.
NHL
Pittsburgh at New Jersey, 2 p.m.
Los Angeles at Chicago, 7 p.m.
San Jose at Boston, 7 p.m.
Winnipeg at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Vegas at Arizona, 8 p.m.
NBA
L.A. Clippers at Dallas, 2:30 p.m.
New Orleans at Miami, 3:30 p.m.
New York at Toronto, 6 p.m.
Memphis at Phoenix, 8 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Denver, 8 p.m.
Brooklyn at Golden State, 8:30 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at Portland, 9 p.m.